I’ve been running an inordinate amount of historic Ford press photos in recent weeks, and that’s simply because they’ve made so many great old photos available through their media site. GM and Chrysler, not so much, but I have been able to wrest some neat Jeep press photos out of Chrysler’s site lately.
We’ll start with this photo from the Jeep assembly line in Toledo, circa 1964. Unless it’s a staged shot, it’s rather noteworthy for a few reasons. First, the wooden plank floors. Second, the Wagoneers in the background exhibit the “electric shaver” grille, which was new for the 1965 model year, but the Gladiator in the far back still sports the Rhino grille, which pickups wore through 1969. Finally, the first and third CJ-5s have one-piece windshields with wipers in the base, while the second (possibly an M38?) has a split windshield with hanging wipers. Also, what’s up with the side markers on the CJs? Were these being built for export?