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Postal Jeep
The postal jeep has gone through a lot of changes
throughout the years.
I put the postal jeep web site together because I
have always liked the postal jeep. While you may still see some
postal jeeps in rural areas, there are not too many on the road anymore.
If you are lucky, you might be able to pick up a used postal jeep.
Please browse through this web site to learn about the postal jeep and
the history behind it.
DJ-3A (1955-1965)
The two-wheel drive Willys DJ-3A
"Dispatcher" has a lot in common with the CJ-3B, besides dating from
the same era. It was cheap Jeep whose design was largely on
efficiency, practical recycling of existing tooling and technology.
It is largely unknown today in North America; people are always
trying to figure out what postal jeep this is. |
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The
Postal Jeep has gone through a lot of changes through out the years.
The DJ made its debut in 1955, advertised both as a convertible
recreational vehicle (a bit ahead of its time) and as America's Lowest
Priced Delivery Vehicle. Designed around the body style and L-134 engine
of the former CJ-3A, the Dispatcher was the first Jeep since the early
CJ-2A to have a steering column-mounted gearshift. Another
characteristic was the 4-bolt wheels, hidden by hubcaps in this ad photo from the collection of Todd Paisley. |
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The postal jeep DJ-3A
was used for all kinds of light-to-medium-duty jobs that didn't
require four-wheel drive, including a hardtop delivery version.
On the other hand, this 1958 concept of a mini-pickup version of the
Dispatcher, did not go into production. Too bad for the postal
jeep!
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A Willys 1958
Engineering Release mentions six Post Office 3B-based prototypes as
having been produced. This earlier prototype was photographed in
March 1954. Presumably any production models, if they had been
built, would have been two-wheel drive, but this vehicle appears to
be four-wheel drive. There is no evidence that Willys used the
designation DJ-3B. |
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Postal Jeeps were also used in Canada, but many
of them were replaced with newer trucks in the 1970's. The example is a used
postal jeep on the east coast of Canada into the 1980's, and is now on
display at the Canadian Postal Museum in Ottawa.
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Moo Moo. This postal jeep was either hit
hard by a flock of birds, or this postal jeep owner really likes cows! |
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