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Document scans relating to the transfer of Civilian Jeep body production from ACM to Willys

Annual Report for the year Ending September 30, 1948, Willys-Overland Motors, Inc., December 7, 1948. "During the fiscal year, we started putting into effect plans to build the bodies for our Universal Jeep in our plant in Toledo. The changeover will be completed shortly after the first of the year."

New York Times Oct 30, 1948. "TOLEDO, Oct. 29 (AP) Willys-Overland announced today that it will start building all its Universal Jeep bodies in its plant here about mid-December. The bodies heretofore have been built by the American Central Division, Avco Manufacturing Corporation, at Connersville, Ind. William E. Paris, Willys-Overland vice president, said the new body building operations will require about 700 more workers in the local plant."

Oakland Tribune, Sunday, Nov. 7, 1948. "Building of all bodies for the Universal Jeep will be started at the Toledo plant of Willys-Overland Motors in mid-December, it was announced by William E. Paris, vice president in charge of manufacturng. Tools, dies, jigs, and fixtures for the Jeep body-building operation have been transferred to Toledo from the American Central Dvision, Avco Manufacturing Corp., where the Jeep bodies were previously built, Paris revealed. The move has been made as a further step in the integration of Willys-Overland manufacturing operations, Paris explained."

AVCO manufacturing Corporation Annual Report for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1948. The report is dated February 4, 1949. Page 17 "Production of peacetime "jeep" bodies was discontinued toward the close of the year when these operations were transferred to the former contractor's own plant."

Wall Street Journal Dec 23, 1948. "TOLEDO Jeeps with Toledo-made bodies are now rolling off the assembly line at Willys-Overland Motors, according to James D. Mooney, president. For the first time, stampings for the jeep bodies are being made in Willys-Overland's own stamping division. Tools, dies, and jigs were recently moved to Toledo from Connersville, Indiana, where American Central Division, Avco Manufacturing Corp., had previously been building jeep bodies for Willys-Overland."

Annual Report of Willys-Overland for the year ending September 30, 1949 dated December 15, 1949. "Move of Jeep body building operation from outside source to Toledo was an important step in further integration of manufacturing facilities. Manufacturing economies and closer control of quality and flow are now among the advantages of the move." This page has a photo of a CJ-3A body before it's painted in the Toledo factory.

The Toldeo Blade 10/29/48 reported that American Central "turned out its last jeep body early this month."


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