The photos here are evidence that the term "Universal Jeep" is more than just a slogan dreamed up by Willys-Overland in the 1940's. You can find Jeeps (particularly CJ-3B's in fact) almost anywhere in the world, if not the universe, and they're carrying everybody.
Who knew that the Beatles' "Bungalow Bill" who "went out tiger hunting with his elephant and gun," also took a Willys CJ-3B?
It's well documented that the 1968 song from the Beatles' white album was written by John Lennon while visiting the Maharishi in Rishikesh, India, and based on a young American named Richard A. Cooke III (Rik) and his mother, who took a break from their stay with the Maharishi, to go tiger hunting with Indian guides, riding elephants.
According to a well-annotated article in Wikipedia about The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill, "The pack of elephants was attacked by a tiger, which was shot by Rik. Rik was initially proud of his quick reaction and posed for a photograph with his prize."
I saw this photo of Rik (above, copyright Richard A. Cooke III) for the first time in the September, 2008 issue of the music magazine Mojo. The magazine reported that he was deeply affected by the event, and hasn't shot anything except photographs since.
Richard A. Cooke III became a well-respected photographer for National Geographic, and he now also publishes a blog called The Aloha Bear where he has told the real story of Bungalow Bill.
The drawing of The Beatles (left) comes from the King Features animated ABC-TV series.
Years later in Goa, India, Rushabh Parekh takes his 1997 Mahindra Jeep through the jungle during a rally. He's "a hardcore CJ-3B fan," who describes his Jeep as "a very capable beast which off-roads very often. A 2112cc engine with low gearing provides for plenty of grunt."
Rushabh says, "In India, Mahindra & Mahindra organize off-road rallies six times a year for 4x4 Jeeps."
Pierre Gieling from Belgium, with his primary-school class in Goma, Zaire, where he taught in the 1990's. By my calculations, this photo sets a new record for the number of people on a high-hood (see below). Pierre's Jeep, which he used to explore the nearby Rwindi Park nature reserve, was a Willys VIASA built in Spain, with the Perkins diesel engine. His website Chez Pierre has more photos of the Jeep and of his travels in Africa and all over the world.
See for example a few of his friends in Rwindi Park, posing on the hood (100K JPEG) and on the spare tire (40K JPEG).
We ran across this Jeep on a web page in Spain. It saw regular rally action, judging from the signs of sponsorship by cigarette companies. See also a photo with the soft top on (40K JPEG).
Rodney Walker loaded the extended family into his right-hand-drive CJ-3B in Australia, but he hasn't confirmed whether they actually drove anywhere. About the Jeep, he says "We bought this Jeep in 1995 from a guy at Cecil Plains in Western Queensland. He was a contract septic tank cleaner (sounds like a fun job) who travelled quite frequently to remote properties in Western Queensland. He was a bit of an old car enthusiast and picked up whatever he could (if the price was right). Anyway he had found this 3B (for next to nothing I would say) and it was in a pretty sad way."
Thanks to all the photographers, including Richard A. Cooke III for Bunglaow Bill. -- Derek Redmond
Return to the Index of Unusual Photos.
See also Jeeps Around the World on The CJ3B Page.
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