It's not easy to think of a toy Jeep that equals the heft, solidity and classic design of the Tonka Jeep of the 1960's. But the large (10.5 inches long) Al-Toy CJ-2A's cast in aluminum by Toledo Casting in the 1940's fit the bill, and were also more accurate to the prototype than the Tonkas. There was a similar toy produced by the Oglesby company in Indiana, as well as later castings made by other companies using the Al-Toy molds after they were sold off by Toledo Casting. All of this makes positive identification of the Al-Toys a bit of a challenge.
Collector Glenn Byron says, "The Al-Toy program started in 1945 and went to about 1950, producing slush cast aluminum models of the CJ-2A, Pickup, Jeepster, Station Wagon, and CJ-2A Fire Truck. The 2A Jeeps are most frequently found -- the others are very scarce." Glenn provides more background in his comments on Terry Smith's Al-Toy Jeep Collection on The CJ3B Page.
We still don't have complete information on these toys, but they were given as Christmas presents to Willys-Overland executives from 1945-49, and some were also given away as promotional models. The October 1946 ad (right) from Toys and Novelties magazine also indicates that Toledo Casting was marketing them as a "popular priced" toy. Thanks to Colin Peabody for the ad.
The company is also sometimes referred to as Central Casting and Toledo Brass. Colin says, "I have been wondering if they were the same company who cast the hood spears and step plates for the wagons and Jeepsters back in '46-'49. It would seem feasible to me that Willys wouldn't go far outside of their suppliers to have these limited toy castings done."
The Al-Toys have "WILLYS" cast above the grille, and "JEEP" below the windshield (see the large copy of the photo, 110K JPEG), neither of which is accurate to the prototype 2A. The center of the wheels is usually painted a contrasting color as on the prototype, but some examples have all-black wheels (40K JPEG).
This Al-Toy Jeep was photographed by Mike Punsalan with the old Toledo Casting building at Summit and Locust Sts. in Toledo in the background.
The first casting of Al-Toy 2A's had only a driver's seat (see Fred Coldwell's Early Al-Toy Jeep) but most have two seats. Either version could be considered prototypical, since the passenger seat was an optional extra. The tires (20K JPEG) usually have "6.00-16" and the Al-Toy name molded into them, but the bottom of the Jeep body casting itself has only a single-digit number, which apparently represents a mold number. Most recently, Daron Wanberg found an example with a "1", Doug Price has reported a "5" and Gary Keating found a "6" which extends the series of mold numbers. Fred Coldwell's early example has no number on the bottom.
Colin Peabody reports a #1 casting that does not have the JEEP name on the windshield casting. Anybody else seen these? His two #3 castings both have the JEEP windshields, one stamped with a 1 and one with a 2.
Apparently Toledo Casting eventually sold the molds for the Al-Toys, and they were used by at least two other companies. Toys identical to the single-seat Al-Toy Jeeps were produced with tires labelled "WEST-CRAFT" rather than "Al-Toy".
Two-seater versions (left) were also produced in green and red with "Made in Canada" embossed into the rear of the base. The example shown here is also stamped with a 4 in the middle of the base and a 2 near the front. The rubber wheels have no identification on them, but are painted white in the center. See a larger copy of the photo (30K JPEG).
Colin Peabody points out that the steering column is mounted at a slightly different angle than on the Al-Toy, putting the steering wheel closer to the driver's seat. Colin's example is stamped on the bottom with a 4 in the middle and a 1 near the front rather than a 2, suggesting more than one mold was used.
Colin was told the Jeeps may have been produced by a company known as Lincoln Toys (also Lincoln Specialties), operated out of Waterville, a suburb of Windsor, Ontario. His research indicates Lincoln was a long-time family business producing mainly stamped steel toys and
farm equipment, which was also tied in with a Windsor toymaker named Harry Ellwood, who later bought all the dies from Lincoln when they folded in the mid 1950's.
The Oglesby Jeeps, including this version with "Western Jeep" graphics, 17.5 inches long with trailer, were apparently manufactured in the 1950's in Peru, Indiana. They usually have smooth rubber wheels with "Willys" cast into the center, but some have tires with military tread. See Lee Stopoulos' photo of the U.S. Air Force version (40K JPEG). The base of the casting is inscribed "Oglesby, Peru, Indiana."
The Oglesbys are similar to the Al-Toys, but the headlights are attached to the hood (20K JPEG), which raises to reveal a cast engine. The front bumper projects further from the body, with details which appear to represent the 275-lb. bumper weight. The word "JEEP" below the windshield is slightly larger than on the Al-Toy.
Some Oglesbys also have the word "JEEP" and a D-Day invasion star cast into the hood, although they are seen painted red (60K JPEG) more often than olive drab (20K JPEG). This example is unfinished; it may have had the paint stripped at some point. The snowplow attaches to a hole in the front bumper.
Mike Slaight of California built up this collection of large Jeep toys. It includes Oglesby "Western Jeeps" and trailers with both smooth and treaded tires on the left, and Marx Jeeps and a Tonka fire engine in the front row. At right is a Wood Commodities Corp. Jeep, in the second row with the Al-Toy Jeeps. The back row includes two single-seat West-Craft Jeeps and a red invasion-star Oglesby.
A display of cast aluminum dealer promo models (30K JPEG) at the Spring Willys Reunion in Wausau, Wisconsin in May 2001 was photographed by Bill Wheeler. Alongside the large Al-Toys and the smaller Banthrico or Comet castings, it included a CJ-2A with the windshield cast in the down position.
As of 2005, we've been told about a current reproduction casting of the entire Jeep, which like the Oglesby has the engine cast into the body. Our correspondent Drew says, "The casting is poor, and obviously from a secondary cast. The steering wheel is even cast into the body. Both the jeep and the trailer are freshly painted. The wheel hubs are even painted olive drab. I bought it on eBay. The price was really too good to be true ($75)."
Gary Keating reported in 2006, "I recently bought an Al-Toy 2-seater CJ . This particular toy has several things that appear 'wrong' or at the least not noted anywhere. The underside (80K JPEG) is stamped with a 6 or 9. The windshield (50K JPEG) is engraved 'JEEP', not raised letters as on other models. The windshield is cast aluminum, but is more squared-off at the edges with a slightly thicker center rib. The steering wheel (40K JPEG) and column is plastic with a nut holding it on the underside of the Jeep body. Is the windshield a repro? Is the steering wheel?"
Meanwhile, after experimenting unsuccessfully with stamping steel parts, Sam McKay in Illinois says, "A friend and I have come up with a way to cast aluminum replacement steering wheels for the Al-Toys. They are the same size OD and as thick as what the outside of the originals are, with the column made out of the same size steel riveted to the wheel the same way. I can make the column with the threads or make them knurled to press in. We are also thinking about making replacement windshield frames and hoods."
The photo shows an original (black) and a repro (silver). See also a top view photo (10K JPEG). Sam is at
jeepster@mchsi.com.
As noted above, a number of other Jeep vehicles were also cast in the Al-Toy series by Toledo Brass. This station wagon apparently dates from 1949. It's about 14" long and weighs over 6 pounds. The blue and yellow license plate reads "WO-1949". There are decals on either side of the hood which say "Jeep Station Wagon". The vent window dividers and door handles are wire. There are no windows in this example, but there are plastic tabs at each screw site in the roof, indicating that it might have had windows at one time. In addition, there are two small holes under the front window, as if for wiper blades.
See also a rear view, bottom view, and front view (20K JPEG's).
Colin Peabody purchased this 1949 Al-Toy Willys Station Wagon, possibly the only one in existence still in its original dated cardboard box, in 2008. Colin says, "The toy is perfect save for some minor rubbing of the cardboard box on the roof of the toy from 60 years of storing it inside. The plastic windows have yellowed and shrunk with age and heat, but otherwise it is perfect." See a large copy of the photo (140K JPEG).
Joe Campbell found this maroon 1948 Jeepster in an attic recently. See also a rear view photo (30K JPEG).
A handful of exampes have been found of a Cast Aluminum M-274 Mule which may possibly have been produced by Toledo Casting for Willys when the M-274 was being tested in the late 1940's. It is of similar size to the Al-Toys, but does not have the Al-Toy name on the tires. Willys was not producing and marketing the Mule until 1956, so it seems more likely this model was supplied by some other company. See more on the mystery model.
Thanks to Mike Slaight for the photos from his collection. Also Joe Campbell, Glenn Byron, Colin Peabody, Robert Wooley and Mike Punsalan. -- Derek Redmond
See mint examples of Al-Toys including the pickup truck and fire engine, in Terry Smith's Al-Toy Jeep Collection.
Also on The CJ3B Page, see an Early Al-Toy Jeep and some Sandbox Jeeps of the 1950's.
Return to the Toy Jeeps Pages.
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