The pictures on this page are frames from 1955 movie footage, courtesy of Danno Raffetto, showing CJ-3B's on California's famous Rubicon Trail during the 3rd Annual Jeepers Jamboree. The footage is included in Jeepers:
The 40th Anniversary of the Jeepers Jamboree, available for
purchase from The Searchers Video.
I have removed the short video clips previously available for download here, since much of the footage is now available on YouTube (with a misleading date of 1968 at the beginning.)
In the 1950's, stock or near-stock Jeeps easily carried groups of adventurers over the trail. Typically 4 or 5 to a Jeep, with no seat belts or roll bars.
This CJ-3B with the Jamboree pennant, and at least one other on the trip (60K JPEG) were painted in Transport Yellow, a paint color just introduced by Willys for the 1955 model year. The next 3B in line (50K JPEG) appears to be dark Woodstock Green from 1953, or perhaps one of the dark grays from '53 or '54. Another dark 3B (50K JPEG) has something unidentified hanging in front of the grille.
Danno says, "In the first years of the Jamboree, we would all roll into Tahoe together. Jeeps as far as the eye could see...."
A similar highway shot (50K JPEG) possibly from a mid-60's Jamboree, shows a number of CJ-5's in the parade.
What are these guys carrying in the back of their 3A? The pennant attached to their front bumper can be clearly seen in another frame (50K JPEG) to read "3rd Annual Jeepers Jamboree."
The spring runoff has been gradually making the Rubicon Trail more rugged. The video Jeepers: The 40th Anniversary of the
Jeepers Jamboree includes a
then-and-now comparison of the area near Little Sluice. See a wider shot (60K JPEG) of the rocks in 1955.
The 40th Anniversary Jeep Jamboree (1993) included this modified and
lifted CJ-3B. I've been told that the driver is Mark Smith.
The Searchers
Video offers Jeepers: The 40th Anniversary of the
Jeepers Jamboree, and a number of other 4-wheel
off-roading videos for sale.
Much of this vintage footage can also be seen on YouTube.
Thanks to The Searchers, Danno Raffetto and J.C. Jenkins. -- Derek Redmond
Also on The CJ3B Page, see A Killer B on the Rubicon.
See more CJ-3B History.
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