Coffe Break

A functioning fifties era Willys Jeep decked out in the colors of the Colombian flag *** coffee shop. A little clarification: fifties era Willys Jeeps were and are the principal transport for sacks of coffee beans and everything else including people in the mountainous coffee growing regions of Colombia so it is a recognized icon associated with coffee.

Peter Dexter said:

A functioning fifties era Willys Jeep decked out in the colors of the Colombian flag *** coffee shop. A little clarification: fifties era Willys Jeeps were and are the principal transport for sacks of coffee beans and everything else including people in the mountainous coffee growing regions of Colombia so it is a recognized icon associated with coffee.

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This is beautiful and also a symbol of the origin of the backbone of Toyota. The US needed Jeep’s in the Korean War and had Toyota build them and that provided the backbone to the Toyota car company.....or that is the legend I was taught!

Did some research and it was absolutely true. The company was ready to go out of business but the USA needed Jeeps and fast! This saved Toyota!

The first few months of the Korean War resulted in an order of over 5,000 vehicles from the US military, and the company was revived. Ishida was credited for his focus on investment in equipment. One example was the construction of the Motomachi Plant in 1959, which gave Toyota a decisive lead over Nissan during the 1960s.[4](Wikipedia)

But got did they get to South America?

We’re they also manufactured there?

Asher

Fascinating. I did not know that. A story rarely told. Well I don't know how the Willys Jeeps got to Colombia in the fifties but evidently they did and in droves. There are still thousands of them all over the country working hard. The engines are just rebuilt when necessary and the bodies repainted every so many years. They are all of North American origin. There was period when a company in Pereira, Colombia built a knock off. It was called Wilco (Willys Colombia). They had a reputation for being poorly made but I still see some in good condition plying highways and byways.

Probably, thousands were given out as “Aid” packages with excess food stored for a much longer war.

At the end of the Korean War these heels were in such excess that they were simply dumped overboard in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, still packed in their crates ready to be assembled in hours. If they fell deep enough, they won’t even rust as they need oxygen for that!

In the Black Sea, a British Team just discovered an intact 2,400 wooden Greek trading vessel with rowing benches and masts for sails!

Asher

That they did but they're going to have hard time getting to the hold.

Peter Dexter said:

That they did but they're going to have hard time getting to the hold.

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That’s a job for Elon Musk, LOL!

His 150 mph underground sleds for cars, bicycles and pedestrians is due to be demonstrated next month!

They have the first mile done!

It’s amazing what single minded folk can do.

Back to the Jeeps. It makes so much more sense to rebuild them and replace the engines. One gets little extra carbon footprint and a lot of benefit. Cuba have been masters at rebuilding cards for 50 years! I love the show of identity and pride even in the paint job. To me it’s so uplifting and joyful! I would really enjoy that coffee...or is taste very different than in North America and Europe?

Hispanics in general are such hard workers and able to attack and deal with any problem that comes their way. But we still need exceptional leaders to transform society.

Asher

Peter, a very colorful image of local life.

Thank you.

Fahim thank you, Colombia is nothing if not colorful. Asher well you can imagine those jeep engines don't have much compression after being rebuilt umpteen times but the low, low first gear in low range still lets them climb the steep hills to the coffee farms.