Over the past several years, we have been perplexed by the statement in early Newgren lift ads and articles that the lift was operated by a “control on the dash”. Yet our own Newgren lift had the control between the seats and this arrangement appears in the 1947 installation instructions.
In a 2016 post, we wrote the following –
The controls are where?
While looking over the ads …, we noticed a strange statement on a January 1947 ad titled “YES you can use Hydraulic-Lift Implements with the UNIVERSAL ‘JEEP’. The statement – “Hydraulic-lift implements raised and lowered by control on the dash.” – got our attention.
The ad, shows the Newgren lift, that normally had the driver control between the seats. The Monarch Hy-Lo Jeep pump did use a through-the-dash control. We know that the Monarch pump was used with some Newgren lifts, but we had assumed that was at a later date.
So the question is was this an ad misprint or had Willys (or Newgren) started using Monarch pumps in place of the original Newgren unit. The answer appeared as we were reviewing the information we have on the Love lift.
As can be seen when comparing the ad above to this newspaper report (thanks to ewillys.com), the photo is the same. Our assumption is that the lift in the ad was a Newgren was our error. The earliest Love lift did use controls on the dash.
Update – Not our error
Just look at this undated announcement of the Newgren lift –
Note “Finger Tip Operation” shows lever between the seats.
Same picture again and yes that is a Newgren lift in every picture. But still strange timing…
Fast forward to 2018
Dave once again added to the mystery –
That old control on the dash issue The eWillys article also included an early ad for the lift plow. In the body is the statement “A touch of the control knob on the dash lowers the plow into operating position.” We have written a number of times about the “control on the dash” that appeared in the earliest Newgren ads.
We have never seen pictures of the “dash knob” but believe this early brochure confirms that the control was always between the seat and the idea of a “dash knob” was an error by the marketing staff. Thanks to Dave for providing some summer fun.
Then this brochure sold on eBay-
Dave at eWillys posted about the sale of this early brochure. At first it appeared to be exactly the same , but take a look at “Finger Tip Operation” photo. There is a photo of the dash control!
Here is proof that at least for a short period of time Newgren used the Love pump and dash control. Thanks to the seller on eBay and to Dave for posting the pictures that have finally solved this Farm Jeep mystery.