Not surprisingly the Jeep Surrey Gala has been the inspiration for a few kiddie toys over the years. This cast-aluminum Surrey promotional model made by Comet for Willys in the 1950s may have been the first Surrey toy. See also the underside (130K JPEG) and a front view (110K JPEG) courtesy of vintage-toymasters on eBay.
Comet also painted a version in Cerulean Blue (110K JPEG).
The popular Tonka version was sold from 1962-64. The Tonka Dispatcher has features of the CJ-3B as well as the DJ-3A, but the pink one was clearly a Surrey.
The Tonka dwarfs a Japanese tinplate toy in this photo by Eric Lawson taken at Earl Colton's Statewide 4-Wheel Drive Supply in Phoenix, Arizona.
See a front view of the Tonka (60K JPEG). It also came in a Jade Green version, as part of the Outdoor Living set (170K JPEG) which included two Jeeps, a camper and a boat. And see the origins of this toy in The Original Tonka Surreys.
Here's a closer look at the small tinplate Jeep, reportedly produced by SSS Toys (Shioji & Co.) in Japan.
Dennis Woyma has collected a number of variations of the little Surrey. See also a rear view (100K JPEG).
Another variation (170K JPEG) is missing its top, revealing more interior lithography and the fact that the back of the windshield is unfinished. See also the underside (150K JPEG) with friction drive.
This Surrey from ATC (Asahi Toy Co.) in Japan is not technically tinplate. It's a pressed-steel knockoff of the Tonka, but with the addition of battery drive, working headlights, and according to the box (220K JPEG), smoke. Was this the only Jeep toy that produced smoke? It doesn't sound like a very appealing feature.
See also the underside (140K JPEG) with the driving wheels and battery compartment. Photos courtesy King Auctions and Lot-Art.
Another Japanese toy that took some inspiration from the 1960s Tonka. The dimensions are identical: 9-5/8" long, 5 1/8" high and 5" wide. The roof is also almost identical to the Tonka design, but the bright pink finish has details typical of Japanese Tinplate Lithography. See also a rear view (50K JPEG). Photos courtesy toyhelper on eBay.
Nomura's tinplate toy has a unique feature -- a top that folds open. Not sure how useful that would be. This example also has a coat of arms on the hood, and I don't know what it is or whether it's original. Photo courtesy of WorthPoint.
One of many Toy Jeeps by Marx was this remote control battery-powered tinplate Surrey. Interestingly, this example has blue fringe on the pink striped top; see a closer view of the Jeep (30K JPEG).
Bob Christy ran across a Japanese-made Surrey that appears to be a copy of the later, smaller Tonkas. He took this photo of it alongside two Tonka Jeeps. He says it has "no markings other than 'Made in Japan' on the bottom of the spare tire. It's just about the size of the smaller Tonka Jeeps and has the same basic shape, looks like a copy almost, except it has more body seams." See also a side view (90K JPEG). Thanks to Bob for the photos.
The Jeep Surrey Princess Model was one of the Hamilton Pedal-Drive Jeeps built by Hamilton Steel Products of Chicago. This photo is courtesy Anna Cinammon.
A 1964 Montgomery-Ward catalogue (230K JPEG) calls it "The gayest thing that's happened to a Jeep." It gives the dimensions as 16x42 inches, and the price as $17.88.
Like the Tonka Toys, the Hamilton Jeeps have a high hood and front grille design that appears to owe more to the CJ-3B than to the DJ-3A.
There was a flurry of interest in the Surrey among toymakers just after 2000, including the Matchbox version in their Elvis Presley series in 2001. See more details on the Matchbox 1960 Jeep Surrey. Too bad Matchbox didn't continue with the Fountain Green and Cerulean Blue versions.
J-L Martin told me about a Surrey toy available in Europe in 2003: "This is from a collection published by Altaya in France called Taxis du Monde ('Taxis of the World'). Each issue is sold with a 1/43-scale model of a very good quality for the price of 10.50 Euros. Number 17 is about the Caribbean Place Nassau Jeep Surrey." (This would actually be a "Jeep Gala", the export version of the Surrey.)
See more photos of the model from the booklet:
The model of the Nassau Jeep above, appears to be made by IXO Models in China, and comes in a Cerulean Blue and Glacier White version, as well as the more common Tropical Rose and Coral Mist. Colin Peabody sent this photo of both versions, posed with a Jeep Gala advertisement and paperweight (see Gala Jeeps in Hawaii.)
Colin says this 1:43 scale 1962 Jeep Surrey (or Gala) is "very detailed, and accurate in most areas. I don't know the date of manufacture or even if the toy is still produced."
Colin describes the blue version: "Externally, it has the chrome bumpers front and rear (30K JPEGs), California license plates LGV 929, taillights and chrome gas cap; front windshield supports to the fenders, striped top; steps on both sides, 5 whitewall tires with chrome wheels and hubcaps with the "W" in the center; tailpipe at the rear of the left bumper; spare tire on the rear. It also has the surrey fringe around the top of the body; painted hood holddowns, drain holes on each side and the assist handles painted silver on the windshield, but minus the word Willys on the hood."
"Internally it has the blue and white striped seats, correct steering wheel with horn button, column shift(!), speedometer decal, decals for headlight switch, windshield wiper and key ignition as well as decal for the windshield wiper on the windshield, and the vent handle, all in their proper locations. It does incorrectly have the outline for a glove box, however.
"The underside (30K JPEG) is detailed but unfortunately shows a transfer case with two driveshafts. It does have the engine pan, exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe and detailed springs on all four corners."
In 2016, GreenLight released a 1/43 "Elvis" Surrey which is very similar to the IXO model above.
In perhaps the best example of the trend among toymakers to create intentional variations for collectors, GreenLight gave a few of the models the original "Graceland" name on the side (see Elvis Presley's Jeeps on CJ3B.info.)
See also Elvis Jeep Toys for more on the GreenLight Elvis series.
Barbie does have her own official Barbie Jeep in pink and other colors (as well as a Grand Cherokee) (20K JPEG), but I've always liked the one seen here, because it's a flatfender. Labelled the "Powder Puff," it's plastic and made by Empire of Tarboro, North Carolina. This example has stickers including a "Canada" licence plate.
There's also the 1971 pink Matchbox Jeep Hot Rod.
The 2002 re-release of the AMT 1/25-scale "Hogan's Heroes" MB model kit features a Surrey-style version in blue on the box (20K JPEG).
For years Rosaline (20K JPEG) was the only full-size pink Jeep I'd actually seen.
Thanks to Joel Kamunen, Colin Peabody, Bob Christy and Eric Lawson. -- Derek Redmond
See also full size DJ-3A Surrey Gala Jeeps on CJ3B.info.
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