"tennessee" model cj5 jeep??

Well, I know there was never a tennessee model, but the 1970 cj5 with the T-98 that I have has the name "Tennessee USA" embossed on the draw bar.

Now this is not a homemade job - it appears to be the factory draw bar with all the holes in the right places, but it has this "tennessee usa" marking. The letters are somewhat slanted to the right.

I know it was originally in tennessee and was sort of a caterpillar yellow originally.

It had a PTO on it (removed ere I got it) and a mounting fixture for something on the passenger fender.

Body was in nice shape, so it didn't plow snow.

Other than some spent magnum cartridges and sand in the glovebox it looks to be a 'normal' 70 cj5 with the underseat tank.

Does any of this ring a bell with anybody here?

 

industrial model?

 

Where exactly on the draw bar would that be located? (going out to look now...)

 

the 'tennessee usa' logo is on one of the flanges of the angle iron draw bar.

The bottom half has the holes in it, and the upper half has the logo.

It surely doesn't take any effort to see it. it is centered on the draw bar and there is about 4 inches on each end that is not part of the logo.

The letters are each about 1 1/4 inches tall and extend almost all the way across the draw bar. When sitting facing the draw bar, the letters are upside down. So if you hung over the tailgate whilst sitting in the back of the jeep and read the logo on the draw bar it would be right side up.

It just seems odd that jeep would go to the trouble of embossing tennessee usa on the draw bar unless they were selling a fleet of cj5's for ???

 

aftermarket drawbar?

 

Tennessee foundry?

 

That was my guess too. I've seen a fair amount of steel with the foundry and city or state stamped on it.

 

Check this out.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0UDO/is_14_15/ai_85095835