1970 Article About the Las Brisas Hotel

2 Comments

1. GlennstinApril 4, 2015 at 4:18 PM

   There's a bunch of new Surrey info here even though "SURREY" is not mentioned. Written in July 1970, the surrey had been out of production more than 5 years, but they were obviously still a popular item. I don't think I had read that pink and white was the theme colors of the hotels and nearby attractions. I'm sure my DJ3A buddies will chime in here with more details. I can't tell if any of the Surrey wheels shown are 13" as many last US sold examples were, but maybe export models didn't do well on the beach with smaller tires. Anyway, Nice Find!!!!
2. Colin PeabodyApril 4, 2015 at 6:17 PM

   Many of the pink and white Jeeps, painted to match the Las Brisas color scheme, were DJ3As, prior to the introduction of the Galas/Surreys in 1959. The hotel staff used them and rented them out to hotel guests. Several movies were filmed at the Las Brisas and in Acapulco using the Las Brisas Jeeps and even the Galas(export models of the Surreys). Elvis and Dean Martin starred in a couple of the movies. When Willys exec Louis Yocich was in Acapulco, he saw the pink and white Jeeps that had been custom painted in Mexico, and the Gala/Surrey Jeeps were the result of that trip and his idea for using the DJ3as in resort settings. Henry Kaiser, who owned Willys Motors, liked the idea, since he owned the major hotel in Waikiki and his wife's favorite color was pink. The other colors, Cerulean Blue/Glacier white and Jade Mist/Glacier white complimented the Tropical Pink/Coral Rose colors of the majority of the Gala/Surrey Jeeps. Dressed up with matching striped tops, seats and spare tire cover, chrome bumpers and leftover 1954 Willys Aero full hubcaps with whitewall tires, the Jeeps were a big hit in resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii. Hotels and Rental companies rented them out of for $8-10 a day.