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About eWillys
Welcome to eWillys.com, a website for vintage jeep enthusiasts. I update this website nearly every day with jeep deals, jeep history, interesting reader projects, jeep related info, and more.
These quick searches can help you find things on eBay. People list in the wrong categories all the time, so don't be surprised to see brochures in the parts area for example.
The links to posts below show jeeps grouped by models, condition, and other ways. Some of these jeeps are for sale and others have been sold. If you are unsure whether a vehicle is still for sale or not, email me at d [at] ewillys.com for more info.
Importantly, the allure of buying a project jeep can be romantic. The reality of restoring a jeep can be quite different, expensive and overwhelming without the right tools and resources. So, tread carefully when purchasing a "project". If you have any concerns about buying a vintage jeep, or run across a scam, feel free to contact me for help, comments or concerns .
From the site: Photograph of a window display advertising for Jeep. A large sign in the middle says, “Newest PAAR star! New ‘Jeep’ Tuxedo Park, exciting new 4-wheel drive sports utility vehicle, see the new ‘Jeep’ Tuxedo Park in action on the Jack Paar show NBC-TV.” A small picture of Jack Paar is placed next to the sign in the window. Another smaller sign sits below the picture that says, “as advertised on WBAP-TV Channel 5.
UPDATE: Apparently, I never published all the pages in this circa 1947-1949 booklet. Also, there’s another one of these booklets on eBay right now: View all the information on eBay
This was originally posted October 23, 2014: Eddie Devlin of the Willys Overland Engineering Art Department sketched a variety of drawings of the factory. Some were published in a book called “WHAT I SAW AT WILLYS OVERLAND”. I’m not sure if the booklet was sold or used as a promotional device.
Mike shared this bulletin from March 11, 1958, that notified dealers a brochure was available for the Koenig-made ‘Jeep’ hardtop. For some reason, the company did not produce a brochure for the top; it took dealers requesting a brochure for them to make one.
This ad March 05, 1949, ad in the Beatrice times (Beatrice, Nebraska) from M. O. Trindel, and authorized Jeep Sales and Service provider underscores his enthusiasm for the Willys 1949 line-up of vehicles. His argument that Willys-Overland’s lack of innovation (models didn’t change yearly) was a competitive differentiator that I hadn’t considered, but this meant there was much internal innovation. I would argue that instead of Willys-Overland and Willys Motors innovating internally, they left the innovations to the special equipment folks, from tops and hubs to winches and other pto equipment.
This is the first of a series of French Canadian ads that I found on eBay. This first one was published in the April 1947 issue of Le Bulletin des Agriculture.
UPDATE: These pics are from a previous eBay ad. This mailer brochure rarely comes up for sale. It folds out to 8.5″x11″. There’s no form number printed.
The catalog number for this Warn Hub document is 2-55, which might mean February of 1955. It shows the WL-2 Locking model on one side and the WA-1 Automatic model on the other.
This looks to be a Willys-Overland produced matchbook that allowed dealers to add their names. In this case, Ike’s Haugland Motor Company out of Wheaten, Minnesota, added its brand to this matchbook. The interior of the matchbook was the biggest surprise to me, as it listed the 9 reasons why the jeep can do all it does.
“This is a 1950 Willys Overland press release. It has five pictures in the folder with an explanation of each picture stapled to the back. The folder is not in perfect shape, please see pics. One photos has a crease in it”
This ad appeared in the October 30, 1962, issue of the Indiana Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania). Like other newspaper ads I found, no jeeps were placed within the movie ad itself. I know lots of other literature showed jeeps, such as movie posters. However, I was surprised to see no jeeps in any newspaper ads. Apparently, Ruffners, a jeep dealer in Indiana, Pennsylvania, didn’t like this either, so the company placed their ad within a Hatari Ad.
Originally published October 31, 2015: This is an interesting FJ-3A brochure. It is Form No. 61-14. The ladder holder is something I haven’t seen anywhere.
“Here I have a 1961 single sheet advertisement issued by Willys for the Willys Jeep Fleetvan. There is some wear along the top and some light creasing (See Scans) but it still displays very nicely.”
Blaine spotted a discussion at the Ford-Trucks.com forum on Auxiliary transmissions that included the rare Warn Auxiliary Overdrive. A user named “38 Coupe” shared a bunch of smaller Auxiliary transmission documents that included a Parts and Instruction manual for the Warn AO. So, here it is, along with some photos of a Warn unit that was for sale in April of 2015.
This jeep family brochure is one of that last of the “animal series” that I didn’t own. The brochure includes plugs for Maverick, Hong Kong and Jack Paar Shows. It is Form No. DM61-04.
What I found curious about this advertisement is that it sounds more like one from 1945 or 1946, rather than 1949. Published January 23, 1949, the ad by Fort Worth Willys-Overland seems to be trying to introduce readers to this ‘new concept’ of an automobile. However, it does so without invoking the four-in-one-vehicle concept used in the early years. Had Fort Worth Star-Telegram readers never seen or heard of a civilian jeep?
“1963Jeep Folder, Brazilian Rural Jeep Folder. Condition is “Used”. Shipped with USPS First Class. This is a very nice folder Written in Portuguese Willys Overland”Fabricator vehicles of high quality”. I think what it’s saying is 6 positive reasons To buy a jeep in this rural area. Very nice piece, In great condition. All original.”
UPDATE: Bill shared David Tracy’s updated to this commercial. Apparently, there’s a disagreement on the history of the truck between the former owner and jeep. While an interesting story, I still think it’s a big issue over nothing.
Several folks have emailed about the controversy over the new Gladiator Jeep ad. The new ad shows an old Jeep Gladiator being crushed from which the new Gladiator emerges. Some folks resent the fact that the old Gladiator was crushed, as it appears to be in restorable shape. Given there were over 100,000 of them produced, I don’t think crushing one will cause the world to end. There are also plenty of cheap ones available. I found these two on my very first search:
The actual crushing aside, my problem with the commercial is this: If the point of creating a new Gladiator was to benefit from the nostalgia of the original Gladiator, crushing the life out of an old Gladiator doesn’t do that. Nostalgia should be about reliving happy memories not, literally, crushing old memories.
For fun, here’s an old Jeep Gladiator commercial (the first 30 seconds is an introduction, but the remainder of the video is a commercial or 2 separate commercials):
Bidding starts at $15. This is listed as a 1950 creation, but I would think it was published earlier than that. Given it includes a truck, but no CJ-3A, I’d say more like 1948? I’ll have to verify with my copy.
“THE STORY OF THE UNIVERSAL JEEP – PROMOTIONAL COMIC
PUBLISHED BY WILLYS – OVERLAND, CREATOR OF THE JEEP
JEEP UNIVERSAL WAS A NAME USED BY WILLYS FOR ITS 1/4 TON CJ UTILITY VEHICLES
BACK COVER HAS AN AD FOR THE UNIVERSAL JEEP AND JEEP TRUCKS
16 PAGES, FULL COLOR, STANDARD COMIC SIZE”
This looks like it may have been a full-page ad for Carl’s Motor company, despite the news stories sprinkled within. Note the photo of Bob Hope in a CJ-2A that seems to be promoting Carl’s Motors (I wonder if Bob Hope knew it).