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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.
There are plenty of interesting, unusual, historic and surprising stories related to Jeeps and their owners. In addition, some of these features have nothing to do with jeeps. This link will display all featured stories starting from the latest.
Looking for parts and not sure where to go? There are a variety of large and small new and used parts sellers both online and offline.
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 .
The March 23, 1957, issue of the Saturday Evening Post featured a jeep on the cover. John Clymer illustrated the cover. He was born not far from me in Ellensburg, Washington, where (to my surprise) the Clymer museum features his art. Guess I’ll have to stop in there and check it out sometime.
This issue also included this ad, which was part of this 1957 series of three-pane-ads.
The four-page issue of the 1960 August/September Jeep Service and Parts News issue contains an ominous note at the bottom of the last page. The article noted that the military released some surplus M-38 fan blades, but warned that the fan blade should not be used with any other Jeep vehicle, as the results will be “unsatisfactory”. This got me wondering just how different these blades were? The fact that I have a remanufactured M-38 engine in my DJ-3A made me wonder if I also have an M-38 blade. Given my temp gauge doesn’t work all that well in the DJ, I doubt I will be any more unsatisfied with the temp than I already am!
This eight-page issue of Jeep News, volume 9 number 6, begins on page one with a few plugs for The Greatest Show on Earth.
Page two plugs a completed Jeep race out of Michigan, hosted by the Michigan Four Wheelers Club of Dearborn. Page three highlights, once again, The Greatest Show on Earth.
Pages four and five share images of jeeps from around the world. It also includes a short note about the annual ‘Jeep’ Caravan to the Gila Cliff Dwellings. Page six includes a nod to the Sussex County Jeepster Club out of New Jersey, along with a story about the development of a mobile camera tied to a CJ-3B. The Jeeporama out of Boulder, Colorado, fills the entirety of page seven. The issue ends on page eight with two stories of jeeps in the Peace Corps.
The more I read these Jeep Service and Parts News issues, the less they look like news and the more they look like reminders to Sell, Sell, Sell! (See “The Parts Department Manager” on page four). It’s not that there isn’t a place for encouraging selling for this department, but whether it belongs in a news bulletin is less clear to me.
In the “not all air bath cleaners are made the same department”, the note on the lower right portion of page four highlights a new air bath cleaner for the FC-150 that includes “a water deflector to eliminate the possibility of water entering the air cleaner from the back of the fire wall”.
This April 1960 Jeep Service and Parks News bulletin is four pages. I thought the four-different propeller types used and serviced was an interesting tidbit. The updated knuckle setup for the DJ-3A wasn’t something I was aware of either.
This “Extra” September-October Jeep News issue is twelve pages long. There’s a lot going on with this issue, so enjoy!
I got this July 1959 issue of Jeep News for free, but it is an incomplete and damaged issue. On page one, the “Millions Will See ‘Jeep’ Vehicle Displays …” article continues on page four, but page four seems to be missing. So, this issue may be six or eight pages in length.
The last page of this edition might be the most interesting. On the lower left is an article showing an FC-170 modified to handle parking an maneuvering big trailers. One the lower right of the page is an article about Tootsie, a South Dakota coyote that became the official state animal, who got to ride in a jeep station wagon on some of her trips.
I can’t find where I have published this 1959 commercial, so here it is.
The best part of this four-page March 1960 Jeep Service and Parts News is how to fix an annoying “rumble” in a CJ-5. According to page three, get yourself a pry bar and increase the clearance between the floor pan and the Flywheel housing bolts.
It seems I neglected to post three Jeep News issues from 1959. So, here’s the first one, an eight-page issue from June of 1959. One page one, apart from dealer info, an article shared the news that several gatherings of jeeps would tour the Colorado Rockies as part of the “Rush to the Rockies” Colorado Centennial celebration during the summer of 1959 (an event detailed here).
Page two includes a story of Roy Nickerson and his family’s trip from the tiny town of Smelterville, Idaho, to Toledo to see how jeeps were made and to then drive six vehicles back to their Nickerson Brother’s Willys Dealership in Idaho. Page three tells how then Baltimore Colt’s fullback Alan “The Horse” Ameche participated in a Jeep television commercial (I couldn’t locate the commercial online).
Page four shows some images and stories from the 1959 Tulsa Oil Show Jeep Exhibit. Page five includes a reference to a new, easy-to-install Capstan winch from Ramsey. Page six highlights the large number of jeeps plying the Atlantic Coast-line, including at least two fire trucks. Page seven discusses the Etowah County ‘Jeep’ Club, which doubled as a civil defense unit. Page eight shares pics from the beaches of North Caroline, where jeeps proved popular for fishermen.
The February 1960 Jeep Service and Parts News is another four-pager. One item on page three that caught my eye was FC-170 frame re-inforcement that became effective with 61568-17824 and 61568-13-10417. Prior to that, a May 1959 (I don’t have) issued announced a kit that was available for frame reinforcement.
The 1963 issue of Jeep News Volume 9 Number 5 was eight pages. The entire issue covers “The Greatest Show on Earth”, a short-lived series back by some Kaiser-Jeep advertising. A dealer contest was also held as a part of this event.
This four page issue of the January 1960 Jeep Service and Parts News includes a reference to a DJ-3A kit allowing the service department to install a passenger seat. I wonder how many DJ-3As were sold without passenger seats?
The fourth installment of the 1963 Jeep News shifted back to eight pages with this issue. It’s clear from the front pages thus far in 1963 that the Wagoneer and Gladiators were popular additions to the jeep line up. Each month seemed to bring reports of new sales highs.
Also interesting on page one is the reference to Wide World of Sports (WWOS) filming the 1963 Jeeporama near Boulder, Colorado. Unfortunately, I had no luck finding any WWOS episodes related to that filming.
Page two brings us the story of Noble Trenham and Dean Fisher, a pair of adventurers who went around the world in a modified FC-170. Their story includes their interrogation by Colombian officials who didn’t believe they were on a goodwill tour. The situation looked dire until they produced evidence of attending USC; it turned out their interrogators were familiar with two local boys who were also attending USC. You can read that story here: https://issuu.com/trailsmag/docs/august-2012/25, which is part of a series titled A True TrailBlazer in Trailblazer magazine (series starts with this April issue).
The article also mentioned that a book was in the works. Well, the work took decades, because it wasn’t until 2018 that a book was finally published by Dean Fisher (if there’s an earlier book, I didn’t find it in my brief searches). I just bought a copy, so I’ll let you know what I think: https://www.amazon.com/Roads-Peoples-Birds-Mountaintops-Billabongs/dp/1622881877 .
Page three of this Jeep news shares one of the more interesting DJ-3A ice cream trucks I’ve ever seen. I wonder what ever happened to it? Also on page three, the page reported that the Sareea Al Jamel 4WD Club of Indio’s annual desert trip drew 322 vehicles and 978 people!
Pages four, five and six celebrate the 60th year of the company, starting with Overland. Page seven includes a variety of photos, including a CJ-3B, which is a surprise given those rigs had been ignored by the editors of Jeep News for years!
Page eight tells the story of the “Jeep mounted band”, while a photo farther down on the page shows another example of a Virgin Islands FC used as a tour jeep (here is a different example).
This issue of jeep news included a handy index to locate information within earlier editions of the newsletter. That would have been handy to have for the regular Jeep News issues as well.
The 1963 issue of Jeep News, Volume 9, Number 3, is only eight pages. I was surprised to learn on page one that the Kaiser-Jeep headquarters was established in Oakland; I didn’t know that had happened. Lower down on page one, it was interesting to see that despite the new name (Kaiser-Jeep), dealerships were to be listed under ‘Jeep’ in the “phone book”. For those too young to have used a “phone book”, ask you parents what that strange device was and how it was used (and, while at it, ask them about the Sears Christmas Wish Book, too).
Page two begins with an overview of the Fourth Annual Arizona Jeep Jamboree, sponsored by the Phoenix, Arizona, Jeep Club. I don’t have a sense of how popular this became or when it was halted (I assume it was halted?). Page two also contains a look at some of the upcoming Jeep ads. Page three notes the expanded presence of Kaiser-Jeep at fairs across the country.
Page four highlights dealer issues. Page five reports on the industry recognition Kaiser-Jeep received for the new brochures. Lower down on page five is the story of a Wagoneer climbing Mt. Haleakala in Hawaii. Page eight contains a variety of jeep photos from auto shows around the world. There’s also a photo of an FC-170, truck, and Wagoneer with campers.
This November 1959 Jeep Parts and Service News contains a couple small notes on column shifters. In particular, there were two different steering column assemblies used on the two-wheel-drive jeeps (wagons, sedan deliveries, and DJ-3As). The full assemblies can be swapped, but the parts cannot be swapped.
At some point in 1963, Jeep News stopped adding a month to the printings, so we must use volume and numbers to delineate the various Jeep News issues. This issues, volume 9, Number 2 in 1963 is eight pages.
Page one has a neat photo of an FC-170 with an extended rear and an extra axle. That looks pretty handy! Page two contains some upcoming ads, along with a nod to some Argentinian jeeps. Page three shares the news of more jeeps in more movies, including “The Nutty Professor”, The Ugly American”, “Donavan’s Reef”, and “My Six Loves”.
Pages four and five contain dealer news. Page six continues the coverage of the Hatari! movie, this time internationally. Page seven shows police and police-dogs lined up in front of DJ-3As purchased by the Philadelphia police. Page eight covers some international updates.
This issue of Jeep Service and Parts News is one of about twenty issues I obtained. This is the earliest one I have. I am unsure when these bulletins began, but given this is volume eight, then this must have started someone around 1953? These likely were tossed or destroyed pretty quickly.
Kaiser-Jeep must have arranged to have this article, originally printed for Four Wheeler Magazine, printed as a stand-alone ad piece for dealers and prospective customers. It’s printed in black and white, rather than color, and is eight pages. The form number is 69-02, suggesting this run was printed in Feb of 1969.
Kaiser-Jeep must have arranged to have this article, originally printed for Four Wheeler Magazine, printed as a stand-alone ad piece for dealers and prospective customers. It’s printed in black and white, rather than color, and is eight pages. The form number is 69-02, suggesting this run was printed in Feb of 1969.
This March 1963 issue of Jeep News is once again eight pages. Page one announced the name change, with the company shifting from Willys Motors to Kaiser Jeep, while the Willys Sales Corporation was changed to Kaiser Jeep Sales Corporation and Willys-Overland Export Corporation changed to Kaiser Jeep International Corporation.
Page two continues a story from page one about the Chicago show and it introduction of the 1963 Gladiator and Wagoneer. Page three includes a nod to Tom McCahill, who praised the new Wagoneer in a review of the new jeep.
Page four has more about the new models. Page five discusses the results of the Sun Carnival race in El Paso, Texas. Page six shows the continuing efforts to market Hatari!. Page seven contains several FC-related images. Page eight tells the story of using jeeps on a 27,000 acre ranch in Nebraska.
The December 1962 issue of Jeep News was eight pages. Page one shares the news that sales jumped 56 percent, thanks in part to the new jeep models. Meanwhile in El Paso, Texas, organizers of the Sun Bowl planned to host a Jeep Derby as part of the Sun Bowl festivities. Page two shares some photos from a 300-person jeep caravan to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (created in 1907).
Page three contains a variety of miscellaneous stories. Page four includes a great example of the Jeep Herders logo. The club was located in Sheridan, Wyoming. Page five shared the story of Frank Kuboski and his San Juan Scenic Tour Jeep business operating out of Ouray, Colorado (editor’s note, Ouray is pronounced “Your-ay”, as my son likes to remind me .. I always mess it up!).
A highlight from page six was the announcement that Oakland, NJ, Police Chief purchased a wagon with a matching boat and trailer for rescue work. An unusual article on page seven explored Hollywood’s Lloyd Bridges’ views on raising kids, while lower on the page the Jeepster Club of America celebrated their fourteenth anniversary. Finally, on page eight, came the report of a radio newsman delivery his show from the bed of a CJ-5.
The starting price for this unusual lighter is $49.99.
View all the information on ebay
“1959 Dundee Lighter promoting the FIRST CANADIAN BUILT JEEP® August 21, 1959. Back reads: WILLYS of CANADA Ltd, Windsor, Ontario. Scratches from storage. Blue, white and black enamel shows very little if any wear. Needs a cleaning. Being sold “As Is” as we didn’t have any fluid or flints to test.”
This eight-page October 1962 issue of Jeep News introduces the Gladiator and Wagonneer. So, it may not be too surprising that this entire issue covers these new jeeps.
