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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. This section used to be split into jeeps, parts and other categories, but recent changes to eBay will require this information to be recoded.
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 .
Here’s another Harney Peak Postcard, but this time in black and white. The seller is currently asking $29.95, but will accept offers.
View all the information on eBay
You don’t see an FJ-6A go this fast very often!
UPDATE: Muleyhunter recently added a miner to the hood of his jeep:
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UPDATE as of April 12, 2018: This post was formerly part of the JEEP-HERDERS MOVIE and EL DORADO JEEPHERDERS post, but I’ve split that post into three, each updated with some new info and/or pics.
Over the last decade, I occasionally saw vintage jeeps with bronze casted placer gold miners on the hood. For years I’ve wondered about where these originated. They turn out to have an interesting history. Moreover, different castings over the years has led to slightly different designs.
It was a member of the El Dorado Jeepherders who first began selling them. From Ken Hower on Pirate 4×4:
Gold Miner Hood Ornament History:
In 1970, Mike Arnold opens Arnolds For Awards in Shingle Springs, CA (Acrylic Awards | Crystal Awards | Glass Awards | Corporate Plaques).– In 1970, Mike Arnold goes to Alaska to a Gold Rush Event, since the history of gold mining in California looking for a tie in for his business. At the event, Mike finds an artist who has cast these Gold Miner statues. Mike buys a handful and returns to California.
– 1971, Mike installs the Gold Miner on his hood for the Jeepers Jamboree. Mike is a member of the El Dorado Jeepherders, the first organized 4-wheel drive club in the United States. He brings a few statues on the Jamboree to sell, and a few are bought.
– El Dorado Jeepherders adopt the statue for their club and nearly every member of the club, now has a Gold Miner statue hood ornament.
– Ken Collins is the owner of Placerville Jeep. He is also, one of the founders of the Jeepers Jamboree, along with Mark Smith. Ken buys statues from Arnolds Awards and begins giving them away to customers who buy a jeep.
– Chuck Walker. Yes, the Walker behind the famous Walker Hill on the Rubicon, is a sales man at Placerville Jeep. He is there, when Ken Collins is giving them away. Chuck decides to split from Placerville, and open his own dealership in Sacramento, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. He also begins buying the statues and giving to his customers, this is why you see them on Dodge and Jeep around Sacramento.
Back in the day, the retail cost of the statue was $20. It costs far more than that now, simply to make them.
Merlin Scott (a Rock Award winner for lifetime achievement of service on the Rubicon Trail had his Dodge truck stolen a long time ago. They recovered the vehicle. The only damage, his Gold miner was ripped off the hood of his truck.
I want to thank Kevin Arnold and Mike Arnold of Arnolds Awards for telling the story this morning. I want to thank Merlin Scott for telling me who to call. So many of the old timers that pioneered wheeling are passing away, so I think it’s important to preserve that history and those stories. Also thank John Arenz, President of RTF for filling in the names that were forgotten.
I put the link already, but Rubicon Trail Foundation has taken it upon ourselves to be the custodian of that history. Spend some time and go to the website and read through the history of the Rubicon Trail.
VARIATIONS:
After posting this original post a couple days ago, I began looking more closely at the photos of miners I had. Moreover, Mike shared a photo of his miner that includes “Placerville Hardware” on the rear. That got me thinking: given the miners have been produced and sold over the past 50 years, there could be several variations. Then, I found a reference from Jim Allen that some special promo miners had been produced. Here’s what I found among the miners I have documented:
Continue reading
Here I am Wednesday finishing up the lettering Ann made using her Cricut machine. We’ll see if they hold up!
On Thursday we loaded up for our six-hour drive to the west side of the state for Summer Convention. This weekend was very much a test weekend, for the motorhome, for the race jeep, for the trailer carrying the race jeep, etc. And, it didn’t take long for us to run into a problem. When I attempted to hook the trailer to the back of the motorhome, I discovered the hitch and ball did not sit low enough, so when I hooked up the trailer, it was sitting at too much of an angle. Arghhhh! Since we planned to take the truck anyway (just in case we had a problem), we just hooked the trailer to the truck, which Ann drove.
Race jeep loaded and ready for the road.
We arrived early to get a good camping spot and to get through the tech inspection. An old jeep friend Mike Julsrud was manning the clipboard, so it was great to catch up with him. Many ears ago we raced against each other in the 20 and under class, called the “Under the Hill Gang”; these days, we are “way over the Hill Gang”, lol.
On Friday morning, following the 8am driver’s meeting, Ann accompanied me and other racers on a parade lap of the obstacle and cross country courses. It’s a nice way for folks to tour the courses together, get a sense of where to drive, and a great community event. One concern bubbled up during our drive, the engine got a little hotter than it should have. One suggestion was that the timing might need to shift slightly, so I’ll give that a try. The good news is that, during my first run, the temp stayed where it should.
Me at the driver’s meeting with Betty Page and Lizzy in tow. The dogs came with us this weekend and, to our surprise and relief, were really well behaved!
As we waited for the parade lap to begin, Diana Stafford photo bombed us in the Stafford’s race jeep.
Here we are starting the parade lap on the obstacle course. This course was more wide open than the cross country course, which is where the jeeps went next. That truck in front of us wasn’t racing; it was just taking the opportunity to tour the track.
In this first video that Ann took, we were on the obstacle course, I was puttering along in 2nd gear, low range, but the video makes it seem like I was going faster:
Here’s a second video Ann shot just a few seconds later: Continue reading
This summer’s Dispatcher Magazine included some highlights from the Great Willys Picnic, the Willys Rally, and the Spring Willys Reunion. It also included histories of AM General and the Willy 6×6, plus articles on block crack repairs and the Jeep Guy’s Museum, whose billboard we saw as we drove north through Utah, though we didn’t stop because 1) we were on a time crunch and 2) we didn’t know if the parking lot could accommodate the coach.
Just a heads up, we will be leaving Thursday for the PNW4WDA Summer Convention in Ethyl, WA, but still have a variety of things to accomplish, so there might not be any updates until early next week. It depends on connectivity (seems like there was some the last time I was there).
You may remember that in early 2020, just before the first Covid surge, I’d been invited to join Claus and several of his friends on a flat fender trip through the southwestern African country of Namibia. I missed out on that opportunity, not only due to Covid, but also a whole range of family health issues made any type of extended journey impossible.
In 2022, Claus and his friends completed a tour of Namibia, with an excellent videographer in tow. The resulting montage from that trip has been wound into an excellent video. It looks like quite an adventure over some amazing scenery! Thanks for sharing Claus!
The video is blocked from being viewed remotely, so click on the image to go to YouTube. The video is 36 minutes long: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9D2ZFnWOBQ
