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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 .
This weekend my lovely helper and I blasted and painted the frame. Now, we are both tired. So, here’s a recap in pics …. First the dirt and scraping. Yuck!
Interesting photo.
“1946 Press Photo Flying Fortress Plane Tests for Bikini Atomic Bomb at Roswell.
This is an original press photo. Roswell, NM – In a experiment for the Bikini atomic bomb tests, a 46,000 lb flying fortress took off from the Army air field here yesterday, circled the base for 30 minutes, and landed. The entire operation was remotely controlled by radio, the landing and takeoff from jeeps on the ground, and the flight itself from another plane flying to the right and a few feet above and behind the “drone”. Here the jeep prepares to bring in the “drone” Photo measures 8.5 x 6.75 inches. Photo is dated 02-28-1946.”
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UPDATE: **SOLD** Were on eBay.
The first photo is particularly good.
1. “1943 Press Photo President Roosvelt Reviewing US Soldiers in Casablanca, Morocco
This is an original press photo. Casablanca, Morocco – In an army jeep driven by Sgt Oran Lass of Kansas City, Missouri, President Roosevelt reviews American army tank units to right are – Major General Ernest Harmon and Lt Gen Mark Clark. Running alongside the jeep on the far side is corporal Robert Hopkins, son of Harry Hopkins.Photo measures 10 x 8.25inches. Photo is dated 01-31-1943.”
2. “1943 Press Photo President Franklin Roosevelt-checks troops at Casablanca
This is an original press photo. Commander In Chief Reviews troops from jeep. President Franklin Roosevelt, riding in the front seat of the jeep at left, inspects a body od D.S. Troops drawn up at a base near here. Photo measures 10.75 x 8.25 inches. Photo is dated 2-1-1943.”
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Guy found this combination key chain and bottle opener on Amazon.
Ann is not afraid to get dirty!
Unlike our sunny Friday, today was a rainy day, so any thought of blasting the frame was put on hold. But, we did get nearly all the parts removed from the frame and the engine/transmission ready to pull out. The more we removed, the more we could see that poor Rusty had come from an abusive home.
Case in point: the transmission cross member. Both sides of the frame where the transmission crossmember normally attaches have been beaten, suggesting that the jeep was often bottomed or high centered. That would also explain the need to install a custom cross member:
You can see the wave along the bottom rail. I play on straightening it and then added an extra piece of metal to about a foot long to add additional strength along the bottom of the frame.
This net photo shows the rear passenger spring. The front portion of the bottom leaf is bent down quite a ways. This is slightly problematic in that there aren’t off the shelf springs for DJ-3A convertibles (that I know of anyway).
I don’t know which year this image was printed, but it highlights the different springs among models.
Note that the hardtop version had different numbers of springs on the left vs. right sides. From the CJ-2A Page.
To make it more confusing, I have five leafs in the front and four in the back (on both sides). I think I should have only 3 leafs. Perhaps the previous owner broke them and installed heavier ones? Or, the number of leafs was changed after 1956? I don’t know.
If you like old jeeps, shells, and women, then this photo if for you!
“1942 Press Photo A Group of Girls Riding the Range in a Jeep Pass 16 Inch Shells.
This is an original press photo. Women who just a short while ago thought of a range as something to cook on and powder as something to pat on their faces are now doing the work of men on the firing range at the Army ordnance Department’s proving grounds at Aberdeen, MD. They don’t just fool around with the light work, either. They fill shells with powder and prime them. They run huge cranes to assemble the big guns. And they load, clean, and fire everything from Garand rifles and Tommy guns to the big railroad guns. A group of the girls riding the range in a jeep pass a huge stack of 16 inch shells. Photo measures 9 x 7.25 inches. Photo is dated 06-06-1942.
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Just a few updates for today ….
Friday was another day of blasting. And, with Ann’s help, there was plenty of scraping, too. This photo describes my day:
But, all that work wasn’t for naught. See the much cleaner steering box:
And, some of the blasted parts … clutch linkages, pedal levers, column shift parts, and more:
We are still hoping to find a Jeepster owner to participate in the Alaska or Rust adventure. Email me (d@ewillys.com) if you know someone that would like to go!
This French brochure highlights a diesel jeep for a CJ-3A.
“Brochure JEEP WILLYS INDENOR DIESEL”
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This 35 page book looks interesting. It’s a reprint, but may be an old reprint.
“From a cache of WWII military jeep and motorcycle parts hidden away many years. A number of books and manuals were included.This is a 35 page Photo book produced in 1942 for introduction to the troops of the 1/4 ton 4×4 vehicle Reconnaissance later known as the Jeep. It’s filled with photographs and details for the use of the jeep vehicle. The book measures 8 1/2″ x 11′.with 35 pages, it’s listed as used, as I don’t know it’s actual history so listed as a reprint, great original period photographs and jeep details.”
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Can’t be too many of these records around.
“This is a Promotional Item Card Board Record 78 RPM around 1960. Very Rare Item !”
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This photo shows off a unique full hardtop. It looks like the top is magnifying the antenna.
“Original factory photograph , 8 x 10 , 3 original stamps on reverse , ” Lawless & Son , Houston , Texas ” , “Koenig Iron Works , Houston , Texas ” .”
Here’s an instruction set for the Koenig Jibby Cab.
“original Non Color Folder , 8.5 x 11 Folded , 17 x 11 Unfolded , No Cars Shown , Installation Instructions For Jiffy Cabs , Models 520 Full And 525 Half For CJ-5 , And Models 620 Full And 525 Half For CJ-6”
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UPDATE: There’s a new website for the magazine: https://www.dispatchermagazine.com
Norris-Banonis just released their Spring 2017 issue of their Dispatcher magazine. It’s their third year of publication and the unique articles continue. Topics covered in this issue include a review of Bill Spears’ War Baby by Fred Caldwell, an article by Jim Allen on the Jeep Honcho, a piece on the Esslingen Ordnance, the first of a two-part article on Charlie Wilson and the Wilson Foundary and more. If you haven’t subscribed yet, check it out at http://norris-banonis.com/dispatcher.html.
All work and no noodles makes David grumpy! Good thing I found a new Ramen noodle place just a few minutes away from my parents. I had them add some pork belly. It was awesome!
More progress on Rusty, one part at a time. I wanted to remove the u-joints so I could sand blast and paint the driveline.
To remove them, I used my favorite vice, something that’s been around longer than me. Using two different sized sockets (one to slide through and one to catch the u-joint as it slides through, I pressed it through. Make sure the grease nipple is NOT on the side you are pressing or it will cause you problems. This shows the u-joint after the springs are removed, but before I began pressing.
This shows the u-joint after pressing it through. 
This CJ-3B body was built from brass by a company in India. The company shared the photos on Facebook.
Great photo.
“1945 PRESS PHOTO Army Jeep Coming Out Of Amphibious Water Buffalo Tractor 4494 Measures 7.5 X 9.5 inches”
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Scramboleer Dan took the time to assemble these vintage newspapers ads for the Traveller (sorry it took me so long to get these posted!).
October 1, 1959, pg 15 of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
October 24, 1960, pg. 12 of The Honolulu Advertiser
October 25, 1960, pg. 13 of Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
A few years later we have some used Willys prices:
Some prices from the December 18, 1963, pg. 35 of the Honolulu Advertiser
This Capitol Chevy ad is from the Salem Statesman-Journal circa 1965-1966.
Short update. On Tuesday, after buying some parts and fixing some wiring, I got mom’s riding lawn mower running. She’s happy. I am happy.
On Wednesday, after buying a new motor and then upgrading the wiring to 230 … (It sure wasn’t plug and play) … I got the compressor working. I am even happier!
Compressor done? Check …
Parts ready? Check …
Parts blasted? Check …
Nice to be making headway again.
Just a couple posts for today … I spent yesterday morning working on my parents’ mower (an annual event). There was cursing and cussing (don’t know that there is a difference, but i uttered enough to fill both categories). After fixing a highly corroded wire and testing other parts, I finally concluded the solenoid needed replacing. I’ll be picking that up today.
I left that project for a trip to Edgewood, Washington, where I met Ron, a man selling his father-in-law’s 1991 Jeep Wrangler. Why was I looking a Wrangler? I’m helping the Vidal’s locate a newer jeep for their trip to Alaska. The price on this one was pretty good and the pictures showed well, such as this example photo:
But, in person, there were dings, scratches, and plenty of imperfections. The man I met claimed the jeep was well-cared for, yet the shift boot was sticky all over with something, the floor was very black, as if it had just been painted (and their was overspray onto the roll bar), and the battery tie down was hanging from some wires across the engine compartment from where the battery was located. Something didn’t sit well with me about the deal (the seller was even ready to drop the price, despite all the calls he said he had on it), so I passed.
From there, I dropped by Rob and Diana Stafford’s place, where I looked through some of the giveaway items that the PNW4WDA, which will become an official sponsor, donated to the Alaska Or Rust venture. There were all kinds of t-shits, sweatshirts, hoodies, drink containers, and more.
Then Diana showed me Rob’s progress on his flat fender rebuild. He was just going to do a few things to the flattie for the Alaska trip, but when he looked under the body, he realized his trail jeep needed a new one. I took a closeup look at the body’s old floor and I have to say that it was worse than Rusty’s floor! But now, with that new body, he’s definitely ahead of me!
Steve spotted this interesting photo with multiple Willys Slat Grille MBs.
“1942 PRESS PHOTO Army Armored Scout Car White Motor Co Cleveland Jeeps 4507 Measures 7 X 9 inches”
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There’s nothing like disassembly to reveal all the problems that remained unseen. Once the body came off, the realities revealed themselves.
The front cross member is cracked on the driver’s side (no surprise there — funny how I didn’t notice it with the body on it). The transmission is so packed with muck that I doubt any oil could leak through it. There are also some odd bends, like the mid cross member, which had something hit it with enough force to bend one side. Maybe the driveline broke at some point and flew up into it? Of course, there were rusty bolts, too, some which not even PB Blaster could save. At least it is getting closer to being disassembled.
The first big event was the removal of the body. I used a block and tackle to pull the body off:
This photo and caption were published in the February 1945 issue of Popular Mechanics.
Looks like a photo op.
“1945 PRESS PHOTO Road Signs From Oil Drums Guam Jeep 4473 Measures 6.25 X 8.25 inches”
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With the rain staying away for a few days, I booked it over to Renton for a few days to work on Rusty. Here are a few of the things I did today.
I did a little more straightening to the body. This time I wanted to remove a bow along the top back. I’ve mounted a board as a straight edge. You can see the cancer in the rear.
You can see there’s a gap between the board and the back.
After some clamps and some sweet talking with a 5lb sledge, I coaxed the back into line.
Then I played doctor and removed the cancer.
