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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 .
I received the latest issue of Dispatcher Magazine yesterday. In it, John Gunnel discusses Howard Tibbal, his huge circus model, and circus jeeps, while Barry Thomas shares how Henry Ford saved the jeep.
Andy shared this one.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/913713532976990
“Willy’s Jeep-A-Trench Price is just a placeholder Open to all reasonable offers Located in Sandia Park”
Barry Thomas let me know that this rare CJ-2 #6 has found a new home. Keith Buckley and Brandon from Jeep appear in a video discussing the jeep. Check out the video on Barry’s Farmjeep site:
https://www.farmjeep.com/farm-jeep-history/agrijeep-in-the-beginning/
Photo courtesy of Farmjeep.com.
I purchased this rare Davis Scenic Jeep Tours brochure from eBay. According to the CJ-3B page (which has a brief history of the company), Davis Scenic Tours was launched in 1946. It was eventually sold in 1959. At that time, the name was changed to San Juan Scenic Jeep Tours.
The brochure is 5.5″ x 8.5″ (half sheet of standard page) and folded in half. So, it’s pretty small.
The brochure’s cover photo of the CJ-3B isn’t very good, so below is a pic that shows how the modified-stretched CJ-3B actually looked, courtesy of the CJ-3B page:
This twenty-page issue of Jeep News includes a second advertising flyer, but one focus on special equipment rather than swag.
The 14th Annual Willys Overland Rally takes place this May 19-21 in Moab.
Learn more here: http://www.willysrally.com/index.php
Image from 2021 Willys Overland Rally
I lucked into finding this original Seattle Belly Paneers Jeep Club Patch! Can’t be many of these left. It is 7″tall x 5″ wide.
This unusual ad features a jeep in part of it. What looks like a “what’s in a name” ad, is really an ad for the Ethyl Corporation.
View all the information on eBay
“This is an Original old Vintage Trade Ad. This print ad Measures Approx: 14″ x 10 1/2″. This is Not a Photocopy or reproduction.”
Here’s another ad featuring a jeep, but this time it is for Barbasol Shaving Cream.
View all the information on eBay
I wasn’t planning on doing a racer update today, but both Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist were having issues last night loading pages. So, since, I took pics with the body yesterday, I figured I’d throw these up here. The cage is almost done, then on to floors and seats. OR, maybe shock mounts and rear sway bar.
UPDATE: This post originally appeared April 2, 2016
The February 1959 of Man’s Magazine contained photos and short report from the annual Jeep Rodeo in Yakima, Washington. Unfortunately, most of the pics aren’t a whole lot different from the March 1959 issue of Modern Man Magazine, featured in 2013.
Man’s magazine turned out to be a lot less risqué than the cover image and headlines might suggest. There was even an opinion article expressing concern over how American college football was fast becoming too professionalized.
This (I think) is the Fall 1976 – Winter 1977 issue of Jeep News. It is 20 pages, plus a 2-page ad flyer. I see now that my camera-scans of this aren’t the best. My apologies.
Blaine shared this interesting image of possibly a postcard that promoted an FC-150 giveaway contest. Based on the info, I’d say this was part of the FC-150 launch in 1957.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/autohistorian/3802498606/in/photostream/
This one is a bit pricey at $24.95, but it’s a pretty photo. The wagon is part of the Scenic Jeep Tour company from years ago.
View all the information on eBay
“Published by Noble Post Cards, Box 502, Colorado Springs.
“Aspens on the Cinnamon Pass Road west of Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, Colo.”
Standard-size postcard, measuring about 3.5 x 5.5 inches.”
Though these aren’t all that vintage (from the Daimler Chrysler era), they are kind of neat. Starting bid is $39.
View all the information on eBay
“Set of 4 Jeep, “Approved Willys Parts and Accesories” Collectible Shot Glasses.
These items come with the original box and there are no chips. There are a couple small scratches that I will note in the pictures.. please view the pictures as they are part of the description.”
This issue may cover from the Fall of 1975 through January 1976 (the next issue is Feb/March 1976). It is one of the largest at 18 pages plus a one page advertising insert.
The flyer:
The weather has warmed up some, which made working outside much more pleasant! Since the last set of pics, I made some corner brackets and added them to the cage. I’ve also added a cross bar that will be the base for the sets and some curved support bars on eat side of the front loop.
I’ll post some pics of the cage below, then add some pics of how I made the brackets (in case that’s of interest to anyone.
Below I show how I made the corner pieces.
This first pic shows 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ 16 gauge steel squares. The paper above it shows my attempts to figured out the rough size I wanted:
UPDATE IV: Nate was able to get this running. Check it out.
UPDATE III: See the internals of a Willys Light Plant here
UPDATE II: More pics of Nate’s Willys Light Plant here
UPDATE: There is more history about Miniger and his purchase of John North Willys Stock in 1929 in a 1946 Fortune article.
This postcard is currently listed on eBay.
The other day Nate forwarded me the following images of a Willys home power plant, built by both “Willys Light” and the “Electric Auto-Lite Corporation”. Not knowing much about any of this (and not having the time to source original info from newspapers of the time), I took a break from house painting to venture down internet rabbit holes. What follows is more of a work-in-progress than a finished piece. Hopefully, folks can add or correct the following.
Let’s start with the pics that Nate sent:
Now, stepping back a little in time … These days we in the US are generally pretty spoiled in terms of our access to 24/7 electricity. Of course, this wasn’t always the case. Because of my work on SLAG, I am aware that there was a revolution in mines and smelting with the introduction of power plants. My great great grandfather first introduced an electric plant into his smelter in Leadville in 1881 (followed shortly by electricity in the Salt Lake City’s Germania plant). By then, Broadway in NY was lit with a power plant, as were parts of major cities.
January 04, 1818, from the Leadville Daily Herald.
Such power plants would have been expensive, which is why large municipalities or successful businesses were utilizing them. But, such plants would have been outside the financial reach of the average folks. Still, there was an interest among home and farm owners to replace the gas and oil lamps used in homes.
I found this photo on eBay. It shows a VEC CJ-2A with a wood-based hardtop. The back of the photograph suggests that the builder of the hardtop may have been manufacturing these for sale for $265. The seller of these called them Jeep Station Wagon Bodies and built at least one of them (as shown in the picture). It appears these were built in or near San Francisco. There was another manufacturer who built similar tops out of Cleveland, Ohio, and advertised them as Station Wagon Bodies.
Tom shared pics of a “Planter” in Oracle Arizona back in 2005. The front crossmember looks like a GPW to me.
Tom grew up just north of me in the Yakima area. As a kid he used to watch the Yakima Ridge Runners cruise through the Ahtanum area, which ignited his interest in them. Over the years he owned a variety of jeeps.
Is it still in Oracle? I have no idea.
Blaine shared this recently completed auction for a nice looking truck. However, it looks like the trim is incorrect for a 1960. Strangely, the file name of the pic below was listed as a 1957 (1957_willys_pickup_1957_willys_pickup). That also makes more sense with the split windshield. Finally, the title lists this as a 1962.
More pics: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/willys-pickup/
Chris shared this footage from a 1962 ‘Jeep’ Commercial hosted at Indiana University’s Media Collections Online.
The video’s summary: The commercial shows which Jeeps were used in the movie “Hatari!”. The commercial portrays the different Jeeps as actors that were cast for specific roles and worked with the movie stars John Wayne, Red Buttons, and Elsa Martinelli. The Jeeps are shown in several movie clips driving across Tanzanian and herding animals.
Mike shared this video from Steve Magnante as he showcases an early Wagoneer.
UPDATE: Barney nots that this may be the original paint color. That makes me happier!
This was the first chance I had at getting an Al-Toy truck, so I snagged it off ebay in the last few seconds. It seems pretty original, other than the phone number on the side. The truck has a great weight and is slightly longer than the jeeps.
Here it is pictured with my 2 CJ-2A Al-Toys:
