Features Research Archives

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Hugh’s Jeeps: Larry, Moe and Curley

• CATEGORIES: Builds, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I don’t know how many divorces eWillys has caused, but Hugh is pretty sure he’d be in trouble if he was married.

Hugh writes, “If it wasn’t for ewillys i wouldn’t have found these jeeps.  Got them one year apart and have learned a tremendous amount between ewillys and the cj2a page.  I have a highly modified jeep and a purist  jeep.  Your website is great Dave but costing me alot of money!  Good thing im not married.”

Here’s Larry (left) and Moe (right). Larry is a fiberglass jeep that Hugh’s been slowly transforming into a  MBish jeep. Moe is a pretty stock CJ-2A that hugh plans on continuing to restore as money allows. hugh-jeeps

Here are some before and after photos of Larry. Hugh’s keeping his budget tight and enjoying giving his jeep some military character. It just shows how little changes can make a big difference.

Before:

hugh-fiberglass-cj2a-3-oldAfter:

hugh-fiberglass-cj2a-3

Before:hugh-fiberglass-cj2a-2-old

After:hugh-fiberglass-cj2a-2

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From Belgium: A Jeep Then and Now

• CATEGORIES: Features, International This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Charles forwarded these photos. The first shows a jeep from 1944. Fast forward to 2013 and we have another jeep (not the same one) being rebuilt in this same location. It’s a nice bit of history.

fosses la ville 1944

fosses la ville 2

fosses la ville 1

fosses la ville 3

 
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Jeep Themed Bar St. Cloud, FL **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: DJ-5 & DJ-6, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $1775.

Here’s an odd item.

“This is a hand made Jeep themed bar, or service counter. The grille is a genuine Jeep part from a early 70’s mail truck. Its pretty much in same condition it was in when I found it. The bar framing is 1×4 and plywood.
The brick work is 2″ bead foam carved, sealed, and painted to look look like real brick. The bar top is reclaimed Red Oak and Cypress which has been sanded, sealed, and finished with 6 coats of water resistant poly clear coat. This is a unique 1 of a kind piece that you will not find at wal mart or Home Cheapo. This would be perfect in a Jeep lovers man cave, or as a service counter at an off road shop, or even a Jeep dealership.
Its 58″ long, 25″ deep, and 42.5″ tall weighs approx.75 lbs. This is a well made,sturdy piece that you will be proud to own. Can deliver in the Orlando area for small fee.
Mike 407 473 030zero NO TEXTS- NO E MAILS”

hand-made-dj5-grille-bar1 hand-made-dj5-grille-bar2

 
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Paul’s Flattie is Finished

• CATEGORIES: Builds, CJ-2A, CJ-3A, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

In 2009 I hauled up a flatfender body from a seller in Boise (where I was living) to Paul in La Conner, Wa. Since that time, he’s been busy rebuilding it. It sure looks good!

Paul writes, “What you see is a conglomeration of what you brought up here several years ago and a couple of “farm/orchard” jeep’s from Wenatchee plus new parts from major suppliers. it looks good, runs good and is “cute”. I have a roll bar I am going to re-configure (single hoop with stiffeners) that I will install for safety reasons and ad 3 point safety belts, no rear seat so no rear belts. It has 15 inch wheels and radial street tires on it now but a friend of mine found five really nice 16 inch wheels at the Monroe swap meet a couple of weeks ago so sometime soon we will add those with new era correct tires to the “look”

Here are the parts I loaded onto the back of a truck in 2009:

1946_cj2a_kuna3And here is how it looks now:

008 (1) 007 (1) 006

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CJ-3B Paddock Bomb From Australia

• CATEGORIES: Features, International This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I happened upon this unusual CJ-3B from the Weekly Times in Australia. The paper requests folks send in their ‘paddock bombs’. You can read about this CJ-3B from Bona Vista in Gippsland.

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2013/10/23/586834_back-paddock.html

paddock-bomb-cj3b

 
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1947 CJ-2A in Mobile, Alabama

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Mike found this nice 47 CJ in Mobile, Al. at a little car show. He writes, “naturally it was the only Jeep. It is in good shape, it’s not for sale and he said he paid about 5k for it and has had to do nothing to it.”

photo 02

photo 1

 
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1963/4 Western Auto Jeep Kit

• CATEGORIES: Features, Models, toys This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

The owner of this unusual jeep kit from Western Auto would like more information. Anyone ever seen or remember one of these? I spent some time trolling through “western auto” ads from past years on eBay, but didn’t have any luck

Here is a collection of scanned Western Auto ads on Flickr, but no jeep like the one below.

http://www.sellajeep.com/mjs/parts/adsp444/adsp444.html

1963-kit-jeep-western-auto3 1963-kit-jeep-western-auto2 1963-kit-jeep-western-auto1

 
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50th Anniversary Weekend

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

In preparation for my parents 50th Anniversary weekend, We drove north from Pasco to Wenatchee, where we picked up my great aunt Evelyn for the drive to Seattle. We arrived in Wenatchee a little early, so we decided to do some jeep hunting before picking up Evelyn.

Okay, I might not have mentioned the ‘jeep hunting’ part of that to Ann. Instead, I think I probably suggested something more innocent, like “how about we tour downtown Wenatchee?” But, between you all, me and the computer, I was jeep hunting.

It didn’t take long to find our first jeep. And, wouldn’t you know it, it was downtown! How convenient for us 🙂 This CJ-5 is part of a Gas for Less retro gas station display (museum?) on the main street of Wenatchee. I tried to learn more about the station online, but all I found were photos. Here’s a nice shot of the station.

_DSC3158

wenatchee-cj5-gas-for-less2

wenatchee-cj5-gas-for-less3

wenatchee-cj5-gas-for-less4

15 minutes later, after entering the city of East Wenatchee, we encountered a second jeep, which looked to be a CJ-3A.

wenachtee-cj3a-2wenachtee-cj3a-1After finding the CJ-3A, we picked up my great aunt and headed for Seattle. The drive through Blewett Pass was beautiful, as the leaves had turned a beautiful yellow (similar in color to the 3A above).  While most of the drive to Seattle was filled with blue sky, about forty miles from my folks place fog enveloped us. We saw no more sun for the next two days.

Saturday started with a trip down to Bonney Lake so I could pick up my T-18 transmission (and bellhousing a few other parts). When I arrived, Daryl was showing Brian (you might know from Jeep Thing on Facebook) and Joe (who made their own trek from Kennewick) around his place. So, Ann pulled out her camera and captured the four of us.

brian-daryl-joe-and-I-bonney-lake2

On Saturday night, twenty five of us gathered for the 50th anniversary party.  Here’s a rare photo of my sister, mother, father and I. We don’t have many family photos like this.

Eilers_DSC3243-lores

And, this is the cake my sister made. It told the story of my parents: their births, their meeting, their family, their careers/hobbies, and their grandchildren.  Of course, no cake would have been complete without a jeep, even if it is made with fondant.

cake_DSC3187-lores cake_DSC3190-jeep-lores

 
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A Couple Pics from Antioquia, Colombia

• CATEGORIES: Features, International • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Sebastian writes, “Here are a few pics that my dad took last Saturday on a trip he did to “Puente Pelaez”. This is in Antioquia. As you can see it is a nice rural area where the Willys fits perfectly.”

2013-10-puenta-pelaez1

2013-10-puenta-pelaez2

 
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1944 Photo of Soldiers Roping Cattle at Camp White, OR **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Was on eBay. **SOLD**

“Git Along Littl’ Doggies!” A press photo showing two soldiers at Camp White, Or using a jeep to herd cattle. Too bad the cowboys did not think of that. Dated Apr 18, 1944. Typed description on back. 8 by 10. Good condition with no tears or losses. Buyer pays $3.50 first class shipping; international rates higher.”

1944-herding-catle-camp-white-oregon

 
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Kid’s Bed

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a jeepish/m151ish bed spotted on thebooandtheboy.com website.

http://www.thebooandtheboy.com/2013/05/eclectic-kids-rooms_20.html

jeep-bed-kid-thebooandtheboy-com

 
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Vintage CJ-5 Ashtray on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

It is missing its windshield, but otherwise looks in fair condition. I believe this was a dealer promotion. Here’s a slightly different version.

“Vintage Jeep Advertising Ashtray
Chrome-plated steel.
Measures 6 1/2″ in diameter.
The bowl portion of the ashtray rotates.
The 2 1/2″ long Jeep is missing its windshield.”

View all the information on ebay

cj5-advertising-ashtray-chrome1 cj5-advertising-ashtray-chrome2 cj5-advertising-ashtray-chrome3

 
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Photo of Soldier and Jeep in 1946 Stuttgart, Germany on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

A Soldier poses with his jeep (Betty).

“Photo Measures 2 1/2″ x 4″ and has some creases.”

View all the information on ebay

1946-stuttgart-germany-man-jeep

 
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Pic of the Week: The FC Line Painter

• CATEGORIES: Craigs Pic of the Week, Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, Old News Articles • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Craig sent this scan from a Willys News article (though we are uncertain of the exact issue). It shows a DRW FC-170 with some special street painting equipment.

Wald-FC-170-DRW-Paint-Striper

 

 
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Three Reasons to Move to Florida

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

All I have to say is, brrrrrr.

Jim wrote, “These are three prints from some old negatives which show my Dad driving out to feed hay to the livestock.  My brother John is in the back of the jeep and my brother Ed is on the hay loaded in the trailer. The photos were taken at my parents’ farm in Halltown MO in winter of 1969 or 1970. Now you know why John and Ed live in Florida.”

john-ed-farm-circa-1969-1 john-ed-farm-circa-1969-2 john-ed-farm-circa-1969-3

 
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Rapid Transit Lives . . .

• CATEGORIES: Features, Racing • TAGS: , , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Damian wrote to tell me that a favorite drag jeep of mine, Rapid Transit, is racing under a new owner and a new power train. It looks like it uses a Bobcat hood and (likely) body.

He writes, “believe it or not this jeep is still around in the cleves, ohio area and races regularly, but it is now a center seater 2wd and has a small block chevy, i race with the current owner and also do photography.”

You can view Damian’s photos on Facebook. Below is a comparison between the old and new racer.

Vintage Rapid Transit (from the 80s?):

After (one of Damian’s photos):

rapid-transit-drag-jeep-new-look

 
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Happy 50th Anniversary to Mom and Dad

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Thanks for all the well wishes. We had a wonderful evening!  Next updates are Monday morning. I also picked up my T-18 from Daryl (thanks) and some assorted parts to help complete the drive train.

===========================================================================

Saturday was my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!

mom-dad-marriage

L to R: My mom’s sister Marilyn (AKA my book editor), Mom (Marjorie), Dad (Karl), and Dad’s brother B.B. This was taken on October 19, 1963, the date of their marriage.

We’ve traveled to the Seattle area to spend the weekend with family to celebrate, so eWillys will be a little disrupted until Monday morning’s posts. During our trip from Pasco to Seattle we detoured north to Wenatchee to pick up my great aunt. While there, we spotted a couple vintage jeeps (photos I’ll share on Monday). We even discovered (via the web) a “Jeepers It’s Bagels” Bagelry, which apparently has nothing to do with jeeps. Unfortunately, it will be closed by the time we arrive back in Wenatchee on Sunday to investigate.

 
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1947 Australian Newspaper Article

• CATEGORIES: Features, International, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a 1947 short story in “The Land” about the importance of the ubiquitous jeep to at least one farm in Australia. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page11396417

1947-11-07-the-land-newspaper-australia

 

 
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A Couple Random Pics

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Charles forwarded these photos.

russelanderson conley3

 
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Photo of Waterproofed “Kitty” on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s another great Baltimore Sun Archive photo that Marc found. It shows a jeep named Kitty traveling through a canal in England during the winter.

View all the information on ebay

1944-12-waterproofed-air-force-jeep1 1944-12-waterproofed-air-force-jeep2

 

 
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Photo of CJ-3As

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Charles forwarded this photo of a CJ-3A and trailer, with a few more jeeps in the background.

cj3a-trailer-old-photo

 
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A Jeep Named Hop-A-Long

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I stumbled across this neat photo of a jeep named Hop-A-Long at trailblazersww2.org.

hop-a-long-mb

 

 
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Funny Cherokee Ad for Sale

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Both Ed and Phillip forwarded this ad to me. It is pretty funny way to sell a XJ. It was initially submitted to hooniverse.com.

http://enid.craigslist.org/cto/4119280944.html%3C/div%3E

In case the ad gets deleted, here’s the full text and I pic. The jeep is priced at $1750.

1997-cherokee-enid-ok

1997 Jeep Cherokee  (XJ)
220K Miles
4.0 L in-line 6
4WD
AUTOMATIC Transmission
Bright Red
Straight Stock
Crank Windows, no cruise, no tilt, no delay wiper, no nonsense
POWER MIRRORS!  Woo Hoo!

$1750

Here’s the deal, kids:
This is a Jeep Cherokee.  This is not a luxury SUV, or a maintenance-free disposable import.  It has solid front axles, wind noise, and character.
It’s a Jeep.  It rides like a Jeep.  It drives like a Jeep.  All of these are GOOD things.
It is not new, it is not pristine, it is used.  This will be apparent in the pictures.

If you do not own a toolbox, have never changed your own oil, and are scared of firearms: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you have been posting on facebook all about how excited you are for pumpkin latte season: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you get offended easy and often, whine to your co-workers, and bitch a lot: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you feel you are owed anything in the world & have a bullshit job where you fail to produce: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you own a bieber album, white oakleys, affliction t-shirts, or those candy-assed stitched-pocket jeans: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you consider the 2nd Amendment an anachronistic relic and have never owned a firearm: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.

Continue reading

 
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Roberto’s Newest Jeep Illustration

• CATEGORIES: Artists/Drawings, Features, Jeep Rods • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Roberto had some fun drawing up this fanciful jeep rod. You can see more of his illustrations on Facebook or at his website: http://www.robertoflores.com.

robert-flores-jeeprod

 
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Pepsi Surrey post at the CJ-3B Page

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Derek’s updated the Pepsi DJ-3A Surrey Page with some neat information. It includes a photo of surreys on a transport trailer. http://cj3b.info/Siblings/SurreyPepsi.html

Here’s an example of one Pepsi Surrey:

pepsi-surrey-yellow-lores