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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 is the Great Willys Picnic (in Kempton, PA) and Bantam Fest (in Butler, PA).
This tiny LRDG-styled lighter is something I’d been keeping an eye out for. It’s smaller than I expected, just slightly larger than a biz card (or in this case a Fred Smiley’s old club card, which is something that accompanied a different purchase). I forgot to take a photo of the bottom, but there’s no identifying information there.
These just sold on eBay for $9.99. This CJ-2A was equipped with a rear PTO.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204812664497
The tour jeep’s E-Stopp parking brake arrived today. I couldn’t get a very good sense of the size on the seller’s website, so I have photographed it on one of Ann’s cutting boards.
UPDATE: Matt thought I should add this billboard to this thread.
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This really neat color slide documents a Setaro’s Willys Motors Billboard ad. The only issue I see is the price of $79.99! Setaros was in New Haven, CT. I’ve included an ad published in the Yale Daily News Newspaper from January 13, 1948.
View all the information on eBay
“Original Kodachrome Red Border Slide 1949 – Jeep Station Wagon Billboard. Beautiful vintage original slide. Comes as shown and described. Very rare!”
This is the newspaper ad from the Yale newspaper historical library archives:
UPDATE: Thanks to pics posted to Facebook by Ken Wyatt, we now know that Frank’s GPW has moved to the lobby at the Golden Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection.
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Originally posted September 27, 2018: Gordon mentioned to me that Frank Sinatra had once owned a GPW. So, I spent some time searching for Sinatra and jeeps. Here’s what I have so far:
Franks GPW went to a Sotheby’s auction in 2003 (which listed it as a 1942 GPW),
then to a Barrett Jackson auction in 2005 (which listed it as a 1944).
It now resides in the Tebo Museum (private museum approx 400 vehicles) collection (Facebook link) (Flicker Link). Here’s how the jeep is presented:
Back when Frank built his home in 1947 at Palm Springs, California, his daughter noted that the town was still small and the roads rough, so “We . . . needed our jeep to manage the dirt roads, sand dunes, and tumbleweeds,” No indication as to what jeep model this was.
Of course, Frank spent some time in jeeps while acting. For example, this still photo from a French eBay page of Sinatra in a jeep is from his 1958 film “Kings Go Forth”.
According to an April 1966 Esquire magazine article,
“At other times, aiming to please, his men will overreact to his desires: when he casually observed that his big orange desert jeep in Palm Springs seemed in need of a new painting, the word was swiftly passed down through the channels, becoming ever more urgent as it went, until finally it was a command that the jeep be painted now, immediately, yesterday. To accomplish this would require the hiring of a special crew of painters to work all night, at overtime rates; which, in turn, meant that the order had to be bucked back up the line for further approval. When it finally got back to Sinatra’s desk, he did not know what it was all about; after he had figured it out he confessed, with a tired look on his face, that he did not care when the hell they painted the jeep.”
According to the “Remarkable Cars” website, this 1941? MB was used during the filming of the dirty dozen, then purchased by Sinatra, who then gave it to Burt Reynolds. It is now located in the Star Cars Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
I’m sure there’s much more out there. I’ll add to this thread as I learn more.
No pics of the actual slide. The seller wants $23 for it. Unclear where this was taken.
View all the information on eBay
“Slide 1950s Red Star Border Kodachrome Jeep Train on Tropical Resort Beach”
Andy shared this rare CJ-3B manual printed in German currently priced at $59.
View all the information on eBay
Brian shared this unique ad on the back of a jeep’s spare tire. It was posted to Facebook.
Roger Martin shared this unique half-cab chair for sale. It’s listed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/257291947029332/permalink/441725818585943/
Matt shared this January 12, 1982, article from the Chicago Sun-Times about this Jeepster and its owner, Emily Tupy, who was part of the Mid-States Jeepster Association.
The Jeepsterman announced he will being selling a new bed extension soon.
This book cover landed on Facebook. It appears there was an early (or original) edition publishe din 1952 without a jeep on the cover. The CJ-5 cover edition was published in 1960 (and possibly other years). I do not know if a jeep plays any role in the narrative.
1952: (can be found on Amazon for $14.59)
1960: A copy of this book can be found on eBay for $4.99 plus shipping:
I was going to post many more updates, but a hay baler breaking down put a stop to that (long story). More updates Sunday morning.
This weekend is the Willys Rally at Heuston Woods. Tom was kind enough to take some pics for us.
I’ve got the driver’s seat ready to mount once the cab is ready. I still need to get some seat belts, so I can add them.
I won’t be needing this FC Vacuum Wiper motor. Anyone need one? I don’t know how well it works (or not), so I would just ask you pay for shipping. It includes the cable and the mounting bolts (not shown). I don’t know how the FC vacuum wiper motor differs from other jeep vacuum motors, if they are different at all.
More progress made, as the passenger seat bracket holes were drilled (studs were rusted) and the stock brackets look appear to fit perfectly.
However the driver’s side holes, due to some previous patches and brittle metal, aren’t visible. So, I am attempting to estimate their location. The rough distance I measured is from the front of the hat channel bracket just behind where the seat posts rest to the seat brackets shown below. The 16 1/4 inches might be a little short. Anyone have the correct measurement for a circa 1960 FC-170?
Here is the driver’s seat from underneath, per Will’s question:
Here’s an example from another FC-170 with the same brackets (from this post):
Passenger seat:
UPDATE: Blaine shared this Ghost Army image of a jeep that appeared on the Messynessychic.com blog back in 2015.
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Original post March 13, 2021: This pic reminds me of the Ghost Army documentary I mentioned back in 2019. The photo below shows a combled-together fake jeep. I’m still hoping to find some better photos of a Ghost Army inflatable jeep. Dummy tank photos are much easier to find. The photo was taken November of 1944 in Wongabel, Queensland, Australia.
This photo appeared on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2382510764/permalink/10158078411510765/
This is an unusually haunting postcard with a jeep. The original was painted in 1945 by Donald Friend (see image at the bottom).
View all the information on eBay
“THE JEEP FERRY 1945 AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL CANBERRA ACT ART CARDS POSTCARD”
Original art:
This may be sold soon, as there was a note from eBay that someone had this in their cart, but it could be a ‘make offer’ situation. No matter, still an unusual card with a jeep. It is currently priced at $18.95.
View all the information on eBay
“Postcard with corner and edge wear. Also has some creasing in left corners.”
Here’s a jeep postcard based on prototype jeep from Camp Croft. There were several other postcards of real prototypes related to Camp Croft that were also issued.
View all the information on eBay
“WWII Era Camp Croft South Carolina Parachute Battalion, The Jeep Patrol Vintage Postcard”
Some pics from this weekend’s progress. The first is the completion of the flip-down fuse box. Fuse boxes often have to be put in awkward locations, so I thought I would try a flip down box, which stays hidden most of the time, but can be dropped down with a single long pin removed (still need to make that pin, but the two small bolts do the trick for pics).
I really don’t know how well this will work, but figured it was worth a try.
A closer look at the fuse box bracket. The hinges are some kind of cabinet door hinge (I think); Dad had a container of these hinges for some unknown purpose.
Here are some pics of the accelerator brackets. The one on the left acts as a guide for the accelerator cable (the red/green wire is a stand-in for that. The left bracket also acts as an anchor point for the spring. The right bracket rotates, in this perspective, clockwise when the pedal is depressed. The bolt and spring acts as an adjustable stopper for fine tuning.
Not the best pic, but this shows how the gas pedal connects to the hem joint, how it goes through the floor, and how it then connects with the cam bracket.
This brochure from Canada is from CS 5-57X. There was a US domestic form CS 5-57, but it was very different.
This is the front of the flyer:
This is the back:
The brochure opens vertically into this:
The brochure then opens horizontally into this:
This shows the back fully opened:
This Canadian version of Form No. 59-03 highlights the “Maverick” model, while the US Domestic version did not (see example at bottom).
Here’s a comparison between the Canadian and US Form No. 59-03: (sorry for the poor quality of the right image .. it turns out I don’t actually have that brochure)..
UPDATE II: Here’s another, similar ‘streamlined’ jeep posted by Mike Haines on Facebook. Note that this one appears to use a standard windshield and, thus, has a flatter cowl than the ones seen below:
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UPDATE FROM Jan 7, 2021: This post has been updated with a better version of the video:
The photos below are snapshots from the above video. They resemble the jeep shown below that was built by Wayne K. Pike. It was built by members of the 9th Service Squadron at the 13th Army Air Base on the island of Moratai. Note that it has a chrome/stainless trim strip absent from the car featured in the Popular Mechanics article below.
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ORIGINAL POST FEBRUARY 11, 2013: You can view the entire Popular Mechanics’ issue on Google.
Dec 1945 Popular Mechanics Page 6 Streamlined Jeep
Dec 1945 Popular Mechanics Page 72 Jeep with Odd Body
Dec 1945 Popular Mechanics Page 77 Men using Jeep like a plow horse
Dec 1945 Popular Mechanics Page 73 Men us jeep to fix propeller
Dec 1945 Popular Mechanics Page 70 Fixing Jeep Frame
