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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 .
The following Monarch hydraulic schematics and parts documents were included in the Meyer products binder. Hopefully, they will help someone out when rebuilding one of these units.
1. This first page covers the Monarch Hy-Lo Hydraulic Power Control Type UHT-JA. It is dated August 01, 1959:
2. The next page covers the Monarch Hy-Lo-Jack Hydraulic Power Control Type HFC-5. It is dated August 01, 1959:
UPDATE II: Unfortunately, while the photo sold, the seller was unable to find it.
UPDATE: This photo shows two photographers riding through the water taking photos as Sgt. Roy Harmon, from Washington, D.C., navigates the jeep (named The Reluctant Turtle). Given it was taken in October, the water can’t be very warm. Below this photo are two additional photos that also include Roy Harmon from the same event.
“This is an original press photo. Bay Ridge, Maryland — Photographers hitch a ride to photograph the progress of the “underwater” jeep demonstrated by the Navy today (October 17). Sgt. Roy Harmon, USMC of Washington, DC, clothes in a Marine wading outfit, drives the jeep in 6-foot of water. The underwater operation is made possible by a waterproof kit, which contains an ignition system, waterproof battery, distributor and coil, and aviation-type spark plugs. Two periscope-like pipes serve for the air intake and the exhaust. The jeep, which cannot float, can cavort around in water 6-feet deep for a period of 45-minutes and will make amphibious operations much easier.Photo measures 9 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated 10-17-1946.”
The October 21, 1946, issue of Hope Star (Hope, Arkansas) featured this image:
An October 21, 1946, article in the The Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey) provides some great additional details about the ‘submarine’ kit:
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Original Post in 2017: The below photo was likely taken by the intrepid photographers pictured in the photos above:
As part of the post, Luis added the following comment: “Its a true USMC jeep as seen by the use of the electric “Dynamo” windshield wiper motor which were used only on Marine Corp jeeps, these motors are quite rare and highly desirable for a true USMC jeep restoration.”
From the eBay ad: “1946 Press Photo Bay Ridge MD Sgt Roy Harmon USMC in underwater jeep. .This is an original press photo. Photo measures 9 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated 10-17-1946.”
Berg’s Truck and Parts Co. placed this ad in the October 13, 1946, issue of the Chicago Tribune. I figure that either engines were selling good and Berg was promoting the sale of more or they weren’t selling good and he had backlog of them that needed to go.
Tyndall Field in Florida is credited with creating the first “jeep range”, a place where jeeps carried objects for gunnery practice. Here are a few pics and articles about “jeep ranges”.
This photo appeared in the Atlanta Constitution Sun newspaper on June 06, 1943:
A year earlier, a model plane was attached to a jeep in the first iteration of a jeep range:
Here are some larger photos of the ones shown above from the July 12, 1942, issue of the Fort Worth Star Telegram:
These pics are likely from the late 1940s and show a CJ-2A being ferried across the Rio Magdalina river in Colombia.
View all the information on eBay
“(circa late 1930’s, early 1940’s)… A great series chronicling the task of getting your jeep across the Rio Magdalina, Colombia South America… jungle-primitive as one would expect! Great detail showing the car ferry and their local methods of getting across river. Photo Came from an estate where owner spent years in Colombia as a pilot. These are original photos! …as you can see, original owner had one blown up to bigger size… Big one measures about 7.5″ x 5.5″ while the smaller about 4″ x 2.75 inch. $2 DOMESTIC S/H… (or, Worldwide, International S/H $3.95).”
I don’t know anything about this book in terms of value. Starting price is $125.
View all the information on eBay
“BOOKLET DOES NOT SHOW ANY WEAR”
Given the “J” logo, this was likely printed in late 1945 or early 1946. I can’t remember seeing the vertical-jeep portion with lines like that one has. I’m guessing that rather than using a two-color printing as was usually for this logo, the lines were added to create the visual separation.
View all the information on eBay
“VTG ADVERTISING BUSINESS CARD WILLYS JEEP AUTOMOBILE ERIE COUNTY MOTORS ERIE PA”
UPDATE: Price for the truck dropped to $7500.
Bill sent a link for Iron City Garage, a unique used vehicle business that both sells vehicles, with a guarantee that the title is good, and rents them for photo shoots and other events.
The business’ goal is to take some of the risk out of purchasing a used project. The owner writes in the about section of the website, “Believe me, “winning” the bid on eBay is just the beginning. Out of the 10 vehicles I’ve bought online myself, 9 have turned out to be completely misrepresented. When we offer a vehicle for sale it is ready to be delivered and pushed into your work shop because we have eliminated any of the risks involved with electronic payments, titling and shipping.”
Iron City currently has a 1950 truck for sale $7500: https://www.ironcitygarage.com/store/p208/1950_Willys_Jeep_Pickup.html
An article in the June 22, 1978, issue of the Longview Daily News highlighted an upcoming Road Rebels jeep club payday. The reference to 199 trophies to be awarded reminded me of just how big of an event the Sunday evening trophy awards could be. They could last hours. People usually lumped together by clubs in one large group. Each name would be called. Imagine it takes one minute to hand out each trophy; in the case of this event you’d be looking at over three hours for 199 trophies.
Thanks to Dave for sending me this custom Warn hub belt buckle that he made! I’ll have this one on a belt next week. If you are interested in one, he charges $50, but can reduce the price a little if you can donate a hub.
This oversize 5″x7″ postcard arrived as part of a multiple postcards from eBay. The postcard was part of the 1950-1951 Willys Makes Sense campaign and was the first image published in magazines as part of the campaign.
It’s unclear to me just how many different images were used from the campaign for Willys Makes Sense postcards, but beware that there are a variety of newly printed postcards on eBay and Etsy.
UPDATE II: If you thought this was the only vehicle to be built in a muffler shape, think again. One Art Car website has pics of a variety of muffler-themed vehicles:
http://artcarcentral.com/muffler-mobiles-and-the-muffler-shops-that-made-them/
That site also had an additional photo of the yellow muffler mobile built on a CJ-2A body, which had been posted to Flickr:
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Originally posted September 03, 2012: Like the Oscar Meyer Mobile (on a FC), this is built on a jeep platform (CJ-2A). This sold on eBay in 2012.
“The Mufflermobile! What is The Mufflermobile? It’s a fully-functional four wheel drive 1948 Willys Jeep CJ2A that’s licensed for the road. The body has been replaced with a custom made wood framed, aluminum skinned replica of a muffler that’s 8 feet high and 11 feet long. This is the most unique advertising vehicle since the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile!
Purchase The Mufflermobile, wrap it with your company’s advertising message, park it around town or show it off at different events, and people will come to your business just to tell you that they saw it! They’ll tell their friends about it; they’ll post pictures of it on facebook and twitter. They will promote your business for you! You can’t buy advertising like that! Oh wait, yes you can! Bid to win or Buy It Now!
The Mufflermobile is located in the Fredericton, NB area and is being sold as-is, where-is, no warranty expressed or implied. It is, after all, a 64 year old muffler.”
This 7″x5″ photo shows a Jeep Station painted up for an American Relief of Poland campaign.
” US Shipping is $4 per photo/lot as listed. Photo shipped in archival plastic sleeve & in greeting card w/ stamp.”
Thanksgiving is a sign that 2020 is almost over …
Mark shared this photo of a CJ-2A and a successful turkey hunt. Per a website about Texas license plate history, the plate indicates this is a 1950 plate, meaning it is likely a 1950 photo. Unfortunately, the KT on the left side of the plate is not a county abbreviation or code.
They aren’t jeeps, but they are definitely off road (and through buildings). Thanks to Roger Martin for sharing this unusual video. The race took place in 1920s New Zealand according to youtube.
This nice little nugget of Willys history has been posted since 2011, but somehow I missed it. The Kaiser Willys blog has three photos of a CJ-2 (not CJ-2A) Fire Jeep that includes the “JEEP” plate across the front of the windshield.
https://blog.kaiserwillys.com/the-postwar-willys-cj-2-fire-jeep
UPDATE: The press photo at bottom was published in several newspapers, including the February 04, 1945, issue of the Knoxville News-Sentinel:
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Originally Posted May 14, 2016:
“1945- Barrage rockets are readied for firing from an experimental rocket firing jeep at test range in Inyokern, California. Photos measure approx. 7″ x 9”.
I’ve seen a Perjeco catalog (note that name is the cable address), but not a Perfect Jeep catalog. I’m not sure how those two companies are related (or maybe one is just a DBA). The catalog is probably not worth much.
View all the information on eBay
“Vintage 1950s Perfect Jeep and Parts Co. Willy’s Jeep Parts Catalogue”
Here are multiple FC-150 postcards advertising FC-150s.
1. This postcard is Form No. W-FC-10 and is currently on eBay. It opens vertically:
2. This postcard is Form No. W-FC-11 and opens vertically. It is currently on eBay:
I’ve been watching for one of these FC-150 fold-out postcards for a while. I found this one the other day included with some others on ebay. This postcard is Form No. W-FC-12 and it opens horizontally. There is another one on eBay:
This narrow track FC-150 postcard lacks a Form No. It does not fold out. It is currently on eBay: Continue reading
Actress Jane Wyman was captured in this photo while visiting Kirkland Field in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in May of 1942. The jeep driver doesn’t seem too unhappy to be escorting her.
May 20, 1942, Visalia Times-Delta in Visalia, California.
This Willys-Overland Fire Pump needs an L-head, but it seems an unusual item. It looks like the trailer was not original to the unit, based on these two photos from G503:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/WillysSwapMeet/permalink/2800695516870376
“1943-dated Willys American fire pump. US Army Corps of Engineers, 250 GPM.
“Willys American” cast into the pump body. Enclosure is gone.
The base is the fuel tank. Mounted on a 2 wheel trailer chassis with antique tires and 2” ball hitch.
No suspension and old tires so needs to be hauled on a trailer.
Has WWII OD paint under the red paint.
I removed the engine and bellhousing for use in WWII jeep restoration. Selling with the engine front plate, manifolds & carburetor, governor, oil filter & bracket, fan and fan shroud and generator. You will need to supply a Willys L-134 motor and bellhousing to put this back in operation.”
Below are Meyer plow install instructions and parts lists for various Jeep models, including CJs, trucks, wagons, FCs, and J-series jeeps.
First up in the two-page Form No. 1-103r5 for the CJ-2A-CJ-6:
Next is four-page Form No. 1-109r6 for trucks and wagons:
IKA factory in Argentina
Hugo shared a link to a brief history of IKA, the licensed builder of jeeps in Argentina. Hugo noted that the last vehicle shown, the Torino, was a popular car that was based on the American Rambler, but was powered by a Tornado engine.
Spanish link: https://www.mdzol.com/mdz-autos/2020/11/22/la-historia-de-ika-marca-legendaria-de-la-industria-automotriz-120518.html
English translation link: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mdzol.com%2Fmdz-autos%2F2020%2F11%2F22%2Fla-historia-de-ika-marca-legendaria-de-la-industria-automotriz-120518.html
IKA Torino
Bill shared this news. FCA held a sketch competition to solicit independent designs for electric jeeps. Three winners were selected. The first was a futuristic FC design; the second a buggy design; and the third an extreme buggy design.
This instagram page has more examples of these: https://www.instagram.com/p/CH0cVPJlned/
UPDATE: Long story short, I bought the bottom two jeep lighters. The first winner of the auction didn’t pay, so when I saw them re-acutioned, I made sure to snag them.
This first one is the jeep lighter/ash tray combo and initially sold for $113.50 (plus $12.70 shipping), but the buyer backed out. My purchase price was a little less:
