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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 Statesville Record and Landmark newspaper out of Statesville, North Carolina, described in the December 29, 1955, issue how up to eight jeeps are used to make sure rural customers received their newspapers, summer or winter, through rain, snow, or sleet.
Bud Wilkinson of the Republican-American reported on this Willys Truck rebuild. https://wheels.rep-am.com/2020/07/my-ride-out-of-the-dump-and-into-the-willys-jeep/
A CJ-V35/U landed on the front page of the Leisuretime Magazine, published by the Gazette Telegraph out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, on August 07, 1965. It looks like the jeep has been modified with a taller radiator (and perhaps another engine), which apparently led to the lack of a hood.
For the story, the writer spent some time with the Mountain Airs Citizen Band Radio Club (not the catchiest of names). I didn’t realize that CB clubs were a ‘thing’, but there was even a magazine dedicated to that group of folks called S9. Here’s an example from 1966 (one in which the Mountain Airs’ name appears somewhere): https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-CB-Radio/S9-Magazine/S9-1966-05.pdf.
Below is the Gazette Telegraph article:
It’s a good situation when you have people to remove your jeep’s chains….
View all the information on eBay
“1951 Press Photo Korea, soldiers remove tow chains from Gen. MacArthur’s jeep. This is an original press photo. Central Korean front — Gen. MacArthur flew to the Korean Central front today on his 13th visit since the war. Marines are pictured here removing chains from MacArthur’s jeep after it was towed from Hongchon R. when it stalled while fording river. Gen. Ridgway is in rear of jeep (back to camera).Photo measures 9 x 7inches. Photo is dated 03-20-1951.”
This video shows the testing of a jeep and truck.
Steve spotted this photo at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukie archives.
https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/jbmurdoch/id/2016/rec/94
Photo Credit: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/jbmurdoch/id/2016/rec/94 Archives. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This April 16, 1949, article in the Portland Press Herald highlighted critic complaints about several new sedan delivery wagons purchased for use as police vehicles. There was some concern that these new patrol vehicles would be unable to catch modern hot rods. In response, the police chief reminded his critics that this was an experiment.
You will note that there is a black blotch covering a small portion of the second part of the article, but I don’t think anything important is lost with it there.
At $1499.99, the price on this is a head -ratcher. But, it is an unusual and interesting brochure. It reminds me of the Willys airborne prototype called the Jeeplet or the WAC. Here’s a short video with some pics of it.
View all the information on eBay
“SUPER RARE 1960 KAISER WILLYS CONCEPT AMPHIBIOUS TRUCK ADVERTISING BROCHURE.”
The August 26, 1941, issue of Look Magazine included this large photo of a Bantam BRC-40. The caption, presumably written by the author of the article, Henry McLemorehistor reads:
“THIS MOBILE CHIROPRACTOR I am driving is a half-ton reconnaissance car known to the unit as a Peep or Bo-Peep. It’ll go 60 mph, packs two machine guns, a crew of four. It will take you anywhere, provided you can hang on–actually covering worse terrain than a tank. As soon as the Army has enough Peeps, they will replace motorcycles as dispatch and reconnaissance vehicles. Like all armored-division vehicles, the Peep has four-wheel drive and handles as easily as the highest priced pleasure car. The difference is that you sit on a thin cushion over a steel seat and buckle yourself down with an airplane safety belt. “
The above photo is from this two page spread:
This is the magazine cover:
UPDATE: I wonder if this electric jeep pictured in the November 05, 1943, issue of the Arizona Republic newspaper was the inspiration for the Jeep for Junior published in 1946?
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The post originally ran in 2014: These plans for an “Electric Jeep for Junior” come from a September 1946 Issue of Mechanix Illustrated Magazine.
Search ebay for original issues of the September 1946 issue of Mechanix Illustrated
UPDATE: This sold for $66 plus shipping of $15.
This unique lighter with an entombed jeep model has already reached $26 (+$15 shipping) with four days to go.
“What a great piece. During the 1950s and 1960s Evans teamed up with the Clearfloat Company to create various see through lighters with miniaturized items “floating” inside. This one has a miniaturized figural Willys Jeep.
The lighter is also marked “Dudley”. Likely, this piece was a gift from the Jeep Dealer of Dudley, Massachusetts to their Jeep Customers. If anyone knows more about them, please drop me a line and I will add it to the info.
The Jeep inside this great decor piece is superbly detailed. I have pictured it from all angles for your inspection. Since the craftsmen at Clearfloat made these lighters by hand, there are no two of them alike. This special piece is in excellent condition with a snappy action. The flint tube is clear and a it has a great spark from the new flint that was installed for your convenience.
Here is your chance to add this Good-Looking Evans Clearfloat Décor Table Lighter to your collection – Thanks for looking.”
I bought this magazine based on the cover, hoping there would be some good photos in side. Nope, the best part of the article was the magazine cover.
Roger Martin’s Southwest Ohio FC Gathering is taking place this weekend. He shared a few pics from yesterday.
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This article from the May 24, 1965, issue of the Capital Journal, Salem, Oregon, follows the Salem Jeep Club’s trip with the Yakima Mountaineer’s Jeep Club (I’m not familiar with that club name) into the Cascade Mountains, specially the Ahtanum area west of Yakima.
UPDATE: This post has been updated with the May 1952 article on Vic Hickey’s “Mountain Goat” jeep.
Gayland spotted this unusual setup for painting tall places from a jeep. This was published on page 114 of the January 1950 issue of Popular Mechanics. Just hope it isn’t a windy day!
The is a better look at the rigging:
And a close up of the jeep:
This April 02, 1943, photo highlighted Sioux City’s North Junior School’s purchase of not one, but two jeeps as part of the “buy a jeep” bond campaign. They were the first school to buy one (and the first to buy two) jeeps. The Secretary of the United States Treasury presented the school with an award for its efforts.
April 02, 1943, Sioux City Journal
The photo is dated May 5, 1985, probably because it was placed into a newspaper on that day. In my opinion it looks like a staged photo, given all the decorations on the jeep and the way the soldiers exit the landing craft, yet still provide the photographer a great look at the jeep. No description provided.
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Looks like a good price of this Dodge Command Car Model (once known as a jeep). If I were close, I’d probably get it.
https://valdosta.craigslist.org/clt/d/moultrie-metal-army-jeep/7161132912.html
UPDATE: Jerry contacted me about a locomotive jeep he would like to restore (see near bottom). He noted that it was used at Tinkertown and found this older post while hoping to learn more. So, this post is a complete redo of an early post that focused just on photos in a January 1950 issue of Popular Mechanics.
It is probably no surprise that the Los Angeles metroplitan area was a hotbed of theme parks and carnivals following World War II. In particular, there was Beverly Park, which is claimed to be the park that stimulated Disney’s interests in theme parks.
One of those carnivals was a traveling kiddie carnival called Tinkertown. Articles show it existed at least from 1950 through 1952, operating in Monrovia, Wilmington, Los Angeles, and other LA area towns.
December 06, 1951, Wilmington Daily Press, Wilmington, California. Tinkertown Kiddie Carnival announcement.
Tinkertown appears to have owned, at one time or another, at least four unusual jeeps. One was a fire jeep made from a CJ-2A, shown below in red.
A second jeep appeared to have been a stretched (probably surplus) WWII jeep made into some kind of fire jeep used to tow a small Ferris wheel.
The article above refers to the jeep as a “fire engine”; perhaps it was modified during WWII? Here’s a better image:
A third jeep-related setup was a train possibly made from a jeep (or jeep-engine-powered at the very least). It is pictured here:
The fourth known jeep was a jeep turned into a locomotive. It’s the one Jerry now owns (along with two of the tram cars), one he’d like to restore. It’s in surprisingly complete condition. He’s hoping to learn more about the manufacturer and/or Tinkertown. Here’s a photo of his train:
Here’s how it looked in 1950:
UPDATE: Ooops. It turns out I had forgotten that I’d already posted this photo last year …
This photo can be found within the Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. It depicts a CJ-3A owned by the Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Posse. There are other jeep-oriented photos as well held by the library.
https://tessa.lapl.org/cdm/search/searchterm/HCNVT_d042_f11_i9 .. Los Angeles Public Library, November 03, 1953. ….. Caption reads: “Members of Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Posse No. 11 take their jeep and mobile kitchen on trips into isolated areas to search for lost children and hunters. The men serve as volunteers in the rescue work on a 24-hour-a-day schedule. Viewing the new 1,200-watt auxiliary power plant are, left to right, Capt. R. M. Boyd, Lancaster Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, commander of the posse; Sgt. R. F. Brown, co-ordinator, and Capt. Jack Bones.”
This three-part article appeared in the August 1959 issue of Car Life magazine. The first two-page article is a general look at both vehicles. Then, there’s a long review of the Willys Wagon followed by a long review of the Land Rover. I got the sense that the reviewer Mr. Jim Whipple was more impressed with the Land Rover than the wagon. You be the judge….
Willyls Wagon review:
UPDATE **SOLD**
This might be of interest to those in the area.
The arrival of the FJ-3s made the newspapers in a variety of states. This first article appeared in the February 02, 1961, issue of the Bridgeport Post out of Connecticut:
February 02, 1961, The Bridgeport Post, Bridgeport, CT.
February 02, 1961, The Bridgeport Post, Bridgeport, CT.
This next article appeared in the October 04, 1961, issue of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Messenger and Inquirer.
October 04, 1961, The Messenger and Inquirer, Owensboro, Kentucky,
The Mitchell, South Dakota, Post Office may have only purchased one FJ, but it still made the paper:
November 11, 1961, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, SD.
Here’s an add for the followup model, the FJ-3A .It appeared in The Lawton Constitution out of Oklahoma on January 07, 1962.
This is the more common version of the FJ-3A ad published across the country:
December 20, 1961, Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, AZ.
These two Oregon Dealers landed in the news, eleven years apart.
In the first photo from July 01, 1951, Medford Mail Tribune, The Medford Corporation purchases a fleet of eight jeeps for its logging operations from William Leever of the Leever Motor company.
July 01, 1951, Medford Mail Tribune
The second photo and caption are from nine years later and 15 miles north of Roseburg in Umpqua, Oregon. The February 26, 1962, issue of The News-Review published this Umpqua Tractor ad for tractors and jeeps. You’ll note the rare site of an FJ-3A on display along side an FC.
February 26, 1962, issue of The News-Review, Roseburg, Oregon.
