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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 .
A December 1944 article in Popular Science highlights tandem towing:
A July 1943 Popular Mechanics article looks at young men training for war and, in part, how the jeep plays a useful role.
This is the earliest use of jeep hubs as winches that I can remember documenting. It was publishing in the July 1943 issue of Popular Mechanics. The McCain hub was a similar, much later idea.
This two page article appeared in the July 1953 issue of Hot Rod Magazine. It’s mostly a photographic spread about the trek over the Anza Trail. Six hundred folks in one hundred and sixty jeeps participated in the trip.
The September 1961 issue of Hot Rod Magazine included this reader-submitted photo. The owner explained that the jeep did well as a drag racer (in the stock 4cyl class I’m sure) when they weren’t using it as a plow jeep.
In September of 1961, Hot Rod Magazine published this article about the Saleea Al Jemel jeep club’s Sidewinder Cruise (first documented jeep club, formed in 1946) in Southern California. The article covers various V8 upgrades installed in flat fender jeeps, with a focus on Brian Chuchua’s Plymouth V8 install.
This photo and caption appeared in the May 1963 issue of Desert Magazine. Note the camping modifications on the CJ-6 in the foreground. Looks like a pretty interesting rig.
I accidentally ordered an issue of Willys News I already had. So, I’m putting this one up for sale. It has eight pages of pictures and information. These sell for between $28 – $38 on eBay. 
The January 1946 issue of Motor Magazine has an article about fixing the Army jeep.
View all the information on eBay
This March 1957 article from Popular Mechanics highlighted the 1957 Jeep Jamboree in Texas. A few days ago a press photo showing the photo of the DJ-3A (just the front of it) landed on eBay for sale.
The January 1944 issue of the Canadian Home Journal featured a baby and jeep on its cover. This particularly magazine was advertised for sale on Facebook.
It took a chance on this January 1957 issue of True Adventures and bought it on eBay hoping to find an article that included jeeps. But, I struck out. There was nothing but scantily clad women (not that I was complaining), fantastical stories, and silly advertisements.
These photos appeared in the February 1956 issue of Globe-trotter. I especially like the CJ-5 with the ice cream maker!
The Gypsy Rose Lee Jeep is a stripped down version of the regular jeep for airborne troops (one of a variety developed). Made of “plastic plywood”, it was almost a 1,000lbs lighter than the standard 2,200lb jeep. You might also know the jeep as the MB-L. This article, of which the Gypsy Rose Lee was a part, was published in the December 1947 issue of Willys Overland Unity Magazine.
UPDATE: The magazine Guion from Uruguay published a one-page article about the jeep, along with the cover page (shown at the bottom). My Spanish isn’t so good, so I have to guess, based on the photos, that the article discusses the problems caused by groups of young women in bikinis roving the beaches of Uruguay. Oh, what terrible problem that would be!?!?
This cover was published as part of the April 1947 issue. Thanks to Christian (via Derek Redmond) for sharing this one.
The 1947 Craftsman Annual Project Magazine contains forty-four wide ranging projects for the builder who was to try constructing everyone. Of course, there’s a battery toy jeep project among the items (directions shown below), but also included in the magazine are plans for building from scratch a welder, a battery-less telephone, a Jolly Roger boat, a hand vise, a rocket, a farm tractor (from car parts), and much more.
I believe this is a CJ-5 APU, though it could provide some other service. Either way, it’s something I’ve never run across.
“Leatherneck
Volume XLI Number 5
May 1958
in
Very Good Condition.”
View all the information on eBay
This issue probably has an article and photos of a Yakima Jeep Rodeo.
“February 1954, Vol. 2, No. 3. Vintage tabloid-size (10 x 13 inches) magazine devoted to news, entertainment, and pin-ups galore. One of a handful of mags of the 1950s seeing publication well into the 1960s, becoming a more straight-forward men’s full-nudes magazine. Cover art uncredited. Also featured: Harry Roskolenko on Australian bushmen, house fave Eve Meyer by Russ Meyer 1p, Frank Rasky on sex, 6-day bike race, dismemberment in NY, Pamplona bulls, sharks of Tahiti, Humbert Satriano on burlesque (Kalantan, Valetta & Lily St. Cyr vignettes), Jeep mud race, Fred Lyon pinup car photos, Clem Owen on Texas Rangers, ads.”
View all the information on eBay
Former Idaho cowboy and restaurant owner Fred “Fritz” or “Snuffy” Rowland (he was known by both nicknames) moved from Idaho to Beatty, Nevada, late in life to try his hand at prospecting. Fritz found uranium and gold, but nothing amounting to a big strike. His story was shared in the July/Aug Westerner Magazine in an article titled “Death Valley Gold Digs.”
Robin bought this detailed article on how to build a toy jeep for kids. Many thanks to him for scanning and sharing it. Check out the other items he has scanned and shared here.
Go here for all the pages published in Women’s Day Magazine: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alturusphoto/albums/72157659881261054
Below are a couple of the pages:
The April 1955 issue of Willys News included this article and excerpt from the June 1955 issue of American Poultry Journal.
For five days in July of 1961, then-Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, Canyonland-legend Kent Frost, and a posse of government folks toured the Caynyonlands area by jeep, boat and helicopter. The huge tour was Udall’s idea, which probably explains why National Geographic was invited on the trip. Udall’s efforts paid off with Utah Democratic Senator Frank Moss proposing Canyonlands National Park (learn more here). The bill was signed on September 12, 1964. What an amazing trip that must have been.
The National Geographic published the story in the May 1962 issue under the title, Cities of Stone in Utah’s Canyonland. The magazine only published one jeep photo, but they did include a map with tiny jeeps showing the route taken.
View all the May 1962 National Geographics on ebay
UPDATE: Harry Warholak’s father built a Sidewalk Jeep from the plans in Popular Mechanics when he was a kid in Detroit. Ten years ago he restored it. It spent a year at the Chrysler Museum. Now he’s interested in selling it. You can contact him at 586-996-4103 if interested. He’s located in Georgia.
PREVIOUS POST (February 2013): This kids jeep design was published in the January, 1948, issue of Popular Mechanics and available for free at Google. It is powered by an electronic motor. It looks as difficult to build than a standard jeep! The notes added to this particular issue are interesting, too. The top note appears to reference a 1949 Christmas Handbook that might also include these drawings.
View issues of Popular Mechanics, January 1948, for sale on eBay
UPDATE: Hard to believe it has been almost three years since I published this post!
I discovered these directions for the Muller Custom Top in the August 1965 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine that we’ve seen on nicely modified Fresno area Jeeps. I’m considering building one of these for Biscuit and selling my Kayline.
Page 40 (last page of article) below:
These old car magazines are such fun to explore. The August 1953 issue of Cars Magazine had an article about jeeps. The magazine also contained a strange story from Idaho about the Brink and a Half Club, which seems to involve dunking your vehicle into the Clearwater River. While the article claims US95 hugs the Clearwater River for 150 miles, according to wikipedia the Clearwater is only 75 miles long. I think the author may have confused the Clearwater with the Salmon River.
Finally, I’ve also included an odds-n-ends page which includes a Ford automobile testimonial by noted criminal John Dillinger and the earliest example of a double-ender vehicle I’ve ever seen.
This is the full two-page jeep article blended together. The text can be read in the image below.
Page 1 of the article.
Interestingly, no mention of any asian companies jeep efforts mentioned.
No mention of Vic Hickey made in reference to the top photo. This article from Car Craft does a much better job of covering Hickey.
