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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 .
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).”
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.
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.
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”.
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.
Looks in good shape.
https://www.racingjunk.com/Austin/184065608/1952-Austin.html
“This particular Champ starts, runs and drives extremely well with the working four forward and reverse gears which is pretty fun to drive. Another cool thing which makes it nice is the full syncromesh transmission unlike the Jeep counterparts. This would make a great parade or cottage vehicle
The Austin Champ was a Military and Civilian Jeep like vehicle made in the 1950’s. The Military versions were known by Truck, ¼ ton, CT, 4×4, Cargo, FFW and Mk1. After about 30 prototypes were built they decided on what you see here. Most of these vehicles went to the British Military hence the FFW stands for Fitted For Wireless or Remote radio communications.
These were also quite unique because of the indestructible Rolls Royce 4-Cylinder engines that were made for these. Another unique feature is the fact that these engines were basically water-proof. This technology also proved to be extremely expensive too complex and limited to just cross country travel which it was extremely capable of. In-fact, it cost way more than the Land Rovers that were being built for the same thing..”
To speed up relief pitchers, a bright red Jeepster was employed to run pitchers from the bullpen to the infield. This picture appeared in at least one newspaper, the Times Dispatch out of Richmond Virginia, May 20, 1950 (but the scan of it is terrible, so no need to share it here).
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“1950 Press Photo Marino Pieretti climbs out of jeep for game in Cleveland. This is an original press photo. Cleveland. To hurry up ball games, the Cleveland Indians inaugurated jeep service last night for relief pitchers. Here’s Marino Pieretti climbing out of jeep after that long ride from the bull pen to the infield. He relieved Bob Feller on the mound at the start of the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Athletics and was the first to use the service. Baseball. Mario Pieretti. Photo measures 10 x 8.25inches. Photo is dated 05-18-1950.”
The use of jeeps did NOT help the Indians defeat the A’s during their first game, as Cleveland dropped the game 7-5:
May 18, 1950, The Tribune out of Scranton, PA
Not everyone was impressed with the new idea. A few days after the above photo was taken, one writer thought the jeep (or any vehicle) wasn’t going to speed up the game all that much.
May 23, 1950, Arizona Republic.
As I mentioned yesterday, Sigrid Arne (1894-1973) enjoyed a second big jeep adventure. This time it was a trip to Alaska, then a trip down part of the Alaska Highway while it was still under construction. As you’ll see below, there were a variety of photos that were included in newspapers related to her story about the highway.
Below the Alaska Highway articles are more information about Sigrid and other articles by her. Unfortunately, I can still not locate an obituary nor a biography related to her. So, I’m attaching these articles to this thread so that later I can draft a good wikipedia biography about her.
THE ALASKA HIGHWAY ARTICLE AND PHOTOS:
This first photo was published in the June 15, 1942, issue of the Decatur Journal. It shows Sigrid interviewing Pvt. Levi Schrock and and Prv. Albert Tomaino.
A day earlier, in June 14, 1942, the Knoxville Journal published Sigrid’s experience watching the military build a road through thickly wooded and boggy areas.
The June 15, 1942, issue of the Spokesman Review featured this series of photos on its back page. It’s hard to believe that Melba Bergeron Mince was working with the military in that outfit (how did the mosquitos not attack all the exposed skin?
OTHER SIGRID ARNE STORIES:
A month prior to the above articles, Sigrid wrote about a woman who lived by herself in Alaska and remained unafraid of the Japanese Military:
UPDATE: Here’s a second example of these press photos that includes a different caption. I could not locate an example published in a newspaper.
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“1954 Press Photo Sgt Curt Anderson of Sweden Army Does Stunts in Special Jeep. This is an original press photo. Sgt Curt Anderson shows students at a mechanics school how a specially-equipped jeep can be made to turn somersaults and still come out alright. Photo measures 7.25 x 9.25 inches. Photo is dated 07-07-1954.”
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Originally Published Aug. 5, 2015: “You are bidding on an original press photo of Swedish Army Sergeant Demonstrates Rolling Caged Jeep. Newspaper markings on photo. If listing shows thin red and/or green lines, they are the result of a bad scan & they are NOT on the actual photo. Photo measures 7 x 9 inches and is dated 7/9/1954.”
View all the information on eBay
Associated Press Reporter Sigrid Arne was 47 years old when she rode in a Bantam BRC-60. By that time she was an experienced journalist, a fearless investigative reporter with the smarts to decode and explain New Deal programs to the point that the authors of the programs asked her to join their efforts. She traveled all over the United States, even buying a baby for $50 in Oklahoma at one point to expose how babies were being sold like groceries.
Her report on her first jeep ride sounds like she was thrilled/awed by her experience, but I’m unsure how she concluded that the Bantam had 9 speeds. Sigrid’s article landed in the Montana Standard on May 05, 1941, as well as other newspapers.
This ride wasn’t her last in a jeep, as we will see tomorrow morning.
1. Ford GPs on assembly line: This March 28, 1941, image shows Ford GPs on the assembly line. It is posted on a Henry Ford’s history page.
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2. Ford gets Priority over Bantam for axles: This January 22, 1941, article in the Indiana Gazette notes a claim by the President of the United Automobile Workers–CIO that Ford was given priority over Bantam on orders for axles, forcing Bantam to miss its deadline for filling their order for the BRC-60s.
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3. Duke of Kent: This photo shows the Duke of Kent riding in a Ford GP at Holabird, Maryland. The photo appeared in the Salem News (Ohio) on August 29, 1941:
A March 25, 1941, set of photos in the Kansas City Star shows a Bantam BRC-60 flying high at one point, but then being dragged across a river by a horse at another point.
Sam shared this photo which he spotted on a Facebook Porsche page. It looks like this early Jeepster is pulling about 12(?) carts full of kids.
UPDATE: The Herald-News of Passaic, NJ, published an image of a Ford GP going through its paces. Given the chained tires and other similarities, it appears this photo was likely taken at the same time as one published at the bottom of this post.
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Originally posted May 30, 2020, as part of this post: Here’s an article and a photo showing a couple Ford GPs being run hard, originally printed in the March 09, 1941, issue of the Battle Creek Enquirer:
An April 12, 1941, article from the Escabana Daily Press out of California shows that it wasn’t always easy producing the Ford GPs. In this case striking works (and some reported sabotage of machinery) delayed manufacturing.
Long article from the same paper: Continue reading
These series of photos show Edsel Ford riding in a “Blitz Buggy”, which we now know as a Ford GP. Note that there’s no reference to the “Ford GP” in any text.
This photo appeared in several newspaper, including the April 11, 1941, issue of the Sikeston Standard out of Missouri.
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Originally published Nov 11, 2014: This photo includes Edsel Ford and was shot at the same event this video was taken.
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Originally published July 12, 2017: The original press photo that appeared in the newspaper at the bottom of this post.
“1941- Edsel Ford, in rear seat, and Brig. Gen. Charles Bonesteel go for a ride in the first Ford GP prototype jeep delivered to the U.S. Army after it rolled off the assembly line at the Ford River Rouge factory in Dearborn, Michigan. Photo measures approx. 7″ x 9″”
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Original posted 06/30/2016:
This photo and caption were published in the March 7, 1941, issue of the Owosso Argus Press. No article accompanied it.
John S. Van Gilder, in his ManHATtan column, tells the story of his first experience with a jeep in the September 13, 1942, issue of The Knoxville News:
The May 30, 1954, issue of the Nevada State Journal reported on the practice maneuvers of a squadron of jeepers unique to Nevada that worked with the local Civil Air Patrols on rescues. Nevada had two different squadrons, one in Washoe County and the other in Churchill County.
As you can see, the squadrons accepted a wide rand of jeeps. One is a slat grille MB, while others are CJs and wagons.
An article in the Hartford Courant on August 05, 1945, did a nice job of combining the initial press photos and press release information.
As of October of 1945, columnist William E. Jones notes that distributing agencies had already been established in South America. But, Willys-Overland would have a difficult time filling those orders right away, as a lack of transmissions, other production issues, and initial American orders from dealers totaling 30,000 jeeps, left the company scrambling to produce enough jeeps to meet demands.
Early look at a jeep being tested for farm work in 1942.
For you history geeks out there like me, the national archives operates a blog called the “Text Message” where archivists can share a bit of the massive information troves that make up the National Archives, complete with references. Unfortunately, in this case, the references have not been posted online, but at least researchers can now use the breadcrumbs from the post to help track down the relevant documents if need be.
One particular post, written by archivist Joseph Gillette in 2019, highlights the early tests of the jeep for farm work. One bit of info I found interesting highlights the War Department’s dedication to its troops. When Willys-Overland volunteered to send some new jeeps to the Ag Department for farm tests, the War Department responded it could not spare the new jeeps as soldiers desperately needed them, but it would authorize the use of used ones in running condition.
Read the entire blog post here: https://text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2019/04/23/it-will-do-everything-except-climb-a-tree/#_ftnref2
Here are some additional images from the post:
This article was published in the July 15, 1945, issue of the Journal Herald out of Dayton, Ohio. The title of the article is “Jeep Has a Rendezvous With America’s Postwar Era”. It proceed the official press release kit by a few days, so neither photo came from that first press kit.
The jeep shown on the right is a Willys MA. Back in 2013, a full press photo was sold on eBay. Curiously, the headlight on the driver’s side was missing.
