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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 .
My son spotted this throwback photo posted on Utah’s DOT (aka UDOT) twitter page. It shows 9 jeeps parked in a circle around the Four Corners area of the southwest. He correctly noted that one of the vehicles was an FC (he’s learning, lol). There is no date associated with the image.
PHOTO CREDIT: Utah State Historical Society
UPDATE: Here’s a rare example of the S&B Corp’s All-Steel ‘Jeep’ Panel Body. This Buck & Sons Tractor & Implement Company MB/GPW had a cargo-wagon-like setup added to it. The company was out of Tacoma (where I lived for four years).
This photo was posted to Flatfendering Aficionado Monthly’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/502884336980336/permalink/780325609236206
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Originally Posted April 6th, 2013: This rare brochure details a panel wagon modification for the CJ-2A. It was created and sold through the S & B Corporation.
This International Flatfender Facebook post from India(?) shows two extended jeeps. Both looks like interesting builds.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1641202336209808/permalink/2765258613804169/
This photo of an unusual Ford GPA/jeep build has appeared in several places on Facebook, but appears to have been originally posted to the Forgotten Oregon Facebook Group. The photo was taken in Vernonia, Oregon, in 1967. The 1943 Ford GPA was modified by Brad Garner’s father. The shop next to The Jeep is the Vernonia Eagle newspaper office.
This 1950 photo shows what appears to be a Holden Ambulance used during the Korean War. Anyone know widely used (or not) these were during the Korean War?
View all the information on eBay
“1950 Press Photo Wounded Marines are loaded on an ambulance jeep, Naktong River. This is an original press photo. South Korea: Wounded US Marines are loaded aboard double decker ambulance jeeps for evacuation to a hospital after being wounded in the fighting on the Naktong River bulge.Photo measures 9 x 7inches. Photo is dated 08-24-1950.”
The point of this photo was to get this point across: “People, return your milk bottles!” … newspaper reports of the time indicate there was a shortage of bottles throughout North America.
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“January 24th, 1947, Original Press Photo.
Mrs. Dorothy Lamb of Scarsdale, New York, goes to market in the modern manner, with a basketful of empty milk and beverage bottles. She is answering the plea for return of the 35 Million bottles that have gone “truant” in American homes. Every one must be returned to circulation if a shortage milk and beverages is to be avoided because raw-material shortages ins curtailing bottle production.”
As you can see in this ad published the January 04, 1947, issue of the Bradford Era (Bradford, Pennsylvania), the shortage was serious and ‘dangerous’!
This article from The Province, dated January 16th, 1947, out of Vanouver, B.C., provides more information about the crisis:
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
This black and white photo (free shipping) appears to show this CJ-2A fire jeep in a parade (based on the folks sitting in the background).
This photo is currently for sale on eBay. It shows a WWII jeep combined with a WWII trailer. Looks like it was a practical rig.
View all the information on eBay
“You are bidding on a Nice Vintage WWII US Army Late 1940s Willys-Overland Jeep Pickup Truck with Box Bed Photograph.
Very nice condition with light discoloration spots on back, from album mounting.
Great photo view showing WWII era U.S. Army late 1940s Willys-Overland Jeep pickup truck with box style bed.
Jeep hood shows # 37829
Measures 4″ x 2 5/8″.”
This 1973 slide that was on eBay is taken from behind two DJ-3A Galas/Surreys. In the background are some DJ-5 Galas/Surreys.
Blaine shared this vintage photo. It’s undated, but the Jeep wagons are early enough that I would guess it’s a late 1940s or early 1950s photo? It was posted to the Our State website. The article is about early North Carolina drive-in culture.
The wagon on the right is obvious, but the one forward and to the left is kind of hidden.
JR spotted this photo in an Air Force Commemorative Facebook Group.lt looks to me like the ship is shown near San Francisco.
UPDATE II: I got curious about the origin of this photo. I wondered if the story behind this marathon could be found. After examining the wagon closely, I noticed just to the right of the fellow with the hat that Hill Motor Company was in ——S, GA. After some searches, I discovered that a Kirven’s store was located in Columbus, Ohio. Unfortunately, I could find no article associate with the photo on the internet or within newspapers.com.
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
I wish I knew more about the story behind this photo.
One more article on the Colorado Calvacade, this time from the July 23, 1960, issue of Grand Junction’s The Daily Sentinel. The newspaper reported that the Cavalcades had escalated in popularity to the point that instead of one grand event, it was divided into four weekend events.
This report on the 1959 Jeep Cavalcade was published in Grand Junction’s The Daily Sentinel, August 25, 1959.
When looking over the 1960 Jeep Cavalcade brochure, I noticed it was the 3rd annual event. However, the 1959 brochure doesn’t mention it being the 2nd annual event. A newspaper clipping from 1958 solved that question. It turns out there was a 1958 advance trail exploration in 1958 to prep for the 1959 event, though it seems to have been more of a low key event when compared to the 1959 and 1960 cavalcades. This short newspaper article in the June 1, 1958, issue of the Fort Collins Coloradoan explains it:
This article appeared in Grand Junction’s Dailys Sentinenl on August 23, 1959:
UPDATE II: Hans shared this photo of a Willys Rail truck’s speedometer. The Auf Schiene appears to translate as “on track”, meaning the interior speedometer should be used while driving on a track.
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UPDATE: This article features the third Delaware & Hudson Hy-Rail Jeep Truck. It appears to be either #152 or #162. The article appeared in the July 30, 1957, issue of the Press and Sun Bulletin out of Binghamton, NY:
UPDATE: This post was first published September 25, 2014:
Joshua Regula-Morris has a neighbor who had an MB in Germany. The first photo shows him on his Jeep in 1946. The second photo shows the text on the back of the first photo. Apparently, some Germans restyled the jeep, resulting in photo #3. Joshua’s neighbor swears this is the same jeep. Before leaving Germany he sold it to a friend. You can just make out the shackles at the front below the bumpers. Unfortunately, there aren’t any photos from the side.
UPDATE: I thought this was a good post to revisit. I’ve added an obit to the post at the bottom.
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Originally Posted November 18, 2013: Australian Bill Pidgeon (Wikipedia) had a successful career as an illustrator, painter and correspondent from the 1920s through the 1970s. A three-time Archibald Prize winner, one of Bill’s descendants (Peter Pidgeon) has created a wonderful website devoted to Bill’s life. Among the items the site includes are drawings and photos of jeep trains encountered by Bill in the Pacific war-theatre during his trip as a war correspondent for The Australian Women’s Weekly. In his ‘war letters‘ are some detailed observations about daily life in Borneo following it’s release from Japanese control.
One of Bill’s more interesting observations was recorded in Borneo. On August 16th, 1945, he wrote:
From Labuan another four and a half hours of sitting on a barge like a redhot waffle iron will bring you to the area occupied by the 24th Bgde. This is the land of the celebrated jeep train. Steam engines used to haul the train from Weston to Jesselton but on their hurried way out the Nips did their best to incapacitate the locomotives and the RAAF filled the boilers full of holes. So the engineers put iron tyres on the jeeps and shoved them on the rails and hooked the trucks behind.
Here is an example of an illustration and photo published on the site. There are others from an August 4-6, 1945, letter:
An additional illustration sketched by Bill that might interest restorers includes a detailed look at designs and colors used to mark one jeep train.
Obituary from the February 18, 19i81, issue of The Age, out of Melbourne, Australia:
This April 25th, 1942, photo appeared in the News-Palladium out of Benton Harbor, Michigan.
UPDATE: In late September and early October of 1952, the press photo at bottom, along with the caption seen in the newspaper clipping below, appeared in newspapers across the country. However, I could not locate any associated story. There’s no mention of it being a Hy-Rail.
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Originally Posted November 30, 2017: Given the article above, the date of the photo below was either misread as 1953 or was a reprinted photo for 1953. The original photo was taken at least by September of 1952.
“1953 Press Photo L&N Railroad Vintage Jeep Rail & Road Vehicle. You are bidding on an original press photo of L&N Railroad Vintage Jeep Rail & Road Vehicle. Photo measures 8 x 10 inches and is dated 5/4/1953.”
View all the information on eBay
This same photo of a Hy-Rail also appeared in Mechanix Illustrated, February 1953, p.93.
UPDATE: This was up for auction last year in 2018 and 2019. Starting price dropped to $1600 with the auction scheduled for Friday, June 18th (Today).
I’m surprised to see no bow holders. Looks like the dash plate in a long, single one, and I see no column shift. I’d say this was a mid 1946 or later photo.
https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/lot_0E841DDA64
“Description: Hugo Brehme (German/Mexican, 1882 – 1954). “Willys Jeep”. Super grand mammoth vintage silver gelatin print. c1945. Printed c1945. Photographer credit on verso. Two photographic sheets joined together and mounted. Fair to good condition; some staining and surface scuffs and scratches, most of which can be mitigated or eliminated with conservation. Frame size: 64 x 86 in. (1626 x 2184 mm). Image size: 60 1/2 x 81 1/2 in. (1537 x 2070 mm). A huge photograph, approximaely 5 feet high by 7 feet wide. An advertisement for Willys Jeep in Mexico. The sign next to the Jeep reads New or old you can always rely on your Willys Jeep [Nuevo o viejo ud. siempre puede confiar en su jeep Willys]. PLEASE NOTE this photograph is mounted on board and is very heavy”
These original 8×10 photos were taken, I imagine, during an interview of President Ronald Reagan by Walters.
UPDATE: It turns out that the U-Drive business first started right after the war continued into the 1960s, as this article from the June 1960 issue of the Honolulu Star-bulletin points out:
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Original Published October 20, 2020: A March 29, 1946, article highlighted a Jeep U-Drive business that opened in Honolulu. The first surplus jeeps sold could only be bought for business use by veterans. Roy L. Mongeon, from Hampton, Massachusetts, who was stationed in Hawaii, decided to purchase twenty jeeps. After a number of soldiers asked to drive his jeeps, he decided to open a jeep rental business.
UPDATE: This post was originally published din 2014. Since then, I learned more about Ted, but had spread it out across various posts. Ted’s trips, and his subsequent movies, have been added to this post.
First Published November 2014: In 1955, Theodore Bumiller set out for an around-the-world adventure in a Willys Wagon. He captured his trip in photos and video. I attempted to learn more about his trip, but I only learned that his daughter is now a noted author (maybe someone else will have more luck). I emailed her to learn more about her father’s adventures, but have yet to receive a reply.
Following the trip, Ted made his first film: a 30 minute movie titled “Around The World By Jeep”. He traveled around exhibiting it. The ad below, published in the January 3rd, 1970, edition of the Toledo Blade shows he was still touring and showing his film fifteen years after he’d made his trip.
Anyone ever seen the movie?
In the late 1950s, Ted created a second movie: “The Four Seasons of Scandinavia”, an exploration of the four seasons in Scandinavian countries. As far as I can tell, it doesn’t have anything to do with jeeps.
This article from the April 15, 1959, issue of The Sun (out of Stark County, Ohio) explains more:
Ted’s daughter Elizabeth wrote a book and included an acknowledgement to Ted and his wife Ruth Ann for teaching her how to travel and for inspiring her to explore the world. In it she mentions a third film by Ted, “Eternal India”.
This photo shows a CJ-2A with a Worman hardtop.
View all the information on ebay
“5” x 3 1/2″ picture from around 1948. The Willys logo on the jeep is blurry in the picture.”
