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About eWillys
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. This section used to be split into jeeps, parts and other categories, but recent changes to eBay will require this information to be recoded.
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.
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 .
Prior to the finalization of the MB Jeep, The American Bantam, Ford, and Willys all created pilot and prototype jeeps in an attempt to win Army contracts. Bantam built the very first jeep, the Bantam BRC. They also built the BRC-60 and BRC-40. Ford built the Pygmy, the Budd, and the GP. Willys built the Willys Quad and the Willys MA. Checker appears to have built one based on Bantam parts. Finally, are rumors of a jeep by York-Hoover, but I’ve never nailed down actual pictures. See this post: http://www.ewillys.com/2010/03/14/york-hoover-all-terrain-prototype/
UPDATE: Don makes some good points in his comment below as to why there might not be any MBs pictured.
The January 1942 issue of Scientific American included an article titled “Meet the Jeep”, one I’ve been waiting about 7 years to snag. For some reason, though MBs were already being produced, no images of the MB were included. Instead, the first image shows a Ford GP. The second photo shows a Bantam BRC-40 T2E1.
“100% Fully Restored and One of a kind!
This is from our private collection.
This Restoration is Beautiful, it is certainly Show or Museum Quality.
We spared no expense on the details.
This vehicle is 100% fully operational & complete.
Vehicle is located in Columbiana OH, Zipcode 44408.”
UPDATE: I wasn’t sure on the price for this, but it seems this is the asking price for a nicely restored BRC-40 these days. More pics here: https://ibb.co/album/b7Nv1F
“This is a completely restored Bantam BRC witch is show quality. Original correct in every part. May be nicest one in existence Please send me an email for link to picture page or follow link below.
Will consider trades, offers, or just negotiate price.”
“This is a set of 3 cut out and color cards from Nabisco Shredded Wheat on How America Travels. It includes an Army Jeep, Navy Battleship, and Navy Patrol Bomber. They are in good condition with some light stains. The cards are numbers 27, 33, and 36.”
“1942 Press Photo US soldier pictured with “jeep” and “peep” vehicles in Kentucky
This is an original press photo. Trucks – US – Fort Knox, Kentucky – The Armed Force hopes this picture will end the confusion between the “jeep” and “peep.” The tough little puddle-jumper on the right is affectionately known as the “peep” by men of the army’s Armored Force, while the large command car at the left is the original “jeep,” named after the Popeye comic strip characterPhoto measures 10 x 8.25inches. Photo is dated 01-11-1942.”
“1942 Press Photo Jeep parades over Panama roadway under construction. This is an original press photo.
Panama: Under the supervision of the United States Public Roads Administration fourteen hundred men are at work constructing a trans-Ishmanian highway which is scheduled for completion (with all weather paving) by the end of March 1942 if the work is not hampered by rain during the present “dry season.”
An Army motorcade of “peeps” and “jeeps” traversed the colon-madden Dam section of the road on February 2nd transporting Army, highway, civil officials and press correspondents. They made the round trip from the Pacific to the Atlantic and then back. Concrete paving for the road is being placed at the rate of one mile of single strip each day. Concrete is carried by barge up the tropical foliage line Rio Gatun to it’s intersection with the highway.
In some places bulldozers and other heavy equipment have to make 100-foot cuts through hog backed hills and also make fills in sheer-dropping, water torn ravines. Photo shows-part of the “jeep” parade over a section of road which has not as yet been laid with concrete. The road is entirely within the Republic of Panama. Photo measures 9 x 7.25 inches. Photo is dated 02-06-1942.”
“1941 Press Photo Army lieutenants give new jeeps test drive at Fort Bliss, Texas. This is an original press photo. Fort Bliss, Texas. Under modern conditions of mechanized war, the once lumbering and awkward tank has emerged as a machine of many types and variations, from small steel speedsters to the huge 80-ton land battleships which flatten trees and grind buildings to powder. These have created new problems in defense, and Uncle Sam’s new army is not going to be caught napping in this department.
One outfit devoted to blasting the blitz battle-wagons is the new anti-tank troop of the First Cavalry Division at Fort Bliss. Formed only last January with 31 regular Army men, the troop now has 4 commissioned officers, 31 non-coms, and 121 men, all of whom are draftees from Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. Most of the men have had mechanical experience working in automobile plants, which stand them in good stead in operating and caring for the scout cars and motorcycles with which the troop is equipped.
These pictures show the outfit in action during a recent tactical problem. Lieutenant Jack Berg (left) and Lieutenant M. M. Roland send one of the new jeep reconnaissance cars hurtling over a bump on a test drive. The baby blitz buggy is a Ford-built Bantam with four-wheel drive. Photo measures 9 x 7.25 inches. Photo is dated 07-16-1941.
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Originally Published Feb 11, 2013.
“This is an “ORIGINAL PERIOD GLOSSY PHOTO BY ACME” of THE BABY BLITZ BUGGY IS A FORD-BUILT BANTAM FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE GP JEEP WITH THE FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION AT FT. BLISS TEX., photo date – 1941. The condition is very good and measures 7″ x 9″.
“U. S. Army’s celebrated little “jeep” or “blitz buggy* technique, as shown here. Camouflage removed to into a hole under camouflage to provide new fightin ” which seems to go everywhere these days, now goes take picture, during maneuvers at California’s Ft. Ord. Captain William A. Dodds designed mount for .50-caliber gun.”
Good photo of a Bantam BRC-40 laying in wait during some war games in Longview, Washington.
“This is an original press photo. Trucks – United States. One of the army’s newest and most lethal weapon carriers is this tiny “jeep” or 1/4 ton truck, mounting a machine gun. Behind the gun is Private Earl Bever and at the wheel is Corporal Anton Stefanski, of the 32nd Infantry of Fort Ord’s 7th Division, now engaged with the defending/Blue forces in resisting the “Red” attack in southwestern Washington. Longview. Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches. Photo is dated 8-21-1941.”
There’s a proposal to create a national registry for unique or historically significant vehicles (and boats and planes) with documented stories. Importantly, such a registry would not keep the owners of such vehicles from being sold, driven or even modified. The Library of Congress would be the keeper of the documents, specs, photos, and other information.