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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 .
This sounds like a great jeeper. It could probably use an overdrive, but otherwise sounds ready to hit the trails.
"225 V6 motor (runs good), t-90 3-speed transmission, Dana/spicer model 18 transfercase, dana 44 front axle, 4.88 gears, detroit locker, disc brakes, full-floating dana 44 rear axle, 4.88 gears, detroit locker, drum brakes, shackle reversal (front), spring-over conversion (with wide leaf springs) and more …."
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $6000.
This looks to be a pretty rust free CJ-3B with a variety of good upgrades.
“All stock except for Chevy 4 cyl engine, Warn OD, 11″ brakes, Chevy steering, Rancho suspension, Bestop top, Toyota LC seats, Smittybuilt roll cage.”
The bid is only at $610 as of Sunday morning. The equipment could use some cleaning, but looks to be a complete package. I haven't seen trenching equipment for sale that is in such good shape.
"1951 CJ3A Jeep A Trench with The Auburn Willys Overland authorized Trencher attachment. Jeep is complete. Has approx $2,000 worth of hard to find vintage options like Govenor, rear tractor box PTO, Hub PTO, etc…alone. Jeep used until the motor failed, then parked, resulting in the Jeep staying complete. Have owned for over 5 years and was bought from an off road equipment dealer. Unique piece of Jeep Willys history for a collector…"
This is probably being sold by a seller who has been trying to sell a couple other nicely finished jeeps and stainless jeep parts.
“Stainless steel willys jeep very rare call for details.will trade for muscle car,hotrod,pro street car,nice lifted rubicon wrangler rockcrawler,beach property. *** SOLD***”
UPDATE: Price dropped to $3250 **SOLD** I saw this driving around the other day in fact!
This CJ-3B has been for sale for a couple of months. Nampa is a suburb of Boise.
“53 willys. strong running 307 v8.(small block chevy) light and quick.fun to drive.3 speed trans.dual exhaust.sounds good.looks good.runs great.nice bikini top,new windshield and seal,modern bucket seats. “
The American Sand Association operates a nice website with plenty of information about sand dunes across the United States. Here’s their bulletin board.
“The mission of the American Sand Association is simple: “Unite, Inform and Mobilize: We accomplish that mission throught the use of the volunteers. We believe in responsible resource management for the people. The American Sand Assotiation supports a national cooperation of local and regonal sand sport organization and shares with them ideas and infomration to help them Unite, Inform and Mobilize.”
This 1942 GPW has been extensively rebuilt into a rock climber. No hack job here as the builder documents his efforts through a series of words and pictures. The builder writes that the jeep was featured in the December 2006 issue of 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine; however, I couldn't locate the article nor the builder's name.
"I stripped the Jeep down to the bare frame and started work. The frame was a stock GPW frame that had some previous 'fixes' done to it and it had a few cracks. I completely boxed and strapped the top and bottom of the frame. If I were to do it again I would definitely make my own frame from scratch using 2"x4" box tube. To strap the frame I used 2"x1/4" steel and stitch welded it along the length of the frame. I made cardboard templates of the sections to be boxed and then cut them out of some plate steel."
Learn more about the details of this rebuild here. He also details how he turned a Pro Tools 105 HD bender into a hydraulic bender.
I've got my crankshaft problem solved 🙂
Yesterday I drove out to Caldwell to meet Terry Zabel and checkout a $50 buick v6. This craigslist find was my least expensive crankshaft option, so I had low expectations, but high hopes. The engine came without an intake, rocker arms and a few misc pieces, but one useful item they did include for me (thanks to his brother Tony) was an even-fired flywheel, which I had been seeking (but couldn't find) in case I wanted to move back to a manual tranny. As soon as I saw the flywheel, I figured the crankshaft was gravy, so I told them I would take it.
Back home, I quickly pulled it apart (which wasn't too difficult as most of the timing chain bolts and oil pan bolts were missing anyway). When I finally got to the crankshaft and pulled off the first rod, I was relieved to see virtually no wear. It didn't take long to pull out the crankshaft and see that it had been turned .010 and was in excellent shape … whew! So, I took it to Bob's today and Lyle mic'd it, confirming my assumptions and telling me the same thing, "much better than the other one". Also, the block itself looks to be in great shape, though it's been bored .030 already. So, I'll save this block and use it as the base for a backup v6 for future use.
UPDATE: Oops, that was programmer (and QA control) error .. now check out the pics — thanks Mitch! Note the bid price, already at $15k.
With a starting bid of $10k, this is one restored jeep whose price might just rise beyond the $10k bid. The seller makes a strong argument that this was the VERY LAST WWII jeep to be made. It comes equipped with all kinds of extras and its pictures are worth browsing.
"Let me start by saying that this is the finest World War Two Jeep on the planet!!This 1945 Willys jeep is the last know jeep delivered in World War Two,if you look at the picture of the original dash plaque it is dated 8/20/1945.This is the last day of delivery and the last jeep KNOWN built that day!!!!So lets get past the early historic aspect of this jeep and lets look a little more at its more recent history.This Jeep belonged to Hillcrest Cadillac in Beverly Hills…."
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
This is a 2wd Sand Rail. I suspect the body is fiberglass. Looks well built.
“This is a two wheel drive, sand drag,off road dune jeep. Here is a partial list of features it has: a Narrowed 9 inch Posi Rear; Turbo 350 rebuilt transmission with a 3500 stall converter; 4 bolt main 400 HP Chevy 350 with Vortec angle plug heads; big hydraulic cam; 850 Holley double pumper carb; MSD ignition; 200 HP Edelbrock NO2 system. The Jeep has been lengthened about 10 inches in the front.”
Last October, I bought a 1980 buick v6 with approx 50k miles that had been built to put out approx 250hp. The engine details included: "9.1 Compression, Hypereutectic Pistons, Balanced, 288 Duration Cam, Head is Ported with 174-150 Stainless Valves, Aluminum Edelbrock Performer Intake 4 Barrel, Holley Aluminum Valve Covers,High Volume Oil Pump". Those are the kind of v6 specs I wanted, so it sounded ideal.
The guy I purchased it from (off craigslist of course) said it would likely need new rings and cam bearings, but everything else should be good to go. So, I've been looking forward to the engine rebuild as I figured it would be pretty straight forward.
So, yesterday I started taking apart the engine. Everything looked as expected until I pulled off the heads. Inside number 1 & 2 chambers were some rust, thick carbon deposits and dust (see upper right pick — it's not horrible, but dirtier than I expected). At that point, I decided the entire engine needed an inspection, so I pulled everything out. When I got to the crankshaft, I could see there was definitely some wear — I would need to take it to a machine shop and have them review it.
This morning, I did just that. First we discovered it had already been turned 010 and, after pulling out his micrometer, he determined that we'd have to go at least to 030, but he wasn't sure there was enough metal left to make that work.
So, I'm on the hunt for a cheap v6 with a good crank, or find a crank by itself (perhaps at a junkyard?), or buy a new one — approx $500 that I didn't intend to spend.
Stay tuned …
I’ve never heard of this type of jeep (this is becoming an all to familiar statement!). Here’s some more info on this jeep from the Olive-drab.com website
“I am moving and need to get rid on this project, its a military ambulance. It comes with a fuel injected 4.3 with NV 3500 and NV 231 case, Wiring harness and computer, steering column, peddle assembly, Ford 9″ with Strange 31 spline shafts, HP Dana 30, the original top and doors (brand new), tailgate, windshield frame, hood, grill, gas tank, fenders. The frame already has YJ leafs mounted to it and they have been out boarded for a better ride. The jeep just needs to be put together. Have title. 2500 obo”
Here is a pic of the M-170. Note the extra wide entrance on the passenger side vs. the normal looking CJ-5 looking entrance on driver’s side.
This is a build done by Chris Olson that I found at the BC4x4 website. He found a beat up '48 CJ-2A, made a variety of mods, and ended up with a highly modified, but ordinary looking, CJ-2A.
"At first glance, Chris Olson's 1948 CJ2A Willys looks rather plain next to his brother's LJ80 Suzuki. Your first impression would be that it's another flat fender Jeep with big tires and a spring-over-axle conversion. But like his brother's Suzuki, Chris' Jeep isn't what it appears to be. In fact, it is more Toyota than Jeep. This flat fender reflects Chris' pragmatic attitude toward building a 4×4. Choices were made due to cost, availability and functionality. He has no loyalty to any make or model of vehicle and because of that, he has ended up with a very unique vehicle.
When Chris first set eyes upon the Willys in 1997, it was sitting in a backyard, partially hidden by knee-height grass. It had a seized engine, the front axle housing was gutted, all four tires were useless, the interior was a rat home, and it sported a rollbar made of old driveshafts (including the yokes!). The important thing to Chris was that the body was in pretty good condition, especially for a vehicle built half a century earlier. For $400, it was his."
One of the minor fixes on my list of things to repair (a never ending list it seems) was to replace the seals on the input shaft of my power steering unit to stop a small fluid leak. At $15 (from my local NAPA dealer) for replacement seals this is an inexpensive fix. So, to make the fix more interesting, I taped my efforts for your viewing amusement and edification.
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
” Condition – Used. Good condition. “Jeep C” is painted in script of the door. Repairable approx 2″ tear in Willys roof. Visor hem is loose. Roof is Cerulean and white stripes. Fringe, seats, roll down/up windows are in good condition. Expected paint wear on pedals. Hub caps are cerulean blue with “W” in the chrome. Has spare tire with cover. Stored in self-contained Car-Mate (PA) It has a side door, roof window and ramp. Car-Mate is included in the price to tow your surrey. Important: Gallery picture is generic. My Willys has black side steps, not blue!
Features: All original as far as I am aware. Windows, braces, visor, steps and keys are in the vehicle. Frame and serial numbers match. Plate is on fire wall. NOTE: Historical records on surreys are sketchy. According to hand written notes from factory 1959-1960 start and end numbers are 16643-19367…..”
Brian from Michigan sent me some updated pics from his efforts to bring his CJ-3B body back from the dead. Here are several body pics (some I’ve posted before). Below the body pics you’ll see his latest unexpected issue, the engine he’s dropped into the jeep has an oil pan that hangs too low — a problem seeking a solution (note his clever use of some plastic pipe in place of a yet to procured front drive line). Finally, he shows a picture of his unabashed stripping of a parts Blazer.
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UPDATE: This sold quickly …
This looks to be a great price. This jeep should go quickly. The tires and rim are worth probably $500 themselves.
“I have a 1956 Willys CJ3B for sale. I bought it in Europe when I was stationed there. It was owned by the Swiss Army in its previous life. I planned on restoring it but the project has ground to a halt. The F-134 engine does not run but all of the pieces are there and when it did run there were no mechanical problems. It also had the T-90 and Spicer 18. The axles are Dana 27 in the front and Dana 44 in the rear. The body is in rough but fairly solid shape. It has rusted through in a few areas but the rust was stopped when I had it sandblasted and coated with POR-15 paint. A Google search will show you this is really amazing (and expensive) stuff. It also has the ventilating windshield, a not too common option.”
Anyone know what the -4 designation means on the MB? I'm thinking $3500 is way outside the ball park unless there's something I'm missing.
"This Jeep needs total restoration. It ran when parked a few years ago. fenders are missing. Clear title. this is an Mb-4 JEEP not a CJ2a. call 509-258-4542"
A couple weeks ago, after finally ordering and receiving my Bronco Dana 20 rear sliding gear, I got my Dana 20 with 2:46 ratio Dana 18 gears put together. I decided to videotape the build and despite a few setbacks (such as trying to install the wrong dana 18 intermediate gear) I got everything together.
The video is hardly a complete document on how to rebuild a transfercase properly. Clearly, I won’t be quitting my day job to go into TV! However, I hope it’s educational and a little amusing.
A few related links:
This is a low resolution video, but is still 49mb. It runs approx a half hour.
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $100
This looks like a very nice roll cage. You’d be hard pressed to make this cage for 3 times that price.
“6 point roll cage from willys flat fender jeep $100”
This is the first Aluminum Flatfender Tub for sale that I've run across. Anyone have any experience with these?
"If you're thinking of replacing a tired CJ body tub with a fiberglass or steel unit, why not also consider the benefits of aluminum? These amazing aluminum bodies are 30% stronger than steel and the example CJ-7 tub weighs only 275 pounds…."
This is a drawing a Boeing co-worker of dad’s drew of and for him many years ago (in the 80s I believe). We believe the artist was Bill Mandeville or Manderville (dad can’t quite remember any more).
This article about Randy Lawson’s build appeared in the 1994 Off-Road Magazine. It took Randy 15 years to redo his CJ-3A. Unfortunately, I don’t have a before picture. Some of the details not mentioned in the short article on this page include the following:
Every once in a while my dad will start talking and he'll talk about some event in his past I knew nothing about. You'd think, for example, that I would have known my dad's first vehicle was a jeep — a CJ-2A — he got it when he was 16 as his first car. But, no, today was the first day I've heard of it. There are several reasons for this, mostly, I suppose, having to do with our father/son dynamic. Though I wish I had heard about some of these stories earlier in my life, there is something nice about continuing to hear new stories.
As dad tells it, the year was 1949 and he was 16, living with his parents and two brothers in Holladay, Utah, now just a suburb of Salt Lake City. The city of Holladay is south of Salt Lake City, laid out underneath Olympus mountain. When dad lived there, off of Walker Lane, there was only wasatch blvd and 5000 vertical feet between his house and the top of Olympus mountain. Now, I-215 with its six lanes of traffic has added a much bigger divide between the two. Of course, there are many more houses and fences in the way as well.
One day, Dad decides to take his jeep and 5 passengers jeeping up the hill towards the base of Olympus Mountain. Today this area is known as Olympus Cove, but at the time, I'm sure it was the great unknown.
As best I can interpret from Dad, he was driving his CJ-2A with his brother B.B in the passenger seat, and four other kids in the back (one was his other brother Tony and one was Jim Carter). Dad was driving very slowly, crawling along when his left front wheel started over a bump or rise. As they slowly moved forward the rise grew, shifting the jeep slowly toward the passenger side until the jeep tipped over onto the passenger side, dumping the four kids in the back onto the ground. Miraculously, the jeep didn't tip all the way over and hurt anyone severely. The worst damage was to Jim Carter, who suffered a cut on his knee or leg. Apparently, Jim fell the furthest, I guess he must have been on the driver's side back wheel well (dad couldn't quite explain this to me — sometimes dad's stroke makes these explanations more difficult).
After getting off the ground and checking out the jeep, they decided to tip it back onto its wheels and head back home.
Whatever physical damage the semi-roll caused Jim Carter, I guess he must have enjoyed himself, because he became a life long jeeper, a jeep club co-founder with dad, jeep racer, and President of the PNW4WDA for a year. Perhaps we should all fall out of a jeep 🙂
This fiberglass flatfender tub appears to be exactly what I started with, but it is in better condition than mine was. Note the gas tank inlets on both sides and the wide rim around the back of the body (though I'm wondering if the rim isn't slightly wider than mine). Interestingly, it has very similar cutouts in the wheel wells (for seats) that mine did. In a year and a half of looking this is only the second of this style I have seen.
"what you see if what you get unknown manaufacturer but heay they rerail for 2k can you complain for under $200? peramently fix the rust issue, lighten the load, eliminate dents"