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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 .
UPDATE: Thanks to Colin for the corrections
Great photo of Roy Rogers Pat Brady at the helm of NellyBelle with Dale Evans beside him.
View all the information on eBay
“For sale is this original and vintage slide, Roy Rogers in Nelly Belle Willys Jeep in early 1950’s
The first number in the listing title is the year the slide is from.
Slide Brand: red border Kodachrome from the early 1950’s”
UPDATE: Price dropped to $7500.
(06/01/2020) Has a Bobcat Fiberglass hood and a variety of updates.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/623686441554841/
“51 willies 3a 4 cly three speed twin stick transfer . Tilt chev colum power steering . Everything works good . Radial swampers with new black wheels”
Could be worth a look.
https://kpr.craigslist.org/cto/d/milton-freewater-52-willys-jeep/7154079554.html
“She is 68 years old mostly stock but very fun rig hate to sell it but too many other toys. Has upgraded Buick V-6 out of newer Jeep. Lincoln locker in the rear end. Stock transfer case and 3 speed. Runs great smokes a little and drips a little but has been super fun and made many Jubilee Runs. 35 x 12.5 tires are 95% tread. New front seats.”
The seller listed this as a 1961, but then in the description as a 1963. Looks like a possible Traveller to me.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1057130141326344/
“63 Willys wagon, ex forest service
‘64 Buick nailhead, T18, updated rear end, tilt steering wheel, power steering, runs and drives See Less”
Needs work.
https://skagit.craigslist.org/pts/d/burlington-1948-willys-jeep/7153088232.html
“Have a 1948 Willys / Jeep old school original. This is where it all started for the awesome jeep wrangler’s we have today! Just think in 28 years this Willy’s / jeep will be a hundred years old and a pretty cool piece of history. Ready for restoration. This would make a great COVID-19 project keep yourself at home and restore this to its former Military glory! Have clean title for it! Sorry but Im not super knowledgeable on these but looks like a lot of it is there to restore. I have seen some online with no title or they are pretty chopped up or incomplete. Fully restored these things bring quite a bit of money. Makes a nice project because they are not very big so if you don’t have a lot of room or maybe your thinking of getting into restoring old vehicles.”
Has some mods. Runs.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/660296597894442/
“46 cj2a with F head conversion. Runs.”
UPDATE: Still Available.
This is listed as a 1952, but has a replacement CJ-3B body. Appears the fire wall has been removed.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/731776807314522/
“Custom Willy’s high hood project. Stretched custom frame,new paint,stainless fenders,9 inch ford 538 gear 44 front. Have everything to put together windshield frame soft top exc. make awsome mud bogger or sand drag. Have Lenco 2 speed with Dana 20 transfer case air shift. Lots parts to go with set up for sbc or bbc. Lost interest my bad ! Trades welcome”
UPDATE: Still Available. Listed as an MB, the title (shown in a pic on the ad) suggests it is a GPW.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2283030172003429/
“This thing is old. The motor is blown and the there is no 3rd gear. It comes with a wiring harness and a racing fuel tank and radiator.”
UPDATE: Price dropped to $1500.
(06/10/2020) It’s listed as a 1942, but looks civilian.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/720964185344529/
“THIS IS A PROJECT AND WILL NEED TRAILERING. 307 Chevy converted, motor installed by local mechanic but never completed, 4×4 works fine, bucket is in pretty good shape very little rust, it’s been stored a while but inside or under cover all but a few days. All in all pretty good for near 80 yrs old. I bought it from a friend intent on putting her on the road but health issues interfere. A good wrench could have her driving in no time. I have title if you have ?’s drop me a msg. $2250”
There’s a neat postcard from what I believe is the late 1940s that shows a line of Willys Wagons ready to be rented by passengers of Monarch Airlines. a regional carrier based in Colorado. This postcard is available on eBay:
View all the information on eBay
“Post card shows a great SHOT OF ABOUT A DOZEN NEW WILLY’S JEEP STATION WAGONS AT STAPLETON AIRPORT IN DENVER, COLORADO.”
My guess is that the idea for the wagon rentals coincided with the introduction in early 1949 of Monarch Airlines’ “family-fare” program, as reported in the February 11, 1949, issue of the Daily Sentinel out of Grand Junction, Colorado. The head of the family paid full price for a ticket, while the remaining family members could fly at half-price. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find a news report that confirms when the wagons were purchased for rental.
Below are two subsequent newspaper ads highlight the program:
May 20, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado
April 08,, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado
This April 1948 “Put Jeep Power to Work on Your Farm” advertisement appeared in the Country Gentleman magazine. It also appeared in the May 1948 issue of the Farm Journal.
There’s one of these ads for sale on eBay
This is an original 8″ diameter sticker from the Lockeed Employees Recreation Club (LERC), located in Burbank, California. I don’t know how many jeep clubs were formed out of Lockeed, but there were several Seattle area jeep clubs with members from Boeing (the Wandering Willys Jeep Club was one).
View all the information on eBay
“ONE 8” VINTAGE “MAVERICKS” 4WD CLUB VEHICLE
STICKER – LOCKHEED, BURBANK, CA – Circa 1968
★ 52 Year Old Never-Used Ephemera ~ Outdoor Sticker for Vehicle Front Quarter Panel ★
• Very, very rare collectible Lockheed, Burbank, CA ephemera! In fact, this is probably the only one left in the world!
• One (1) VINTAGE ORIGINAL “MAVERICKS” FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CLUB 8″ VEHICLE EMBLEM STICKER from the Lockheed Employees’ Recreational Club (L.E.R.C.) in Burbank, CA circa 1968. Never used. Still has it’s original kraft paper backing (for peel-&-stick) in very nice condition.
Age:
About 52 Years Old (although it has never been used, the adhesive is not guaranteed due to item’s age).
Original Use:
Typically these were placed on the 4WD vehicle’s front quarter panel to identify club membership.
L.E.R.C. = “Lockheed Employees’ Recreational Club” originally on Empire Road, Burbank, CA in the 1970’s.
Size:
About 8″ in diameter (see photo with measuring tape).
Note:
The ink on this decal is very heavy, almost with a brush texture (see photo #11), to be robust for outdoor use back in the day.
Details:
Has been stored in a file cabinet for about 40 years.
This is the ONLY one on eBay.
Very rare collectible Lockheed, Burbank, CA ephemera!
• Quote from the January 1968 Mavericks BULLHORN newsletter, the description of a four wheel drive club —”A bunch of damn fools driving out across the desert in a wide variety of corrupted vehicles looking for a place they can’t go so they can.” From back in the days when Joe Mokracek & Doug Carter were club presidents.
Steve spotted this family Christmas Card that included a jeep. Interesting enough, the body already has mods to it, the step area in particular.
View all the information on eBay
“1
VINTAGE
PHOTOGRAPH TYPE CARD
1950’S-60’S ERA?
MIGHT BE BY BROAD RIPPLE, INDIANA?”
Looks like a cheap set of toy jeeps for kids. Seller has three available as of this post.
View all the information on eBay
Example of the size:
“Assortment of Five Jeeps, all die cast metal with rolling wheels, Still in the Original Unopened Variety Store Display Card! All metal construction with rubber wheels similar to Matchbox. Accurate Jeep details! The jeeps were made by Midgetoy in Rockford Illinois from the mid 1950’s into the 1960’s. The package is dated 1980. The blister card packaging was done throughout the 1970’s to use up remaining stock before closing down in 1982. Same size as the ones in the Store Display Package of 36. We pull these cards out of a wholesale box of 36 cards. You get it just like the Dime Store had them! If you buy more than 1 card we will try to give you a diverse color assortment.
The set also contains a pair of Gas pumps made to the same scale as the cars! This set is one of many classic toy items found from unsold merchandise left in the back rooms of an old dime store distributor. The ultimate toys for owners of Diggers or Claws coin op prize machines! Ideal for the Jeep fanatic! No nicks, No scrapes, No missing wheels, No rust, No dings. The display card is slightly yellowed and warped around the edge, otherwise Perfect Unopened Condition. Original Package ~ Colors Vary.”
In 1951 Willys-Overland launched a “4-Wheel Drive Takes You There brochure” for the Willys Wagon. Subsequently, there appear to have been two additional versions of the brochure, numbered differently, but with seemingly no additional substantive text changes. Each form folds out to a 17″x11″ large format brochure.
The first example of this brochure is burdened with an unusually long form identifier: Form 4X4735W-M1-100M, a number which leverages the wagon-model-type (4x473SW) as part of the numbering system.
This second version of the brochure is available on eBay. Given the grille style doesn’t change for this iteration, I can only assume that this version of the brochure was also printed in 1951. It has the updated form name of 4X4735W-M2-100M-251. It is possible the “251” at the end of the form number means it was printed in February of 1951.
UPDATE III: A new reprint of the late 1950s Boyerstown-built Delivery Van is on eBay:
View all the information on eBay
“NICE QUALITY LARGE 11 X 17 REPRINTED PICTURE”
====================
UPDATE II: Mike shared a pic of a Boyerstown van from an ebay auction circa 2004.
UPDATE: In 2012 there was a press photo of the front of the van for sale.
2012 Post: “Jeep Utility 1959 4 x 2 Truck Photo Reprint w. Boyertown Body”
Given the Willys stamps, this 1963 is more likely a 1962 or earlier.
https://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/cto/d/pearl-city-1963-cj3b-willys-jeep/7162108148.html
“1963 CJ3B WILLYS JEEP ORIGINAL 4 CYL,ORIGINAL PAINT,99.9 RUST FREE RUNS GREAT
HARD TO FIND A JEEP IN THIS COND ON THE ISLAND CALL”
The 2A has a rear PTO.
https://hartford.craigslist.org/pts/d/east-hampton-cj2a-cj3a-jeeps/7148190023.html
“2- Jeeps one set up for plowing snow, 1 with rear PTO, Engines were rebuilt years ago still running, not for on road use”
Has dual gas tanks, among other updates.
https://anchorage.craigslist.org/cto/d/palmer-willys-cj2a/7145613283.html
“Willys Cj2a.
Buick v6
Rancho springs and shocks
power steering, aluminum radiator.
Runs good, running gear all good. Dual fuel tanks. Only surface rust, treated and clear coat. Frame cleaned and painted. HEI ignition.
Clean title in hand.
Wiring could be touched up
$6000 obo”
This CJ-5 Half-top has been slightly modified. I’ll highlight the 23-series tops in an upcoming post (it’s been upcoming for a while now …).
https://harrisburg.craigslist.org/pts/d/carlisle-metal-top-and-doors-only-for/7141339984.html
“Hard top half cab with bed lid and doors only from 1963 Willys Jeep. Top and doors only. Jeep is not for sale.”
Mark spotted this one for $70.
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/pts/d/shelby-original-willys-mb-ford-gpw/7147478940.html
“Original Willys MB Ford GPW Dodge Truck Defroster in Unused Condition. Complete 6volt defroster kit. Great display item for a vintage Jeep or Truck. Would probably work but recommend for display due to its age. Pick up in Western NC. Unable to ship.”
UPDATE: This seems to be a 3A or later frame.
No indication as to if it’s been run yet or not.
https://worcester.craigslist.org/pts/d/pepperell-1946-willys-cj2a/7152624108.html
“Complete drivetrain complete all new parts clutch -brakes -lines -steering box -shocks -ujoints ready for tub and wiring .Worth $$$$$$ more have vin # and badges”
The body has had some repairs.
https://akroncanton.craigslist.org/cto/d/seville-1948-cj-2a-jeep-willys/7149746305.html
“1948 Jeep CJ 2 A
Solid Survivor
Perfect project vehicle with unlimited potential- Too many current projects
$3500 in receipts from Professional Engine rebuild. Original flat head 4 i believe. Engine is sitting on a pallet, rebuilt, beadblaster, painted. Engine bay painted. Frame solid, body solid. Will provide additional pictures if requested.”
UPDATE: Additional content has been added about Sandifur Motors.
Originally established in 1937, the Sandifur Motor Company out of Spokane, Washington, was operated by Charles and C. Paul Sandifur. Brothers and business partners, by 1938 the two men were involved in taxi cabs, used cars, life Insurance, and other business pursuits in the Spokane region.
The Sandifurs became a Willys distributor in the autumn of 1945 soon after the launch of the CJ-2A. An ad in the October 21, 1945, issue of the Spokesman Review confirms this.
October 21, 1945, ad published in the Spokesman Review
As best as I understand it, being a distributor meant Sandifur Motors could both sell jeeps and signup other dealers.
The company seems to have followed the standard line of advertising, as this 1947 farming ad shows:
As we’ll see in a moment, Sandifur was successful at selling jeeps, but I can’t imagine CJ-2A was very practical for farming in the Spokane region, in part due to the size of the farms. For example, my maternal grandparents obtained a 160 acre farm 35 miles southeast of Spokane on the small banks of Fighting Creek, Idaho, a place they won in a lottery around 1910, then secured by homesteading. In the 1920s they founded the local Fighting Creek store and operated one of the first phones in the area (we still have some of the books that documented the calls). They also made money logging the local forest and, after WWII, electrifying the area. Had they thought a jeep was practical, I believe they could have afforded to purchase one. Instead, they preferred to use tractors.
My family’s decision to abstain from buying a jeep did little to slow the success of Sandifur Motors. It’s possible the company was doing better selling wagons and trucks versus CJ-2As. I could imagine four wheel drive versions of the trucks and wagons being very handy navigating the endless forests and deserts of the Inland Empire area. This may also explain why both long-wheel base CJ-2As (likely the CJ-2Ls) and CJ-2As with 6ft extended beds were available for sale from both Spokane and Montana dealers (more on this in an upcoming post).
Here’s a 1949 ad promoting the wagon:
October 17, 1949, Spokesman Review
Whatever the company was selling, it was selling enough of them to justify new digs. In early 1951, the Willys dealer moved from its original location at W419 3rd Avenue, to W228 2nd Avenue in downtown Spokane:
February 27, 1951, in The Spokesman Review
I can only imagine how awful those suits were to wear in the California desert, even in March. My wife tells me that even the modern-day chemical warfare suits are terrible.
View all the information on ebay
“SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA — Even deadly mustard gas holds no qualms for these soldiers in the chemical warfare service who are ready to fight poisonous, skin-burning gas by wearing clothes–treated in a secret solution–which resist and neutralize any dangerous vapor. They’re shown here decontamination a jeep which was sprayed with mustard gas. 03-19-42”
