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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 article appeared in the July 1952 issue of Popular Science (pgs 79-82). This is article is interesting in that is covers some of the complaints GIs had about earlier jeeps and how the M-38A1 attempts to address those issues.
UPDATE: Thanks to Ted, below I’ve added an article and more images from a March 1953 Popular Science article about the little fire fighting jeep, also known as the “Little Squirt”.
This video from the National Archives Catalog shows a special-purpose fire fighting jeep the Navy was testing. The video is divided into two parts. The first part shows the jeep fighting a fire. The second part shows the jeep from various angles. I’ve also included some images from the video below. (If the video is slow or doesn’t work, go here to download the video).
UPDATE: Terry pointed out that this same vehicle, a SPEN self-sustaining motion picture unit, appears in a Willys Industrial Equipment book brochure. Here it is below:
Talk about a rare jeep. Anyone ever seen one of these (if there are any left). It’s a specially outfitted jeep for the State Department for carrying the story of America to the world. The first pics below were from a September 1949 issue of Popular Science, while the newspaper article was carried in the Sunday Star on Sunday, April 17, 1949.
From the September 1949 issue of Popular Science:
From the Sunday Star, April 17, 1949:
This April of 1946 article in Popular science highlighted the steering mechanism used on the four wheel steel “Circus” jeeps.
The February 1948 issue of Popular Science included a small blurb about this custom wood jeep out of Seattle built on a WW2 chassis.
A December 1944 article in Popular Science highlights tandem towing:
UPDATE: IV: This page contains two later model Free-Lock hubs that resemble Selectro hubs. My theory is that Free-Lock might have evolved into the Selectro Company: http://www.ewillys.com/2019/07/08/selectro-husky-dualmatic-overview/
UPDATE III: Thanks to Steve, we’ve discovered an additional version. It is now number 5, which seems to be an evolutionary step between 4 & 6.
UPDATE II: Thanks to Frank Day and his grandfather Merton, who saved this rare piece, here is a scan of an eight page brochure related to the Free-Lock corporation.
This November 1942 article from Popular Mechanics titled “Miracle on Wheels” featured the jeep and shared some of the success stories from its use internationally. You can read the entire issue on Google or purchase a cheap copy off of eBay
Speaking of Hydraulic Lifts, the Love Tractor Company (or perhaps more accurately Love Industries — I’m not clear on the difference) made a lift and also sold a willys-engine powered tractor.
According to the Standard Catalog of Farm Tractors 1890-1980, by C.H. Wendel, Love Tractor offered model J51 that was built around a Willys CJ-2A engine. This may have been a repurposed Empire Tractor, because at least one source suggests Love purchased eighteen Empire Tractors when Empire dissolved. Anyone know more about the ‘Willys’ Love Tractor?
Standard Catalog of Farm Tractors 1890-1980, by C.H. Wendel
Love Tractor also created a hydraulic three-point lift system. At CJ3a.info is a page devoted to the lift. At the Farm Jeep site is a scan of the brochure.
The February 1947 issue of Popular Science has an article on the Love Hydraulic Lift System distributed by Newgren.
There is also an article about the Love system and Newgren in a 1949 issue of Farm implement news – Volume 70 – Page 56.
David Silberman pointed out the ‘Leaping Lena’ article from the October 1941 issue of Popular Science (I thought I’d purchased this issue to scan, but apparently I didn’t do that). It’s an interesting review of the prototype jeeps. You also can view the entire issue on Google.
An article about the Odograph was published in the December, 1944, issue of Popular Science. At 200 pounds, the Odograph auto-created maps as soldiers navigated towards some objective. I couldn’t locate any records that indicate how many were made (anyone know), but there it appears there are nine jeeps that still have them (based on the latest info I could find). I found a few different references about it over at G503.
1. G503.com Message Forums • View topic – JEEP MOUNTED ODOGRAPH
2. G503.com Message Forums • View topic – Odograph survey
3. 1944 Willys MB Unrestored Odograph Jeep – g503 …
Here’s a photograph of a diagram from an Australia site:
http://www.aussiejeepimages.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=28&g2_itemId=75011
Here’s a copy of the Popular Science Magazine on eBay:
View all the information on ebay
Here’s a link to magazine on Google
The December 1949 issue of Popular Science highlighted this unique attachment for the jeep. You can view this article on Google books.
You can also buy the issue on eBay
The July 1956 Popular Science article doesn’t indicate which country ordered this special search light, but this mobile, self-contained spotlight put out some serious light.
You can find this issue for sale on eBay
Popular Science published a January 1943 article with a variety of GPA / SEEP pictures, including a nice breakdown of the dashboard (handy for my description of a seep dashboard in my upcoming book).
You can also find this issue for sale on eBay
Here’s an interesting article in the May 1945 issue of Popular Science about welding on the battlefield that includes several references to using jeeps as portable welding units. There is a copy on eBay for only $5.99. Here are a couple images from the article:
The Last Chancer, a wooden train built on a jeep platform, is documented at the Helena History Museum. You can view additional pictures at the Museum page. A Last Chance Train still exists, but has been upgraded.
In this early picture taken in 1954 you can see what appears to be a CJ-3B peering out from it’s enclosure.
Here is the Train as of 1957.
The Last Chancer made an appearance in the 1956 issue of Popular Science on page 104:
The September 1947 issue of Popular Science has this cool picture of a truck powering a saw.
Popular Science – Sep 1947 – Page 111
