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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. 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.
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: The other day I realized that the jeep in this photo from a collection of early jeep information published in 2014 looks very similar to an illustrated jeep that appeared in a 1947 newspaper ad. Here’s the image and it’s associated testimonial:
Here’s the advertisement from the June 3, 1947, ad published in the Sullivan Daily Times, out of Sullivan, Indiana, that highlights the ability of the jeep to be an efficient, low-cost option as a road-service vehicle.
UPDATE: I found an inexpensive issue of the February 2, 1946 Collier’s Magazine, so I scanned the cover. It has the Welcome Home Johnny sign celebrating’s soldiers homecoming as a farmer races his jeep down the road. I found no jeep related stuff on the inside.
UPDATE: This sold years ago on eBay, but I never posted all the pics I got from the auction. It is a good example of Koenig’s Wrecker and road service brochure. Along with tow packages, it includes helper springs, PTO add-ons, push-bumpers, and more.
It is bulletin 155 (which likely means it was published in January of 1955) and then revised in April of 1955.
UPDATE: This is back up for sale on eBay.
View all the information on ebay
At the very least, this Country Gentleman Magazine ad appears on page 41 of Country Gentleman’s March 1948 issue. It may appear in other issues as well. If you want the entire issue, rather than just the ad, try this link: 1948 March Country Gentleman
Maury shared this link to another Jeep Pan Brush that’s available on eBay. This item doesn’t seem to be related to Willys-Overland or jeeps in any way that we can tell, other than you could clean jeep parts with it.
View all the information on eBay
Here are a couple previous examples of the Jeep Brush.
1. This brush was available back in 2012 on eBay. It, like this other example, has 1014 stamped on it for some reason.
2. This brush was available for sale on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/778429607/vintage-jeep-pan-brush-1014
UPDATE: After spotting an ad I hadn’t published yet (seen below), I realized that there was Desert Dog history that existed among various posts. So, this combines all that into more of a narrative.
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If you have read eWillys for any length of time, you know I’ve been a fan of Desert Dog tires for years. I still have eight desert dogs, some solid lettering and some outlined, as shown in the pic below:
According to Louis Larson, the Desert Dog tire was launched in 1970. He knows this, because in 1970 he became the first person to test out the new style of tires (see the bottom of this CJ-3B Page article). The tires were given to Louis for testing and photographing.
David Maxwell, a former Formula tires salesman, reported that the tires were always made by Armstrong, but marketed through the Formula brand, the president of which was a friend of David’s (see David’s comment and many others on this post). The company made a large number of retreads, so a number of tires also had Firestone on the side, too.
The tires proved popular quickly. Les Schwab was a big fan of them and ran them on his jeep (jeeps?). He also sold both new and retread tires out of his main shop in Prineville (see Les Schwab’s biography here).
For PNW jeepers, the tires were a perfect blend for racing and for jeeping and the varied terrains of the PNW (sand, gravel, rocks, mountain sides, mud, etc … as Joe1148 highlights in his comment here .. though I can attest to it as well). On the downside, their road life was short (some estimate about 10k miles) and they tended to be noisy. The tires’ popularity gained them prominence, and soon they were added to charts showing tire options, such as this January 1972 ad:
By 1973, Desert Dogs were being advertised in Four Wheeler Magazine (ads at the bottom of this post) and sold across the country. This Smith Jeep, Inc. ad from North Franklin, Connecticut, in the July 1973 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine is one example of an East Coast offering:
Eventually, the Formula brand expand its offering. I don’t know when each of these tires was introduced (I think this ad is from 1975, but have to confirm it), but Formula was soon offering more tires choices:
UPDATE: The two post cards at the bottom of this post were on eBay several years ago. I recently came across some newspaper clippings that give background about the Winter Park Villager tram’s purpose. The service began November 28, 1966, but I could not find an end-date.
This first article discusses the jeep tram’s beginnings:
Article dated November 13, 1966, from the Orlando Sentinel
This next article notes that Monday, November 28th, as the launch date for the jeep tram service.
Article dated December 1, 1966, from the Orlando Evening Star
This short article from March of 1967 describes some of the tram’s stops:
March 03, 1967, in the Orlando Evening Star
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This Winter Park Villager shows a DJ-3A Surrey pulling a matching trailer in Winter Park, Florida. One of these postcards is currently on eBay.
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Here’s another view of the same combo. One of these postcards is currently on eBay
**SOLD** Scottie has laid claims to these books …
These five books were published for the military services in May of 1944 and have courses on various aspects of Auto Mechanics. I bought these hoping to find some jeep info, but found none. Still, this may be of interest to some WWII buffs (mostly non-military automobile mechanicals).
1. C0URSE 1-THE ENGINE – BOOK IS MISSING BACK COVER AND FRONT IS SOILED. NO TORN OR MISSING PAGES.
2. COURSE 2-COOLING, LUBRICATION, AND FUEL SYSTEMS. SOME WATER DAMAGE ON PAGES. BUT COVERS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. NO TEARS OR MISSING PAGES.
3. COURSE 3-AUTOMATIC ELECTRICITY-WATER DAMAGE AND CREASES ON FRONT AND BACK COVERS-NO TEARS OR MISSING PAGES. BACK COVER HAS A SMALL TEAR.
4. COURSE 4-THE POWER FLOW. MISSING FRONT AND BACK COVERS BUT NO TORN PAGES OR MISSING PAGES.
5. COURSE 5-CHASSIS UNITS. FRONT AND BACK COVERS ARE SOILED BUT NO MISSING OR TORN PAGES.”
UPDATE: The press photo at bottom appeared in the January 24, 1944, issue of the Minneapolis Morning Tribune (seen below). It seems that Harvey Wilensky must have also won a bid for jeeps about the same time as Hyman Berg did.
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Originally Posted November 16, 2013: This photo shows a lineup of surplus Ford GPs for sale. The selling price: $750 at Wilensky Auto Parts in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
UPDATE: Lew let me know that the IFFC updated it’s website: https://internationalflatfenderclub.org/index.php?threads/welcome-to-the-iffc.2/. IFFC is also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1641202336209808
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Originally posted 02/11/2013: International Flat Fender Club (IFFC) is an umbrella organization founded by Lew Ladwig that encourages and supports localized, online clubs, called Patrols.
According to the website, “The IFFC is subdivided on regional patrols (If possible, seek out your local patrol). That is where the fun starts! No patrol in your area, start one!
The Founding Patrol is the Colorado Flat Fender Club. We formed roughly 15 years ago. Many thanks to Mike, Bruce, Fred, Darin, Wally and Audrey and my amazing wife Frankie!
The rules are there are no rules. You are responsible for your own safety and good times. Any person who takes a leadership or organizational role has absolutely no responsibility to you. Attend all events at your own risk! You participation is considered an agreement to the above terms.”
