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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 .
This hub appeared in a Facebook photo posted by Josh. It appears to be a Watson hub (may have been private labeled through Sears), but part of its case was either 1) cast differently or 2) modified. Given The Jeep has spent its life in California, it’s likely some form of the Watson hub, but I’ve not seen one quite like this.
The odd hub is on the left and the Watson hub is on the right, itself a derivation of a Dualmatic hub (and having the same patent number as a Dualmatic).
UPDATE: This ad shows one of those odd instances when an ad appears in Collier’s that I have yet to find in the Saturday Evening Post. This happened a few times during the 1940s. Here’s a color version fo the ad, published May 04, 1946 (note that the ad continues the ‘Get a Jeep’ Campaign):
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Originally Published 03/10/2019: I spent some time searching for and assembling these Collier ads into two directory graphics, similar to the Saturday Evening Post graphics (updated in the post below). Unfortunately, the only archive I could find scanned them in black and white. And, the archive was missing some issues, so I suspect there were a few more published than shown below. Still, there are some differences between the ads, sometimes as small as changes in a few words of text, make these images useful for research.
This race jeep was modified with one-ton axles. Note the wider rear axle with an added fender well. The racers note the Jeep has 24-forward speeds. Maybe that means a six speed with an overdrive and transfercase? The article appeared in Roseville’s (CA) Press Tribune on October 23, 1968.
Biscuit on its way home
Lost biscuit finally arrived in Prosser, though The Jeep is a shadow of its former self. The original 3.8L V-6 was burning oil badly out of cylinder one, so while replacing the engine I also replaced the transmission, switching from an TH350 automatic to a T-18 with a low first. But, I could never find the time to complete that transition. Engine placement, driveline angle, and header angles seemed to fight me the entire transition. However, now that Biscuit is here, I’ll eventually have some time to devote to it (first, the race jeep’s seat will get adjusted for my height, then I will deal with Patterson’s generator and with the brake-clutch pedals, then Lost Biscuit).
To get Biscuit home, first I had to install a winch onto the tilt bed. After thinking through various ideas, I came up with a trial system that secured a winch frame to the tilt deck, but used a vertical angle against the from of the tilt deck as added leverage for the winch.
Here are some of the pieces I started with:
This shows the underside of the tilt deck. The square tubing in the pic above this one was drilled and bolted to the deck, with the bolts going through the wood and into angled pieces on either side of the hydraulic arm. I figured that was the least invasive way of mounting a winch (for now).
This shows the completed platform bolted onto the deck. Note how the front angle piece on the left sits down in front of the tilt bed. This allows the tilt bed to open and shut:
UPDATE: Thanks to Claus and his brilliant memory, we have another example of a Capstan winch on the back of a Raymond Concrete Jeep. In this case, I had posted it back in 2010. Raymond Concrete was formed in 1897, but went bankrupt in 1989.
Here’s the image:
A seller on eBay recently had one of these rear mounted PTO winches for sale. It, too, was from the Raymond Concrete company.
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Originally Posted October 7, 2021: David shared this CJ-2A for sale in Prineville. He asked if I had ever seen a capstan winch mounted on a rear PTO gearbox like this one. I said I hadn’t. Moreover, the special equipment brochure for the capstan only shows it being used on the front (see brochure below). So, does anyone know whether the capstan was marketed for the rear PTO gearbox? Or was this more likely a custom setup?
Anyway, here’s the jeep in Prineville:
https://bend.craigslist.org/cto/d/powell-butte-1946-original-cj2a-willys/7389633842.html
“Paint original(faded) No rust, No dents, No body repairs. Good top and doors. Runs and drives good. PTO winch, PTO rear capistan(very rare) Tow bar & hubs. All running gear original and operational.”
This 1950 photo shows what appears to be a Holden Ambulance used during the Korean War. Anyone know widely used (or not) these were during the Korean War?
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“1950 Press Photo Wounded Marines are loaded on an ambulance jeep, Naktong River. This is an original press photo. South Korea: Wounded US Marines are loaded aboard double decker ambulance jeeps for evacuation to a hospital after being wounded in the fighting on the Naktong River bulge.Photo measures 9 x 7inches. Photo is dated 08-24-1950.”
The point of this photo was to get this point across: “People, return your milk bottles!” … newspaper reports of the time indicate there was a shortage of bottles throughout North America.
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“January 24th, 1947, Original Press Photo.
Mrs. Dorothy Lamb of Scarsdale, New York, goes to market in the modern manner, with a basketful of empty milk and beverage bottles. She is answering the plea for return of the 35 Million bottles that have gone “truant” in American homes. Every one must be returned to circulation if a shortage milk and beverages is to be avoided because raw-material shortages ins curtailing bottle production.”
As you can see in this ad published the January 04, 1947, issue of the Bradford Era (Bradford, Pennsylvania), the shortage was serious and ‘dangerous’!
This article from The Province, dated January 16th, 1947, out of Vanouver, B.C., provides more information about the crisis:
