emailNeed to contact me and don't have my email? Click on email button.
About eWillys
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.
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 is an original press photo. Autos-Willy’s. Willys Jeep Dispatcher, above, designed for light delivery work particularly in congested traffic areas, is now being introduced by Willy’s Motors, Incorporated. Highly maneuverable and economical to operate, the Dispatcher is offered in a hardtop model (illustrated) a convertible canvas soft-top, and a basic open model. All models are powered by the Jeep four-cylinder 60 horsepower engine.Photo measures 10 x 8.25inches. Photo is dated 6-3-1956.”
This photo and article appeared in the July 09, 1973, issue of the Longview Daily News. I don’t remember the Road Rebels Jeep Club nor can I remember its insignia. The tow bar on the front suggests this jeep was likely a trail and race jeep, if not also a road jeep. It was common to see the family jeep show up at races into the early 1980s. It doesn’t take too many breakdowns of the family jeep while racing to convince owners to build race-only jeeps.
“A hearty crowd turned out for the Jeep Play Day put on by the Road Rebels Jeep Club this weekend in conjunction with Kelso’s Hilander Summer Festival. The unidentified driver has all four wheels slinging mud, sand and water during his run over the course. Photographer Dave Fox captured the action with a camera setting of f16 at 500th of a second, which is considerably slower than the speed he used to get out of the way.”
Anyone know when (month/year or vin) that the CJ-5 switched from the side tank to the rear? I’ve seen dates between mid 1970 through early 1972.
Similarly, when was the PTO draw bar dropped (month/year or vin)?
When did the CJ-5 spare tire mount move from the side to the back (month/year or vin)?
When was JEEP changed to Jeep on the side of the CJ-5 cowl (month/year or vin)? (somewhere on eWillys I’ve answered this question, as I remember doing the research, but now I can’t find it!)
This 1948 Willys Truck brochure is dated October 01, 1948, and highlighted the five different models of trucks available for purchase. These scans were posted to the oldcarmanualprobject.com website by Eddy Jeijer.
“This JEEP keychain puzzle was made by J&L Randall company in UK in the early 50s. It comes with its original card which has the solution on the back. The card has a punch through or tear top middle and some bending’folds.
The 2 holes punched in the center of the card were used to attach the puzzle onto the card with a rubber band.
The puzzles are all complete, unbroken and in very good to excellent condition with any exceptions clearly specified.”
According to the synopsis from Goodreads.com, “A pretty librarian helps two high school students, Lefty and Gloria, track down a gang of diabolical confidence men. Their clue is a book, which starts them on the track of illicit real estate deals and other unsavory enterprises.”
Author Paul Moxham, an Australian writer, has published The Mystery of the Amphibious Jeep on Kindle. At 4.61 stars on Goodreads, it seems to be a popular kids story. Where the referenced ‘jeep’ is a Ford GPA SEEP or a DUKW (or something else), isn’t clear. Given the author’s Australian background and Australian Ben Carlin’s fame, I’m leaning towards it being a GPA.
According to the synopsis on Goodreads:
“After meeting an American adventurer who is travelling around the world in an amphibious jeep, the Mystery Kids invite him to spend the evening at Rose Cottage. However, the night has barely began when the jeep is stolen by two men.
What do the men plan to do with the jeep? Who are the stowaways? Why does the jeep go round in circles?
Set in 1950’s Britain, this adventure story will suit anyone who enjoys Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys or the Famous Five”
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:
“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.
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).
“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.
