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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 .
Someone on Facebook claimed that hood strips were a factory option, though without specificity as to which model of jeep in which time period such an option was offered. I was not aware of this option nor have I seen any documentation for such an option. Of course, I’ve seen plenty of jeeps for sale with hood strips, but never saw much consistency among the designs.
So, anyone know 1) were hood strips ever a factory option? 2) were they ever a dealer option? 3) were they ever featured as a special equipment option? 4) if any of these are true, does anyone have documentation?
Here’s an example of wood strips:
From the CJ-3B Page: https://www.cj3b.info/Tech/HoodProblems.html
“estate sale find : vintage 1960’s Willys Jeep Keys I was told and leather clip key chain. Back side says Willy’s- Jeep , and front side says : Moriarty Brothers inc. Manchester Connecticut. Lincoln-mercury, Meteor-comet . Phone mitchel 3-5135.”
“1942 Press Photo Soldiers drive amphibious jeeps in Armistice Parade. This is an original press photo. War implements – jeeps in Armistice Parade Photo measures 8 x 3 inches. Photo is dated 11-11-1942.”
The small rear window can be seen on the back of the top at the left top of this 1956 DJ-3A brochure.Mike raised a question the other day, which resulted in us learning something new. He was viewing the launch-brochure for the DJ-3A when he noticed that the Koenig-manufactured hardtop was illustrated with a small rear window. Up to that point, Mike and I and several other folks were under the impression that all these tops had the same size rear window, but in fact that was false.
Instead, it appears that in 1955, through 1946(?) and possibly into 1957, Jeep used a small window in the back of the top, before moving to a larger one. Especially with the DJ-3As, with their lack of side windows, that small window would have made backing up difficult, as it would have been hard to see anything behind the driver.
Here are the four types of hardtops of this style identified so far.
This top was available as early as 1955. This photo is a 1955 press photo showing a CJ-5 with the small window in the back. The CJ-5 version of the top also came with side windows.
It’s not clear when the transition occurred, but between late 1955 and 1957 the top began arriving with a much larger window as seen in this photo.
Though an early photo of the DJ-3A with this style of top showed it with windows, the production version was manufactured without side windows. This photo shows the same jeep from the side. You can see the lack of side windows.
This image shows a 1964 hardtop on a DJ-3A with the larger window.
This photo shows the solid sides:
Mike shared this photo that was drifting around Facebook. It’s clip of Dean Martin behind a Jeepster Commando. According to the Facebook post, “Dean Martin, Senta Berger, Janice Rule, and a ‘67 Jeepster Commando Station Wagon. From the 1967 Matt Helm film “The Ambushers”.” As Derek Redmond pointed out, it’s not the only Jeep in that movie.
“Antique vintage new old stock Models of Merit by Ace Products jeep jeepster kit no.7r Balsa Wood Model Kit Condition is nos In box complete with instructions”
These pics are a little nicer, but from a different eBay auction:
