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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 .
There are some jeeps coming up for auction through Sotheby’s, along with a Mule. Note Lot 322 1951 M-38 that sold for $61,600!
This issue of Jeep News is packed full of items. One curious article is about the Longview Trailbreakers on the last page. The article claims the Trailbreakers were launched in April 1960, but the Tacoma Webfooters page claims the club had originated prior to mid-1958. The only thing I can think of is that the Trailerbreakers incorporated the club in April of 1960?
Also, on page 6 the Del-Monte Contest for a Jeep Surrey was something I hadn’t seen elsewhere (learn about the winning store here). Meanwhile, on page 2 the paper announced the Gotham City contest winner, one Mrs. Edwin C. Sly of Buffalo, New York.
On page one is a great photo and article about the Hong Kong exhibit at the Chicago Auto Show. And, on page one, are eight of nine mailers used in 1961 (the ninth is shown on page 2). I’ve shared eight of them on eWillys, but have yet to locate the “operation Zebra, or” brochure. Anyone have a copy of that? (Busy Bee; willing worker; To get the Lion’s Share …; You Can’t Hide…; don’t get taken for a ride!; best for all short hops; Big Family!; and need a friend?)
This three-page spread was unusual for Jeep News.
Buddies’ Market in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, announced in the April 27, 1961, issue of the The Mercury newspaper that it was the winner in a Readers Digest / Del-Monte contest for a “Pink Jeep and a polka dot sailboat”.
Below is a contest poster that was distributed to stores nation-wide (and printed in the March-April 1961 issue of Jeep News):
This is the announcement by Buddies’ Market:
UPDATE: This is back up for sale. Note that this is a column shift. As Carl noted, this is the correct orientation for the image, because if reversed the “WILLYS” would be backwards.
View all the information on eBay
This August 1960 article in the Longview Daily News out of Longview, Washington, notes that the Armstrongs, members of the Trailbreakers Jeep Club, chaired the two-day convention that resulted in the formation of the Pacific Northwest Jeep Association (Iater changed in 1965 to the present-day PNW4WDA — Pacific Northwest 4-Wheel Drive Association). Note that the article refers to the association as the “Pacific Northwest Jeep Club Association”, but a decision must have been made to drop the word “Club” from the name. (some historical PNW4WDA info on the Webfooters page).
August 02, 1960, Longview Daily News
The Trailbreakers still exist and were one of six charter clubs in the Association. In order of formation (or incorporation), I believe the six charter clubs were the (1) Yakima Ridge Runners, (2) Vancouver Four Wheelers, (3) Longview Trailerbreakers, (4) Brush Busters (?), (5) Tacoma Webfooters, (6) Seattle Jeep Club. (The Brush Busters out of Portland were formed in early 1958, but I haven’t confirmed they were at the convention, so please correct if I’m wrong).
The Tacoma Webfooters have a particularly unusual name. The story goes as follows: “It was time to name the 4th jeep club [ed. note I guess they didn’t know about the Brush Busters]. Who’s got any ideas? Burt Severeid said, “How about the Tacoma Webfooters Jeep Club? Oh, the complaints poured in about how silly that name was, but no one else came up with anything else, so it stuck!! The 4th jeep club in the northwest was to be called, “The Tacoma Webfooters” , with Bruce Cole as the first president.”
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Original Post from 2016: This is a great photo from the very first Pacific Northwest Jeep Association Summer Convention, prior to being renamed the PNW4WDA.
Arlene Brooks found this photo.
This brochure titled “Designed to Meet More Needs of More People” has a form number of SW73MI-SCM-350. It’s *possible* that the “350” marks a publish date of March 1950.
This is the full open brochure (16.5″ x 22″):
This May 9, 1952, ad for Aero Willys highlights dealers across the US, but especially in the Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho area. To hit 35mpg these cars had to have been traveling down hill!
I’m not sure how the “cube” branding plays into the marine engine?
View all the information on ebay
“Here I have a very RARE brochure for the
Jeep 155 V6 155 HP Marine Engine
Jeep/155 the Power Cube comes in a V
INBOARD OR OUTDRIVE
MARINE ENGINE
Stern Drives manufactured by Outboard marine
Corporation (OMC), and Universal Motor Company
Inboard available from both Revley Corporation
and Universal Motor Company
Flier is printed on heavy stock (Light cardboard)
Front has a very cool “Cube Cutout”
In its folded position it measures about 8 ¾ x 6 ¼ inches. Unfolds to about 26 ¾ x 6 ¼ inches.”
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $295.
Looks like this Hamilton pedal jeep spotted by Roger Martin has never been restored. The seller’s p# is in one of the images in the ad.
This article was published in the May 20, 1945, issue of the Spokesman Review. One fact that surprised me is that by 1945 only 2% of world’s farms were mechanized.
