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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 .
Two new hats showed up in the mail today. I asked family members, but they didn’t send them, so it must have been one of you guys?
My thanks to whomever sent them. Ann was sure a fan of them! I will get some use out of them (if I can get them away from Ann).
Blaine shared this pic of a ‘mystery’ 4WD at low tide (I’m assuming in the PNW?). I don’t recognize it (and the bad, but improving eye, doesn’t help), but Blaine does. Can you guess it?
I’m guessing someone had a bad day before time and water turned this to rust.
Though the issue doesn’t explicitly say it is the January issue, given it discusses things happening in the future in January of 1967, I believe it is the first issue of 1967.
Maury found this Jeep V6 Emblem with a green-white-gold/yellow color-scheme on eBay. Anyone know on what models it appeared?
You can comment here http://www.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/index.php?threads/117161/page-3#post-1797410 or comment below.
Ann fired up her Cricket yesterday and printed out some labels that also act as instructions for starting and managing the jeep. She also add “ON” and “OFF” labels to make clear what switches need to be pressed. Starting the jeep is a five step process:
In the first pic, the “2-” for the fan label is hiding behind the switch.
UPDATE: I just purchased a set of these off of eBay. The box has a little tear, but the pen and pencil are in good shape.
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Originally posted January 26, 2021:
Mike shared this September 6, 1957, announcement sent to all dealers about the new Eversharp ‘Jeep’ pens, pencils and sets, now available with the Forward Control ‘Jeep’ FC-170 illustration.
More progress made on the racer this weekend. The floors are installed and mostly bolted. The pedals are all in place. The steering was in place, but I was unhappy with the final angle of the front support bearing, so I plan to redo that support so that it angles differently. Hopefully, I will get that done and installed today.
Here’s how the rear top crossmember that holds the rear fire extinguisher looks. The two holes on either side are the shoulder strap attachments.
Here are the three pedals (with the steering drive shaft disconnected from the quick-turn unit).
One thing I still need are a brake and clutch pedal pad. Any recommendations on what I can use that has a similar mount point and size? (these were from the yellow racer .. I didn’t like the other racer’s pedals). These look to be rubber casings over metal pedals, but both pedal bolts are in bad shape. this is the good one …
The master cylinders are attached (the brakes are ready to go). I have to get an adapter to connected the clutch line to the clutch master cylinder. Everything is fitting well. I have to say the fire wall turned out better than I thought. Remember, I flattened the old firewall from the yellow racer and re-bent it into the shape I wanted.
Here side view of the gas pedal setup. One thing I learned from my first race jeep was that having a firm, stable gas pedal was greatly beneficial when racing, due to the bouncing. I could plant the bottom of my foot firmly, while using the top of my foot to feather the gas. This setup is based on what I built for Biscuit, but heavier duty.
Bill shared this article about Mahindra’s EV Prototype called “Thar.e”. Some folks seems to like the design, but I can’t say I’m a big fan. To angular for my tastes. I expect it will have 4 wheel drive or All wheel drive, but those details haven’t been released (or so indicates the article below).
https://carbuzz.com/news/meet-the-mahindra-vision-thar-e-the-willys-jeeps-wild-electric-descendant
Bill shared this Hagerty article about the jeep history: https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/the-appeal-of-the-willys-jeep-knows-no-borders-no-barriers/
As a general history it isn’t too bad, though the author mistakes patents for trademarks in several cases. One photo caught my eye that I don’t remember seeing was taken in 1944 in Paris France. In the photo, a jeep is parked in front of Restaurant L’Ambassade.
After some sleuthing, I figured out the address is 18 rue Norvins, 75018 Paris France. The restaurant changed names at some point to Restaurant Le Consulat. It’s located in the heart of France in the Montmartre area, not far from Moulin Rouge and the Arc de Triomphe. Google Earth wouldn’t let me get positioned where I wanted, but I got fairly close to the original camera angle.
You don’t get the sense from this photo, but the location is at a juncture of several roads. Here’s an overhead screen shot.
UPDATE IV: “J” was able to locate and purchase one of these rare sandman GPVs.
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Originally posted Aug 19, 2023, UPDATE III: Jay shared some more pics!
UPDATE II: After 10 plus years, we finally have a photo of an actual GPV Volkswagen-jeep! Thanks to Jay for sending this photo. I hope we can get some more!
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UPDATE Jan 18, 2013: I found a second brochure that identifies this as a Sandman GPV
Has anyone ever heard of this Volkswagen/jeep model? It doesn’t seem to be a VEEP. Other searches yielded nothing about this unusual rig.
View all the information on eBay
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BROCHURE #2
“original non color folder 8.5 x 5.5 folded , 17 x 5.5 unfolded . This Jeep replica used a Volkswagen chassis . Produced by General Purpose Vehicles , Sandman Sales , Fortworth Texas.
Helpers helping …
Despite the sauna-like temps, and with ice-water-bottles in front of my sho- fan blasting at full speed, I nearly completed the wiring (a couple things left to do). The principal goal was to secure it to the firewall to limit movement while racing, which should keep connections intact and stop cables from rubbing to bare wire. (On the yellow race jeep I could see where the battery cable had rubbed through the protective outer layer at some point, then it had been patched).
I decided to add a second jumper connection which solely handles the lights. I’ve now got most of the wiring in place in case I want to later add headlights and turn signals. I still need to add a switch to power the gauge lights and rear driving lights (in case I need them for some reason). I also didn’t think about adding a fuse for the rear lights until just now .. oops.
Ann helped me put the body into place to make sure the wire dropped under the lip of the cowl from the rollbar:
Yesterday, we had our only heat spike of the season, with temps hitting, but thankfully nothing like 2021 and temps of 116! Today will be 107, followed by around 104 tomorrow. Saturday, the highs will drop to a comfy high 80s. So, without air conditioning in the shop, not much progress will be made.
I’m currently working through this rats nest and how I want the new wiring junction atop the firewall to be strung. The firewall top sits up to 1.5″ under the cowl in places, so no wires have to go through the wall. There’s also not much rewiring to be done, as I didn’t have to make many changes.
The remaining floors are about ready to be reinstalled, but I want to make sure everything else is in place before I add them.
Oops. I was 2″ short on my fuel line. I replaced a rubber hose at the fuel pump side, which gave me enough room to attached this valve.