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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 .
I spent last night with Ann at the Moisture Festival, an annual four-week run of comedy and variety acts that is the largest in the world (four those four weeks anyway). My aunt suggested we go and, since it was Ann’s birthday (and I’m an admittedly poor present buyer), going to see some live performances seemed like fun AND made for a great birthday evening. Yes, she’s an April Fool :-), but I’m not fool to be with her!
There were comedy acts, singing, acrobatics, juggling, and just plain silliness. If you are in Seattle during the festival I highly recommend it.
Oh boy Oberto hydroplane. One of the boats used in the Madison movie.
Not long after Ann and I met in 2011 we decided we wanted to visit the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum in Kent, Washington (It’s only a few miles from mom and dad’s place). She’d grown up with hydroplane racing in the tri-cities and race weekend was a yearly event at my grandmother’s house, so we both had a sentimental attachment to them. And though we’ve traveled all over, we’ve never found the time to make it to the museum, until yesterday.
Joining us on this mini-adventure were my mother, my aunt Marilyn and uncle Phil. I knew they would enjoy the museum, because mom and Marilyn grew up near Seward Park and had a yearly view from their back porch of Lake Washington’s hydro races. They had fond memories of the yearly races as kids and young adults, telling me that at the time the races were as important to the city of Seattle as the Seahawks are today. It was a BIG deal!
The Hyrdroplane museum was launched in 1983 to honor the history of the race boats and is the only museum in the nation dedicated to powerboat racing. It started in a small location that I’m told wasn’t too glamorous. At some point the museum was able to move into it’s current facility, which doubles as a museum/research facility and restoration shop.
Museum entrance
Sure enough, as soon as we got inside the museum, mom, Marilyn and Phil were rattling off names of boats I never knew: Such Crust, Short Circuit, Miss Tahoe, Tri-Tomic, Coral Reef, and others.
The museum’s lobby. At the bottom of the photo is an Allison motor. Originally costing $14k, it was sold as surplus equipment for $350. No wonder boat racers used the motor!
Volunteers at the museum offered to guide us around and tell stories. Mom, Marilyn and Phil offered plenty additional stories, so it was a rich experience for Ann and I. The museum had a number of hydroplanes familiar to me, including Atlas Van Lines, Oh Boy Oberto, Miss Budweiser, Slo-Mo-Shun-III, Miss Wahoo, and a few others.
There are also a large number of mini models called the pinhead collection that had been painstakingly made.
Paul spotted this unique Inspection Willys Jeep Truck at Just a Car Guy’s blog. I would guess this was sold as a truck with no bed. What’s odd is the extra cab thing on the top. Looks like it was part of another vehicle.
Al and Rob checking out the Stafford family race jeep.
For me it started with a four hour drive from Pasco to Spanaway, where I met up with Rob Stafford and Al Schaper. Al and I planned to look over some fiberglass body molds that Rob had been storing for years. The molds were used to create fiberglass flat fender and CJ-5 body and front clip parts.
Of particular interest to me were the body molds. One of the body molds was used to create a Parkette racing body shell. The second body mold was used to create a Bobcat racing shell or in conjunction with a floor mold to create a complete body. While I have owned an Acme (I think) light racing fiberglass body and a Bobcat body (Biscuit’s body), I’ve always wanted a Parkette body. So, I was checking out that mold particularly closely.
CJ-3B floor mold on the left, Parkette racing shell body in the middle, CJ-3B body mold on the right.
Grille and fender molds. There are also some CJ-5 fender molds. Missing is a Bobcat and/or Parkette tailgate mold.
From front to back, CJ-3B mold, low hood Bobcat mold, low hood standard mold, CJ-5 mold.
Herpa derp, everyone! I have a 1945 Willys for sale! Ran perfect when parked. May need brakes from sitting, but should fire right up! The transmission that’s in it works flawlessly! I have a cousin, who has a cousin-in-law, who says it shouldn’t take more than $500 to make it showroom condition! Never met him, but I trust him! Don’t mind the rust on the frame, it’s only on the surface! No problems! Don’t ask me how many miles are on it, I included a picture of the odometer! Interior is a little rough, but nothing that can’t be fixed.
Overall, I’d give this Jeep a 9/10! Can’t beat that! I need your phone number, date of birth and social security numbers before I can give you a price, but seems reasonable to me!
Tired of these ads? Me, too. If your car is a POS, don’t sell it as a diamond in the rough. Sell it as an affordable POS. You’re not fooling anyone… but would you really want to? Every time you screw someone over, you’re making the world a little worse for your offspring, for your nieces/nephews and for the world in general.
I had a long, but tun and productive Sunday! I’ll file a report on Tuesday morning. In the meantime, some of you might be interested in these fiberglass jeep body molds I’ve co-acquired (3B / 3A bodies, fenders, hoods grilles). More on all that tomorrow.
The June 28, 1942, issue of the Spokesman-Review featured this photo. It shows Master Sergeant Kindle Walston of Louisville, KY, driving his buddies in a jeep somewhere in Egypt.
Mike forward this video from Dirt Every Day that shows them refurbishing a neglected Willys Wagon into a running machine. The episode is 22 minutes long.
