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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 .
Calm water is best for those GPAs.
“1944- Ford GPA ‘Seep’ (Seagoing Jeep), amphibious version of the Ford GPW Jeep, at Foster Field, Texas.Photo measures approx. 8″ x 10″”
View all the issues here on eBay
John shared his neat DJ-5. If you live on Long Island, keep a watch for him during the summer.
He wrote, It was turned into a ‘Woody’ about 35 years ago. This one is a 69 DJ5 A. I bought it about 1980/81 or so. It’s got the original 2.5 in it and I use it about 4 months every year…..June to September. I have not made any changes except for putting in a radio and a glove box and I recently had the Seats recovered. I never met the original owner (the guy who did all the nice woodwork, glass etching and paint job) but recently ran into someone who recognized the Jeep and told me about the very creative guy to built it back in the 70s. About twenty years ago I had to take the motor out and and replace the main bearings. Last year I had to find an exhaust manifold which was not easy. Otherwise, it gives me good reliable service every year. It’s really been a fun vehicle. Every where I go people want to buy it and on the hiway I am always being photographed while driving.
UPDATE: Was $3900. **SOLD**
Here’s an unusual jeep.
“This MINI BEEP has a 6.5hp engine, very well put together, $5k in just parts. Start it up and go, has reverse, brake, bench seat, trailer hitch, working headlights and moree….you can modify any way you want and even add parts. Use it in anywhere!!
The MINI-BEEP is uniquely different and better than any ATV, any UTV, any other kind of off-road vehicle. The MINI-BEEP pulls trailers, and implements, bulldozes sand, gravel and snow, drives off-road, and goes almost anywhere. It’s a 4/5 scale version of a World War II JEEP®, and it’s AMPHIBIOUS, too! The MINI-BEEP is a do-it-yourselfer’s dream project.”
This 1963 photo shows a jeep exploring the Needles area in anticipation of Canyonlands National Park. The park was established in 1964.
http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/USHS_Class/id/28787/rec/5
If I ever step into Paul’s jeep, I’m going to bring some surgical scrub footies.
Paul wrote, I felt the gray marine carpet in the footwells was too dark so I installed some stainless steel scuff plates on top of the carpet. I put a brushed finish on the stainless plates before I screwed them to the carpet and I’m happy with the results. The carpet is still visible, the stainless makes the footwell area brighter and I think the cutout design goes well with the Willys.
Just another crazy thing I never imagined I’d want for this Willys rebuild.
Those are some clear, blue skies!
This March 1956 article from Willys News explains how some dealerships were using the DJ-3A as a drop off vehicle. A driver from the dealership would drive the jeep to a vehicle owner’s house, pickup the car, hook the jeep’s hitch to the customer’s car, and then drive the car to the dealership for maintenance. After servicing it, a driver would bring the car back to the customer’s house, jeep in tow, and return in the jeep.
Here’s an article on the underwater jeep from the October, 18, 1946, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
UPDATE: Glenn shared this pic of restored Mahl Jeep Loader. It’s located near Minneapolis.
ORIGINAL POST FROM 2012:
There appears to be an article about the Mahl Loader in the 1949 Municipal Journal & Engineer, Volume 80, but I can’t read the whole article. Farm Implement News, Volume 70 page 149, from 1949 also has an article, again I can’t read the whole thing.
Here’s a neat story from the Reading Eagle out of Reading, Pennsylvania.
Two bits of good news from Paul. One, his jeep was NOT affected by Alaska’s recent earthquake. He had the sense to bolt things to the wall that could potentially fall onto his jeep. Two, he’s made some more updates to Knardly Rolls! So, read on . . .
Looking towards Anchorage and the mountains beyond, January 2016. This was pre-earthquake, though it pretty much looks the same after the earthquake.
Paul writes, the progress so far this winter season on the Willys has been a little weird. Things started to get strange when I decided to fill the cooling system for the first time in 30 years. I’m an optimist but I like to think I’m based in reality so I told myself there’s always the possibility of leaks in the cooling system and having a couple of empty buckets ready to catch dripping antifreeze might be a good idea. With the empty buckets cleaned and placed nearby I poured the first gallon of antifreeze into the radiator.
After a short pause to inspect the hoses and connections for system integrity I began pouring the second gallon of coolant into the radiator and I quickly noticed my feet were getting quite wet. I managed to wedge the empty but rapidly filling buckets under the front axle where most of the escaping antifreeze could be captured since the leak appeared to be from the front of the engine by the timing chain cover. Oh well, it looks like yet another unexpected repair or modification needs my attention.
After the leak slowed down to a slight drip I repositioned one of the buckets directly below the radiator drain and began transferring the antifreeze from the cooling system into the bucket and then back into the gallon containers which is where this green fluid came from about 15 minutes earlier. When no more fluid flowed from the radiator drain and the recaptured antifreeze was safely back into the gallon containers I decided to call it a day and leave the heavy thinking for the tomorrow.
After having strange dreams throughout the night concerning the coolant leaks on the Willys, by the next morning I ready to start pulling components off the front of the engine so the timing cover could be removed for troubleshooting. Since the engine has never been run after being rebuilt this was a fairly quick and easy task.
Once the timing cover was out of the way and the front of the cylinder block could be inspected I learned an interesting bit of information about the Buick V-6 engine. The front of the block has 4 bolt holes (2 on the left and 2 on the right) for the timing cover to attach, BUT the timing cover is manufactured as either a 2 or a 4 bolt type.
The plugged bolt hole is the one closest to the right edge of the photo, it was left unplugged and partially exposed by the timing cover so the antifreeze flowed out quickly.
The timing cover on my engine is a 2 bolt type (where the coolant passage flows into the water pump) so the two unnecessary threaded holes in the block should’ve been plugged to prevent antifreeze from leaking. The unused threaded hole on the block is drilled into the coolant passage but the unused hole to the right is a blind hole and not open to the cooling system.
To prevent anymore leaks and to make me feel better I installed internal wrenching hex plugs in the unused holes . These plugs were screwed into position after the threads were cleaned and dried and the threads on the plugs were coated with gasket compound, then it was time for reassembly. Things were going pretty well until I noticed the rubber on the crank pulley damper was cracked and bulging out along the seam so this project came to a halt until the damper made a trip south to the Damper Doctor for a rebuild.
[editors note. I *think* it was in one of those holes that, during my very first engine rebuild, I put too long of bolt into one of the holes. I tightened it down, though it got difficult near the end. Imagine my surprise when the #1 cylinder piston kept hitting something while i tried spinning the crank. OOPS, I’d damaged the cylinder wall!!]
Two pieces of 3/4 inch plywood spread the clamping pressure and prevent damage to the metal when installing the abrasion panels to the underside of the fender.
