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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 .
Dan spotted this article about an unusual ‘jeep’ idea. Make sure to check out the video of it in action.
“It was designed to leap over small buildings in a single bound, but it never got off the ground.
Military contractor BAE Systems has unveiled a once-top secret “Jumping Jeep” that was under development in the 1960’s.
Designed by the British Aerospace Corporation, one of BAE’s predecessors, the off and above-roader was envisioned to be used as a go-anywhere reconnaissance vehicle.
“This 1:32 scale model of the classic Willys Jeep was issued by Daimler Chrysler in 2005. It was a limited edition and the only model of the Jeep that featured a fully-functional alarm clock.”
Kel is a visiting artist at gearheartshirts.com. He contacted me about some FC-150 shirts he has created for sale. I’ve never seen them in person.
“Forward Control. From the helm of this cab over 4×4 a driver can not only look incredibly cool but also roll over just about anything they want. This shirt features art inspired by a vintage brochure.”
We hit our goal on Monday of seeing three car museums in Indiana and enjoying lunch with Steve at an old fashioned diner called Schoops. The downside was . . . when we tried to leave Indiana, we encountered road construction and blocked traffic (I-80 westbound was standstill). What should have taken an hour and a half took three hours. We went right to bed and just woke up a little bit ago. So, there will likely be no updates today.
However, I do have this neat photo Randy shared. The wagon below may have been one of several (exactly how many we haven’t determined) built by Kaiser for touring Hawaii. Note the four doors, extended bodies, and sun roofs.
Steve and I outside Schoops for lunch in Warsaw, Indiana
On Monday June 17th, we decided to attempt three car museums in Indian within a single day. I’m happy to report that my wife was receptive to the idea and our adventure did not end in divorce!
On Monday June 17th we drove from Auburn, Indiana, to Chicago, Illinois.
Given they are essentially on the same campus, at least it seemed that way to me, you might think the two would offer a joint ticket package or jointly advertise. Instead, each barely mentioned the other on their respective websites. In fact, we only discovered the NATMUS after arriving to see the Auburn Cord museum on Sunday evening (but we arrived too late to get in).
The NATMUS building is in the distance, while the ACD museum is to the right.
Having mapped out our strategy, on Monday morning we began with the NATMUS, because it opens at 9am (the Auburn, Cord doesn’t open until 10am). Active Military get in free, which saved us some dollars.
The collection can be roughly divided into three sections. The first area is filled with toys of different sizes. While they were neat, we’d certainly seen more at the Antique toy and Fire Truck Museum.
On Saturday night, June 16th, we drove to Niles Ohio to spend the night. On Sunday we’d eventually reach Auburn, Indiana.
On Saturday night we drove from Cooper’s Lake, Pennsylvania, to Niles, Ohio. Sunday we drove from Niles to Auburn, Indiana.
We began with a leisurely morning, as the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio, didn’t open until 1pm on Sundays. Once ready to go, it was a short drive to the museum. It’s located in Warren because that’s where the first Packards were produced. In 1903, the company moved to Detroit.
Upon our arrival, one of the docents at the museum explained its history. The museum was started by a man (who’s name slipped into and right out of my memory) in Warren who couldn’t fit his Packard into a place he owned in Warren. He was a friend of the mayor, who managed to find a run-down building for the man in 1990 and arranged to have it leased to the man for $1 for 40 years. That’s not a bad price!
The man was able to fix up the place on the cheap, but it was more of a storage space than a museum space. Then, in 1999, the Packard Automobile Club descended upon the space to celebrate the 100th year of the Packard. A great party took place for a week. By the time the revelers left, 5 more Packards filled the building. Afterwards, steps were taken to turn the space into a formal museum.
Mark has liked jeeps ever since he was a kid. When he was 16 a local widow would let him drive her late ’57 CJ-5 to run errands. In 1992 he purchased his current jeep. He adds, “It had a lot of work accomplished but it had a lot to go, Since then, I’ve repainted, reupholstered, built and installed the outboard components (tire carrier, tow bar & jerry can rack), rebuilt the brake system, and rebuilt the engine. I don’t believe it’s perfect because learning and doing it yourself an important part of the Jeep experience. My wife & I enjoy our Jeep as a weekender. Currently it just keeps going with regular maintenance and repairs as needed. However, I have some projects (a hard top restoration) to enhance her.”
The reason Mark wrote was that last week he attended the Southern Indiana Antique & Machinery Club (aka SIAM) annual show held in Evansville, In. The show features antique farm machinery, Gas & steam engines, swap meet, flea market, food and bluegrass music. While walking through the garden tractor displays, he noticed a fabricated flat fender body on a garden tractor frame. The owner was away at the time, so he couldn’t ask about it.
Later, he came across a 1967 Tuxedo Park owned by another visitor (see attachments).
These photos were taken at a military show by Joe. He notes, “I photographed this TUG at the Gilbert, PA military vehicle rally some years ago. This model is especially significant to me since I first experienced a TUG first-hand at a Boy Scout Camp in the 1950’s when tasked with a work detail to ‘Spring Clean’ the area around and under the camp Mess Hall. Unbeknownst to us, the oversized crawl space under the building also happened to be the designated storage area for the camp jeep….. you guessed it, a Willys 6×6 known as an MT-TUG. It was complete with serial numbers, stars, data plates and other markings. As mere kids, we were fascinated with the 6-wheel jeep and spent the time pretending to drive the beast instead of actually cleaning the space as assigned. Lucky for us the 6 volt battery was dead. And, so began, at an early age, a life-long interest in jeeps, especially the olive-drab kind. It was also common knowledge within the camp that this jeep was experimental and one of only 15 built. (This fact was verified in books and articles on the MT-TUG published some 50 years later.) Anyway, the camp leaders also knew they had a rare vehicle on their hands and the scuttlebutt was that the jeep was going back to the manufacturer in even trade for a NEW Willys CJ5. I moved on from scouting after that and still don’t know if that deal ever came to fruition.”
Sebastian forwarded this photo of Gerald, Augusto, Sebastian, and myself. That’s Sebastian’s CJ-3B to the right.
On the morning of Saturday June 15th, I fixed some breakfast and enjoyed a leisurely start to the day.
At 10:30am, we left camp to stock up on some drinks at the local store. As we exited the one road into the campground and festival we were surprised to see a lineup of folks entering the festival that was at least 2 miles long!
Here are the lines of cars we passed on Saturday morning:
Not everyone was happy to see me. Henry claimed I made a comment that it was too bad someone painted his surrey brown. I couldn’t find any evidence that I said that though. His modified surrey is beautiful!! The windshield is one of the nicest I’ve ever seen. The backside was filled in and the front has been scalloped perfectly.
On Friday morning we had a quick one-hour drive to the Bantam Festival at Coopers Lake, Pennsylvania.
Friday’s drive from Canton, Ohio, to Coopers Lake, Pennsylvania.
Our first task was to set up camp. Much of that duty fell on Ann, as I needed to find out where I’d be giving Friday’s presentation. It was her idea to add the sign marking out encampment. Thankfully, the rains that had fallen all week stopped in time for the festive and we were able to find a dry patch of grass to call home.
Soon, it was time for me to give my presentation. The crowd was light everywhere on Friday and only seven people attended my presentation.
After the presentation, I met folks and handed out some free posters.
