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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 .
This undated article and photo from an unknown newspaper was posted to Facebook where Roger Martin spotted it. The “classy jeep” is driven by Lieut. Commander W. P. Tyler, USN, of Medium Seaplane Squadron Three. There were eighteen privately owned jeeps undergoing modifications. My guess is that the photo was taken post WWII given the jeeps were privately owned.
This article from the December 30, 1942, issue of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram shares a press photo that has been available on eBay a couple times. Camp Hale was located just north of Leadville. It sat at 9500 felt and must have been a difficult place to train (cold + high altitude .. even the USO didn’t go there). The camp was only active until 1945.
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UPDATE Posted Feb 14, 2018: Here’s the same photo with nearly the same caption on eBay. The one shown at the bottom of the post was for sale on eBay in 2015.
“1942 Press Photo Soldiers driving jeeps through snow at Camp Hale, Colorado.
This is an original press photo. Snow jeeps—Parka-clad soldiers whip howitizer-carrying jeeps through unbroken snow at Camp Hale, high in the Colorado Rockies. The pack artillery of the Camp Hale mountain troops use the rugged little jeeps to carry dismantled sections of 75 millimeter howitzers until the going is so rough that mules have to take over (United States) (Wars) (World War II) (Camp Hale, Colorado) (Mountain troops) Photo measures 9.25 x 7 inches. Photo is dated 12-23-1942.”
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Original Post May 2, 2015: “1942 WWII Parka Clad Soldiers In Jeeps Camp Hale Colorado Press Photo”
UPDATE II: Unfortunately, while the photo sold, the seller was unable to find it.
UPDATE: This photo shows two photographers riding through the water taking photos as Sgt. Roy Harmon, from Washington, D.C., navigates the jeep (named The Reluctant Turtle). Given it was taken in October, the water can’t be very warm. Below this photo are two additional photos that also include Roy Harmon from the same event.
“This is an original press photo. Bay Ridge, Maryland — Photographers hitch a ride to photograph the progress of the “underwater” jeep demonstrated by the Navy today (October 17). Sgt. Roy Harmon, USMC of Washington, DC, clothes in a Marine wading outfit, drives the jeep in 6-foot of water. The underwater operation is made possible by a waterproof kit, which contains an ignition system, waterproof battery, distributor and coil, and aviation-type spark plugs. Two periscope-like pipes serve for the air intake and the exhaust. The jeep, which cannot float, can cavort around in water 6-feet deep for a period of 45-minutes and will make amphibious operations much easier.Photo measures 9 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated 10-17-1946.”
The October 21, 1946, issue of Hope Star (Hope, Arkansas) featured this image:
An October 21, 1946, article in the The Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey) provides some great additional details about the ‘submarine’ kit:
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Original Post in 2017: The below photo was likely taken by the intrepid photographers pictured in the photos above:
As part of the post, Luis added the following comment: “Its a true USMC jeep as seen by the use of the electric “Dynamo” windshield wiper motor which were used only on Marine Corp jeeps, these motors are quite rare and highly desirable for a true USMC jeep restoration.”
From the eBay ad: “1946 Press Photo Bay Ridge MD Sgt Roy Harmon USMC in underwater jeep. .This is an original press photo. Photo measures 9 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated 10-17-1946.”
Tyndall Field in Florida is credited with creating the first “jeep range”, a place where jeeps carried objects for gunnery practice. Here are a few pics and articles about “jeep ranges”.
This photo appeared in the Atlanta Constitution Sun newspaper on June 06, 1943:
A year earlier, a model plane was attached to a jeep in the first iteration of a jeep range:
Here are some larger photos of the ones shown above from the July 12, 1942, issue of the Fort Worth Star Telegram:
These pics are likely from the late 1940s and show a CJ-2A being ferried across the Rio Magdalina river in Colombia.
View all the information on eBay
“(circa late 1930’s, early 1940’s)… A great series chronicling the task of getting your jeep across the Rio Magdalina, Colombia South America… jungle-primitive as one would expect! Great detail showing the car ferry and their local methods of getting across river. Photo Came from an estate where owner spent years in Colombia as a pilot. These are original photos! …as you can see, original owner had one blown up to bigger size… Big one measures about 7.5″ x 5.5″ while the smaller about 4″ x 2.75 inch. $2 DOMESTIC S/H… (or, Worldwide, International S/H $3.95).”
An article in the June 22, 1978, issue of the Longview Daily News highlighted an upcoming Road Rebels jeep club payday. The reference to 199 trophies to be awarded reminded me of just how big of an event the Sunday evening trophy awards could be. They could last hours. People usually lumped together by clubs in one large group. Each name would be called. Imagine it takes one minute to hand out each trophy; in the case of this event you’d be looking at over three hours for 199 trophies.
This 7″x5″ photo shows a Jeep Station painted up for an American Relief of Poland campaign.
” US Shipping is $4 per photo/lot as listed. Photo shipped in archival plastic sleeve & in greeting card w/ stamp.”
Thanksgiving is a sign that 2020 is almost over …
Mark shared this photo of a CJ-2A and a successful turkey hunt. Per a website about Texas license plate history, the plate indicates this is a 1950 plate, meaning it is likely a 1950 photo. Unfortunately, the KT on the left side of the plate is not a county abbreviation or code.
This nice little nugget of Willys history has been posted since 2011, but somehow I missed it. The Kaiser Willys blog has three photos of a CJ-2 (not CJ-2A) Fire Jeep that includes the “JEEP” plate across the front of the windshield.
https://blog.kaiserwillys.com/the-postwar-willys-cj-2-fire-jeep
UPDATE: The press photo at bottom was published in several newspapers, including the February 04, 1945, issue of the Knoxville News-Sentinel:
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Originally Posted May 14, 2016:
“1945- Barrage rockets are readied for firing from an experimental rocket firing jeep at test range in Inyokern, California. Photos measure approx. 7″ x 9”.
