emailNeed to contact me and don't have my email? Click on email button.
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 .
Roger Martin spotted this odd looking jeep-truck on Facebook. The caption indicates it was taken in December of 1960 in Vienna, Austria.
This ad was published in the March 6, 1943, issue of Collier’s. I wish I could locate an online archive for that magazine. Anyone know of one?
View all the information on eBay
“This is a vintage original ad, not a copy or reproduction. Neatly removed from magazine. Would look beautiful framed. Measures 10 and 1/2 inches by 14 inches.”
UPDATE 3: There are some broken links, so I’ll need to spend some time and clean up this post.
UPDATE 2: Daniel Strohl over at Hemmings provided a solid background update about Wally Cohn.
“Born in 1924 in Germany, his father and stepmother sent him to the Chicago area in 1937 both to live with family and to escape the increasingly anti-Semitic mood in Germany. After Kristallnacht, his older brother Herman, his father Siegfried, and his stepmother joined him in Chicago. Walter flew 30 missions for the U.S. Army Air Corps as a bombardier during the war, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Bronze Star and rising at least to the rank of Sergeant. After the war, he served as a member of the chief justice’s staff during the war crimes trials in Nuremberg, then returned to the United States and founded W&W Foreign Auto Parts in Blue Island, Illinois.”
UPDATE: A reader named Clint just determined what type of vehicle Wally was using — A 1936-1940 Opel Olympia. Here are two links to images: Link 1 & Link 2. Thanks Clint!
ORIGINAL POST published in 2010: I ran across the images shown below and others. I didn’t think much of them until I looked more closely. It appears the builder, who I assume is Wally Cohn, has merged a 1936-1940 Opel Olympia with a MB to create, arguably, the first Jeepster-like vehicle, except it is four wheel drive. The ‘Wally’ appears to use the entire jeep drive train. If you look in back, you’ll even see this car can tow a trailer!
Who is Wally Cohn? I have no idea. I can’t seem to find anything about him, other than his name was Wally Cohn and he was nicknamed the Jeep King by photographer Walter Sanders.
Photographer Walter (Wally) Sanders worked for Life Magazine from 1944 to 1961. After growing up and leaving Germany for the US in 1937, he returned in early 1946 and lived the rest of his life in Europe, mostly in Munich. You can learn more about his biography here.
Because Walter was in Europe during December of 1946, and because these photos were snapped during that month, and because of Wally’s uniform (which Bob noted is an Army Airforce Uniform), I have concluded that Wally Cohn was a member of the armed services trying to merge cars and jeeps into a Wally vehicle of some kind (note the name Wally is displayed prominently on the dash in one of the pics).
This would be a great collector’s item — and a cool jeep too!
Mike spotted this 1960s photo on Facebook. It shows some DJ-3A Dispatchers doing pizza delivery work for Volcano Pizzeria, a North New Jersey pizza place in the 1960s. Mike notes there were a lot of pizza jeeps in the area at the time.
Mike shared this pic he found on Facebook. It appears to be a lengthened and modified CJ-2A (based on the windshield). Anyone know what happened to this jeep?
Make-shift water crossing. As Race pointed out, “Nectar” should be spelled Neckar River in the text.
View all the information on eBay
“1945 Press Photo Infantry Support Raft Ferries Men & Jeeps Across Nectar River. This is an original press photo. With bridges blown up by retreating Germans, an infantry support raft ferries men and their jeep across the Nectar River. Part of the famous old university city of Heidelberg, now in American hands, can be see in the background. Photo measures 8 x 6.25 inches. Photo is dated 4-2-1945.”
UPDATE: Thanks to Tremaine for supplying better pics of the CJ-2 grille guards seen in a couple of these photos.
Original Post March 4, 2019: These photos were published in the July 22, 1945, issue of the Sunday Star Gravure Section of the newspaper. I don’t think I’ve seen a photo of the jeep pulling the trailer from the driver’s side.
It feels dramatic.
View all the information on eBay
“1950 Press Photo Medical Team Carries Wounded to Jeeps in Masan Sector of Korea.
This is an original press photo. Korean War, United States Wounded Evacuation: Wounded in the desperate battle for the hill in the background, a 25th infantry division soldier was carried to a waiting jeep in Korea by medical department men. The action took place in the Masan sector on the southern front. Mountain heights and other elevations are of prime importance in this area, and some have changed hands several times. Photo measures 8.25 x 8.5 inches. Photo is dated 09-11-1950.”
Mark shared a story about the death of Bertha Durpe, one of the few women who served with the 6888th CPD Battalion, an All-Black WAC unit that went overseas to help the war effort. The photo below doesn’t show the former Master-Sergeant Dupree, but it’s still a neat photo.
You can read a little about Ms. Dupree here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article226817444.html
More on the 6888th:
Mike shared this older photo of what could be a jeep ‘dressed’ in a sponge. Anyone know any history about it? The photo is supposed to be from 1964.
