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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 .
Prior to the finalization of the MB Jeep, The American Bantam, Ford, and Willys all created pilot and prototype jeeps in an attempt to win Army contracts. Bantam built the very first jeep, the Bantam BRC. They also built the BRC-60 and BRC-40. Ford built the Pygmy, the Budd, and the GP. Willys built the Willys Quad and the Willys MA. Checker appears to have built one based on Bantam parts. Finally, are rumors of a jeep by York-Hoover, but I’ve never nailed down actual pictures. See this post: http://www.ewillys.com/2010/03/14/york-hoover-all-terrain-prototype/
Steve spotted this one. The photo sold for $129.50 yesterday. It was listed as a photo of the first Ford GPW, but this is actually (I assume) the first Ford GP produced.
“A Vintage 1941 Original Photo announcing the introduction of the U.S. Army’s newest midget car called a “Jeep” ! This small four-wheel drive utility vehicles would become an icon of World War II Jeep. Here is the very 1st one to roll of the production line. Original press stamp and caption with a 2-28-41 date on the verso of this early photo of the famed vehicle”
“ If you’ve been looking for a good prototype jeep to restore, you have just found one. This jeep has been a three year project but unfortunately I have two other jeeps under restoration so I’m selling this one. It is a matching numbers second series GP. As you will see in the pictures the body was pretty good prior to restoration. It comes with almost everything needed to finish it. If it is not listed it does not come with the jeep. All panels were in great shape except for the floors. A new floor has been spot welded in but needs to be finished. The original tail panel was dented up so it was removed to take care of the dents. it still needs to be installed so the jeep can be re assembled. The engine was rebuilt by a machine shop very familiar with this engine. The head, angle drive distributor housing, intake, exhaust manifold, are all original and correct. The drive train is complete with the correct scalloped axles. A lot of the parts have been media blasted and painted but some are still in primer. The jeep will come with a solex and a reproduction air cleaner. A few of the parts such as voltage regulator, circuit braker, coil etc. are NOS that I’ve saved for this jeep. I tried to list everything that comes with the jeep but I’m sure I’m missing something so if you want to know please ask before you make a decision to bid. I’ve included some before pictures and some pictures of the restoration process. This is a great opportunity to get a GP at a fraction of its value. What you see is what you get, everything pictured comes with the vehicle”
Paul’s ‘Goddess’ forwarded me a link about Yale’s Photogrammar website that contains 170,000 photographs from 1935 to 1945 created by the United State’s Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information (FSA-OWI).
One of the neater features shows all the photos mapped by county across the United States. Click here to see it: http://photogrammar.yale.edu/map/
The folks at FSA-OWI also had time to get jeep photos. You’ve likely seen many of them, but there are a few I don’t remember seeing. Here are my jeep search results.
Ford GP … Baltimore, Maryland. Colonel H.J. Lawes, post commander, Holabird quartermaster depot and commandant of the quartermaster motor transport school at the wheel of a “jeep” giving his pupils first-hand instructions on the vehicle training ground during a two-week preventive maintenance for motor vehicles course for officers
Fort Riley, Kansas. A jeep of a mechanized cavalry reconnaissance unit carrying a thirty caliber machine gun during a field problem. April 1942. Photo by Jack Delano.
Bob took some photos of this beautiful GP the weekend.
“Saw this nice ford gp at the ragersville, Ohio car and power show today. Guy has owned it for 30 years. It came out of Colorado. Still has the right engine and drivetrain. Nicely restored by the owner.”
