emailNeed to contact me and don't have my email? Click on email button.
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 .
Here’s a wonderful build, an experiment by a reader named Chad. He wanted to know what a Ford Model A Roadster would look like if Willys built it. So, naturally, he built one himself!
He writes, “Did all of it myself except the upholstery, in my home garage. It’s got a flathead V8 for power and took between 6 and 8 years start to finish. The dDrivetrain is flathead V8 adapted to a C-4 automatic adapted to Dana 18. Front axle is Dana 27 w/Corvette discs….rear is Dana 44 with one piece axles and Lock-rite geared 4.27. I thought maybe it would be a four year job, but stuff happens and there was a whole lot of headscratching to make things look ‘somewhat factory’. I used as many factory parts as I could but not necessarily the way they were used ‘by the factory’…..(those are Jeepster tailights, but they aren’t mounted that way on a Jeepster, just as an example).”
Based on a reader’s inquiry, I decided to do some research regarding the Veep. I’ve seen a few of these for sale over the past couple of years, but it doesn’t happen often and I really knew nothing about them. So, here’s the little bit I learned.
According to the Dune Buggy Archives, the Veep was sold as both a completed jeep and as a kit by Hadley Engineering, which was based at 1778 Monrovia, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 (maybe they are still there). The company claimed that any Beetle or Karman Ghia could be used to build a Veep in about 40 hours.
I’ve only seen two engine sizes so far, a 1600 cc or a 1800 cc VW motor. The suspension, frame, and running gear is all VW. Most of the veeps appear to use a replacement M-38 body, though one ad below claims a ’42 body (mb or gpw) was used. The gas tank is mounted in the front, which simply looks odd when you open the hood. Below is a couple brochures and some misc Veeps. In the posts below are some additional Veeps.
I’m still hardly an expert on these, so if you have additional information, I’d love to learn more.
Gary has become a regular reader. His green CJ-5 is undergoing a makeover, with a body purchased off craigslist coupled with a rebuilt motor (134 F is in the machine shop), including a new engine kit and re-ground crank. You can see his starting jeep in the pic below. Gary is also working on a spare tire carrier for the back of his CJ-5 which he plans to share when it is finished. Thank for sharing!
Gary also provided pics of his friend Lawrence’s jeeps.
The first of Lawrence’s jeeps is a CJ-2A which he cut and converted to a two wheel drive truck. Lawrence is pictured here.
The next is a cj3B with a 2.8 chevrolet engine and a T14 transmission. (He calls it a John Deere Jeep).
The seller is interested in some trades, including a “tandem axle enclosed trailer or Toy Hauler such as a roadmaster campmaster, Work & Play or similar. I may also be interested in a Jeep Wrangler, a nice 3/4 ton pickup for towing a trailer on trips, Classic Car in driver condition, several nice items for my gun cabinet or ? Email me with photos, descriptions of your item(s) to trade and your proposal”.
And, from a previous ad:
“You are looking at a Roof Palomino riding mower. There were a few of these produced with the Jeep Body in the 60’s and 70’s by the Roof Mfg. Co. was in Pontiac, IL. This one has had a few very minor modifications from the original such as the roll bars and there has been a couple of holes cut in the sheet metal that can easily be repaired (see pictures) just finding one of these being sold is quite a task. I have decided to sell a few of the rarest garden tractors out of my collection if you know anything about these you will know this is a really good price. This would be a great golf cart or advertising item. Serious inquiries only”
One source argues that the Topeka Hiway Mowers were built by ‘Shorty’ Meinhardt, who founded Meinholt Machine and Welding in Topeka Kansas. Shorty’s grandson Dean Fechter now runs the business. According to Meinhardt’s cousin, the first mower they built rolled over and broke Shorty’s back. But, that didn’t stop them from building more tractors.
Yet, according to at least one data plate, the Topeka Hiway mower was produced out of Irwindale, California, a product of the American Hoist & Derrick Company. Can anyone clear up the discrepancy between producers of the mower?
I have kept records of all of the people I know who have these mowers and information about the style, age and attachments. So far I have found three distinct styles. The oldest style appears to date to the late 1930s and uses Ford-style sheet metal and running gear. Examples are owned by collectors near Seattle, Wash., and Hartsville, Tenn.
The second style closely follows a CJ Willys/Jeep and uses a Continental 4-cylinder flathead engine, 3- or 4-speed transmission, and Dana 18 transfer case. The mower attachments on these were either a sickle bar or rotary. I think later mowers of this style included a windshield. I have found two examples of the later style Topeka Hi Way mower. One was recently sold by the Montana Highway Dept., and the other is in Lyons, Colo.
Most, if not all, of the mowers were painted yellow. To date, I have recorded the names and addresses of 11 owners in eight states. Just today I added two more contacts. By including my previous letter in your magazine, you have generated many of my contacts. I’d like to receive information from your readers about anyone who has one of these mowers or knows where one might be found. Thank you for producing such a wonderful magazine and assisting me in researching the Topeka Hi Way mower.
Here are some examples of the jeep version of the Topeka Mower:
“RARE WILLYS TOPEKA MODEL. ASSEMBLED IN TOPEKA KANSAS. ALL HYDRAULIC WITH POWER STEERING. HAS A CONTINENTAL FOUR CYLINDER INDUSTRIAL ENGINE WITH ABOUT 1100 HUNDRED HOURS. FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, TWO WHEEL DRIVE, HIGH LOW RANGE, FOUR WHEEL IN AND OUT AND HAND THROTTLE FOR THE REAR HYDROLICS SUCH AS LOG SPLITTER, DISC ETC. FOUR WAY PLOW, HEATER, WITH DEFROST AND REMOVEABLE CAB. GREAT FOR THE SUMMER ALSO. A SICKLE BAR OR ROTARY MOWER CAN BE ADDED ON THE RIGHT SIDE. HAS REAR HYDRAULIC REMOTES FOR ATTACHMENTS. TITLE NOT NEEDED AS ITS CONSIDERED AS A MOWER OR YOU COULD GET ONE AS IT HAS ALL THE STREET LEGAL ITEMS. NEW TIRES AND RUNS AND DRIVES GREAT.”
Hurray! I finally have some pics of an flattie swamp racer. I knew one of these would pop up sooner or later!
“F-Head 4 cyl jeep engine complete, T-90 transmission fresh rebuild. Dana 18 or 20 transfer case. Complete racing elctronic ignition. Spare duplicate ignition system. Autometer gauges, Autometer procomp memory 9K 5” tack. Removable steering wheel
pass and driver seats with 5 point harness. Sweet racing rack and pinion. Sway bar. Dana 30 open knuckle ft. diff. 5:38 gears. “44 flanged axle rear” 5:38. 1- piece tilt front end. Full roll cage. Ldder bar coilover shocks rear. 3 gal alum. fuel cell. Fire extinguesher. # plate. Ar pick up box. Rear mounted alum. core radiator with all plumbing. Battery box with acc cables + hold down. Pan hard bar. Drive shaft loops F+R. Tow hooks F+R. Smached 9000X16 military tires. Fresh blue paint. Rear mounted kill switch. Metalic clutch disc + pressure plate. 2X2 into 1 header. New 500 holley carb (raced one time). Carb adapter. Alum. gas pedal. Also some other general spare parts. $ 3,500 OBO CALL RICK 813-3682730 DONT E-MAIL I WONT RESPOND”
As I note in the above post, I was checking out the 4×4 Offroaders of Karachi when I found this gem of a story. It’s a beautiful rebuild. I’d sure like to know why the builders wife wanted an F1; a rather strange request! Here is an excerpt:
“Soon after we got married, my wife Sabiha asked me to get a Ford F1 truck for her. I tried my best but could not find any in Pakistan. Some thirty years later, on one of her visits to America, she found one in a small town called Dry Town near Sacramento, California. She convinced the owner to sell it to her and I think she got it for $140 (exact amount she has not told me – only that it cost more to have it towed to our friend Javed Akber’s house in Sacramento). Till we could figure out how to have it shipped to Karachi, for over a year the Ford truck remained parked in Javed’s garage (while their own two cars remained out in the open).” Read more …
I found the image below on eBay. The bidding has ended, but I”m sure it will return. I thought it looked very similar to Brian’s CJ-3B (or former CJ-3B — did you ever sell it?). After located a pic of the CJ-3B, I concluded it must have been used as the model of the drawing.
According to an old ebay listing, this particularly drawing is a run of 250 prints of a drawing by artist Duke Edwards. I didn’t know who Duke Edwards was, so I did a google search and found the information below from the ‘Automotive Art Gallery‘.
“Duke has been “doodling” for almost 40 years but had limited his clientele to friends and local car clubs. Since making his work available to the public, he has received international recognition and has pieces on museum display as well as in private collections. For just “doodling” Duke is amazingly talented.”
“New Aluminum CJ3A JEEP body on a new 1973 CJ5 powder coated frame. This frame allows the use of a V8 engine. Powder coated Dana 44 rear, Dana 30 front, and Dana 300 Transfer case, are geared for the new tires installed on the polished aluminum wheels. A complete new power disc brake system is still in the boxes. New parts include a new fuel cell, fuel line, wiring harness, body mounts and suspension parts. All the parts for this project cost over $17,000, not including the powder coating, windshield frame and original front grill. I don’t even want to think about how much was spent on powder coating parts. I will offer delivery within a reasonable distance. Call for a list of all the new parts included with this offer. May trade. Call me with what you have.”
