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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 .
“Selling my 1950 Willys CJ3A. Mostly all original! 134 flat head engine and all drivetrain are original. New leaf springs provide a little bit of lift over original height. I’ve been working on this for a few years and just don’t have the time to finish this. This does run and is drivable but it’s been garaged the past few years and maintained. Plenty of new parts already installed and more parts waiting to be installed.
New parts include: leaf springs, shocks, BFG mud terrain tires, water pump, carburetor, spark plugs and wires, all new brakes (wheel cylinders, lines, master cyl), engine and drivetrain fluids/lubricants, and various other parts like gaskets and windshield seal when those are ready for installation.
Fenders, grill, hood, windshield frame and tailgate were all media blasted and primed. Have been working on the typical body problems found with these old Willys.”
“350 Chevy powered classic flat fender. Muncie SM420 4 speed transmission (granny low,) Spicer 18 transfer case, full width Dana 44 axles with air lockers front and rear, onboard air, forged aluminum wheels (incl spare), one piece hood and fenders for much easier engine access. Those are the big upgrades, but there are lots of others – too many to list. The front seats are shabby, but I have a set of good condition, cloth seats from an early model 4runner (the ones that had a physical therapist on the design team – wayyyy better than the Ricaros.) Also have a spare SM420 (no, I don’t want to sell it separately) and a full cloth top. As you can see, the paint needs some help. The floor pan has all been replaced with heavier gauge sheet metal, but it’s also due for fresh paint. Runs strong, but could use a carb expert to get it dialed. Had to move in with elderly parent and don’t have room or time for all the toys, so it has to go. The best way to get in touch is to email me your phone number. Offers from people who have not come to take a look in person will be ignored. Clean CA title in hand”
“1944 Jeep Willys MB. Bought as a project but I need the room so it must go. Ford flathead conversion done by previous owner. Not ruining but pretty complete. Great project for jeep or military enthusiast. 2500 obo.”
UPDATE: After spotting an ad I hadn’t published yet (seen below), I realized that there was Desert Dog history that existed among various posts. So, this combines all that into more of a narrative.
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If you have read eWillys for any length of time, you know I’ve been a fan of Desert Dog tires for years. I still have eight desert dogs, some solid lettering and some outlined, as shown in the pic below:
According to Louis Larson, the Desert Dog tire was launched in 1970. He knows this, because in 1970 he became the first person to test out the new style of tires (see the bottom of this CJ-3B Page article). The tires were given to Louis for testing and photographing.
David Maxwell, a former Formula tires salesman, reported that the tires were always made by Armstrong, but marketed through the Formula brand, the president of which was a friend of David’s (see David’s comment and many others on this post). The company made a large number of retreads, so a number of tires also had Firestone on the side, too.
The tires proved popular quickly. Les Schwab was a big fan of them and ran them on his jeep (jeeps?). He also sold both new and retread tires out of his main shop in Prineville (see Les Schwab’s biography here).
For PNW jeepers, the tires were a perfect blend for racing and for jeeping and the varied terrains of the PNW (sand, gravel, rocks, mountain sides, mud, etc … as Joe1148 highlights in his comment here .. though I can attest to it as well). On the downside, their road life was short (some estimate about 10k miles) and they tended to be noisy. The tires’ popularity gained them prominence, and soon they were added to charts showing tire options, such as this January 1972 ad:
By 1973, Desert Dogs were being advertised in Four Wheeler Magazine (ads at the bottom of this post) and sold across the country. This Smith Jeep, Inc. ad from North Franklin, Connecticut, in the July 1973 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine is one example of an East Coast offering:
Eventually, the Formula brand expand its offering. I don’t know when each of these tires was introduced (I think this ad is from 1975, but have to confirm it), but Formula was soon offering more tires choices:
The July 1973 and August 1973 issues of Four Wheeler Magazine included these two ads for fiberglass racing shells. I’m not sure when World Plastics began advertising in the magazine, but I doubt it had been for very long. The ad on the right shows a full-body size flat fender shell, while the ad on the right shows a narrow body shell (both Bobcat and Parkette also produced racing shells).
I don’t know how long these were offered, what happened to the shells, or what happened to the World Plastic’s company.
“This jeep has been with me over 12 yrs it is titled and platted in fl it has a built v-6 a 4 speed manual w- creeper gear it has it all from aluminum radiator lockers in rear full roll cage fuel cell remote battery with power disconnect”
I have way to much stuff on my property . Most of it has been sold and not picked up yet . Thank you to the guy who picked up the boat yesterday after 6 months .. I really need this stuff gone to the others . No i am not selling what has already been sold . I just at least need to get some of these parts gone . This post is for the 42-47 willys parts . Come get it all $7000.
Complete running 47 With title in hand . Chevy v-8 283 headers Turbo 350 T-18 t-case Dana 44 front with ARB 4:30 and disk brakes . High steer . Dana 44 rear, full float ,chromo , locker, disk brakes . 23 gallon aluminum fuel cell . R.O.P. Cage Suspention seats 4-point racing harness New 35″ mud terrain’s Locking Fluid box . Yard sale storage deck in rear . CB / PA Comes with short solid steer axles for building trailers . 3 tail gates two of those willys. Willys hood 2 sets of fenders Willys windshield frame and glass
