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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 .
“1951 willys Jeep. Have 90% of the parts. There is not rot on it at all it has been in a garage all it’s life. Motors all there needs to be gone through before running it. I have the front seats they will need to be re covers but there not bad. Has big tires on it solid front a rear axles. Not in a rush to sell it but I’m also not giving it away. Yes it needs work but you won’t find one in this good of condition in ct. has a new body on it an I have the receipt. Will trade for a tractor with a bucket an a 3 point hitch attachment”
Maury shared this video from Collins Brothers Jeep (out of Wylie, Texas) of a 1970 CJ-5 with only 882 miles. (In case the video doesn’t work correctly, the 1970 CJ-5 portion begins near the 5:20 mark).
UPDATE: Maury shared a magazine page on eBay that contains a similar ad to the one shown at the bottom of this page. It’s almost identical, except that Jeep now appears with single-quotes.
The use of single quotes outside of a set of double quotes is uncommon. One editor summed it up best by describing it’s use this way: If a phrase or a word is uncommon or you are highlighting it to the reader for a particular reason – for example, as a neologism or a conscious use of jargon – use single quotation marks. Any punctuation sits outside single quotation marks. Thus, I suspect Willys-Overland felt they could defend the use of ‘JEEP’ by describing it’s presence as a descriptive use of jargon, rather than an attempt to back into the trademarking of the name. However, backing into the trademark using single quotes was exactly what the company was doing.
To answer the question I asked in the original post (was the bottom ad a local dealer or national corporate campaign), given these two ads appeared in two different national magazines, it seems likely this simple ad construction was part of a national campaign by Willys-Overland to begin prepping the public for post war jeep sales, This particular ad appeared in the October 1944 issue of Successful Farming.
The purposeful addition of the single quotes reflects a similar change seen in the iconic Saturday Evening Posts during 1944, as demonstrated in these ads. The first highlighted ad of February 05, 1944, was the first time Willys-Overland replaced the prominent WILLYS stamp on the Post ads with JEEP (or in this case JEEPS) with no single quotes.
What isn’t quite the same is that the Midland Journal ad below without the single quotes lasted longer (through October 6 1944) than the Saturday Evening Post ads. Perhaps Willys-Overland purchased several months of ads beginning in June of 1944 right before the addition of the single quotes too place? However it happened, what the ad above shows is that Willys was correcting the single quotes’ issue across its advertising.
Originally published March 29, 2020: Here’s an unusually small and succinct ad that appeared seven times in the Midland Journal out of Rising Sun, Maryland, from June 30, 1944, through October 6, 1944. I’ve yet to run across this specific ad elsewhere.
One thing to note is that in July of 1944, Willys-Overland began using single quotes around the word Jeep like this ‘Jeep’ major magazine ads, yet that was not done in any of the newspaper ads in the Midland Journal, as shown below. (Ed note …. Yeah, I know, not earth shattering news, but I never know when little details like this will add up to some insight).
In the miscellaneous-facts-that-probably-weren’t-accurate-at-all …. According to the July 05, 1944, issue of the Conneautville Courier (Conneautville, Pennsylvania), the standard jeep weighed 2,368lbs, while the crates used to box jeeps weighted 784lbs. I wonder how many jeeps and how many crates actually weight those amounts?
“1946 willy’s CJ2A needs to be restored and rebuilt also comes with two engines 2.2 l I would like to get as much as I can out of it. There getting harder to find.”
“1946 Jeep willys with 4.3 vortec engine and transmission. Was running and driving but now won’t move. Maybe transmission maybe something else. Was driving and went to go somewhere won’t move. Wish I had the time to work on but not looking like anytime soon. Obviously needs pretty much full restoration but definitely a good start. Don’t waste either of our time with offers by text, they are worthless and zero people who make offers by phone ever show”
“Would like to sell for 1400 or trade. Clean title in hand. Its got floorboard rust and its a project. I started raptor lining it od green and have the rest of the liner to finish it to go with it. Original 4 cylinder spins over freely. Comes with factory axles and a set of jeep cherokee axles. Have way too many projects. Wheels and tires in pictures don’t go with it”
“Custom 59 Jeep Pickup rat rod, 430 Buick motor, automatic Trans, with quick change heavy duty rear, fuel cell, new battery, huge wide 5 tires and rims, electric fan, custom air cleaner, Wildwood front brake assembly, all new tires, must be seen.OR OFFER thanks Paul. OR TRADE. RAT ROD”
Seller is accepting offers, so unclear how firm he is on the listed price (and I’m unclear just how much value is here).
“No titles two frames and a ton of other parts sat in a field forever engine was locked up needs complete rebuild the transmission transfer case is a t-84 wwii steering wheel Rims I have all three styles two are non slotted I’ve got the axles brakes another block extra parts.. never had the tub for it one of the frames is rusted the other is good. You’ll have to come and take a look at whats here I haven’t looked at this stuff in a year or so..then make an offer.”
