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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 .
Here’s a set of Ford GPs in Burma during WWII. The photo is from the June 08, 1942, issue of Life Magazine. The article, “Flight from Burma” on page 30, is a fascinating tale of the desertion of the Rangoon, as told by George Rodger, the photographer pictured in the photo with the two Ford GPs below.
Search for Life Magazine June 8, 1942, on eBay
Later in the issue (page 56) is this ad with a jeep:
1950 photo of the Centre D’Art CJ-2A. This is a snapshot from the US Information Service video shown below.
Note how much more complex the art looks in this photo than in the video. This is DeWitt Peters with his Centre D’Art CJ-2A. http://www.haitipolicy.org/Vernisage.htm?PHPSESSID=
In 1943, WWII conscientious objector and artist American DeWitt Peters chose to go to Haiti to teach English. After a year, he wrote to the Haiti’s Ministry of Education and suggested he could do more for Haiti by establishing a school of painting. Using some of his own money, along with US State Department and Haitian funds, he helped launch the LE CENTRE D’ART. The goal of the center was to encourage the development of Haiti artists and folk art.
Image is from Life Magazine circa 1947. This looks different from the other photos. It is possible the jeep was repainted regularly.
To help advertise the Center’s work, Dewitt Peters used his jeep as a rolling mural. As you can imagine, this color jeep must have been quite a sight motoring around Port-au-Prince. Dewitt also used the jeep to deliver art supplies to rural painters. The video below from the United States Information Service shows his jeep from timestamps 5:17 to about 8:00. Too bad it isn’t in color.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mr1USFY3mY
Many publications credit DeWitt for launching a renaissance in Haitian folk art, however some historians question his overall impact. However, one thing he might have launched is the Tap Tap Buses and Taxis, whose outsides are highly colorful and continue to shuffle riders to this day. Unfortunately, the Centre’ d’Art’s building was completely demolished in the Haitiian Earthquake.
Here are a few links of interest:
Life Magazine captured the scene when a convoy of jeeps and trucks navigated over the Burma road and reached Kunming, China, for the first time. The article is called “Life Goes Over the Stilwell Road” and was published in the March 12, 1945, issue on page 117.
This link gives more context to the images and shows them all: http://cbi-theater-2.home.comcast.net/~cbi-theater-2/overroad/overroad.html
You can read the original article in full on google: http://books.google.com/books?id=9lIEAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=march+1948+magazine+jeep&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YbHtUrzoGZK7oQSa1IKgBQ&ved=0CFQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22kunming%20after%20a%20journey%20of%201%2C000%20miles%22&f=false
Search for March 12, 1945 issues of Life Magazine on eBay
Not a great day for driving a jeep. This 1950 photo of Nightmare Alley was shot as these troops retreated. The temperature was estimated at -40 degrees. Read more about this LIfe Magazine photo here.
David Douglas Duncan / TIME & LIFE Pictures.
U.S. Marine crouching down next to his jeep while leading a convoy of vehicles during the 1st Marine Division’s retreat down canyon road they called “Nightmare Alley,” after being cut off by the Red Chinese and under fire from nearby hills in December 1950.
Life magazine photographer W. Eugene Smith too this photo on Mariana Island of Saipan during the summer of 1944. You can see more photos at dailymail.co.uk’s site. As you can see, both of these jeeps are MB Slatgrilles. Interesting that the spares are stored in the same place used later by the CJs.
The August 03, 1942, issue of Life Magazine has an article about Transport Planes. The article includes photos of some GPWs. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want to be wedged in there next to the jeep during a bumpy flight!
You can see the entire article at Google Books
There is a copy of this issue on eBay as well.
John spotted this photo on this website from page 29 of the March 30, 1942, issue of Life Magazine. The article covered the Flying Tigers and features some great photos.
Here’s a copy of the magazine for sale on eBay
The Princeton graduating class of 1932 used a jeep to celebrate their 15th reunion (in 1947) by hauling a keg in it. This photo was published in the June 16, 1947, issue of Life Magazine (page 60).
The related article takes an in-depth look at the class of ’32 by interviewing and publishing their incomes, job changes, marital status and more. It’s actually a pretty interesting article. I was surprised to see that by 1947 31% of marriages ended in divorce. One of the graduates of ’32 was Jimmy Stewart. Do you suppose he’s somewhere in the back of that jeep?
I bought a cheap copy of the May 5, 1942, issue of Life Magazine off ebay the other day. In it I found these photos on page 8-11. It was a failed effort to slide a jeep across a river by cable.
Before I show a the hanging jeep, I wanted to share the photo below that shows some jeeps aboard a vessel of some sort.
Hugh forwarded these crated jeep photos.
John forwarded these two great photos. I couldn’t find these published in any specific issue of the magazine.
Joe submitted these pics and question:
Question: What happens when you combine the festive atmosphere of the Texas State Fair, a U.S. Army Band and a battalion of M38 Army Jeeps.
Answer: You have a huge parade and tax the driving skills of 24 soldiers with driving in close-order formation.
These LIFE photos by John Dominis are available for sale on the internet. Do an Image Search on “LIFE Jeep-Borne Army Band”. I count 24 jeeps………. Can anyone identify the name of the city in Texas where this was photographed?
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/34e6a0f9c68b49a8.html:
