The January 1958 issue of Willys News included this article about the Economy Delivery Truck.
Package-Van Research Archives
Package Delivery Van + 2 Other Jeeps Red Bluff, CA **SOLD**
UPDATE: Was $10,000. **SOLD**
Another 1948 Package Delivery Van, except this is the California Body version. Compare it to Jesse’s version.
“Will sell all of my Jeeps for the low price of $10,000 (Firm) which takes into consideration that there are issues, minor to major with all 3. Do Not let this scare you off. This is a screaming Deal for what I have and definitely warrants the expenditure of some time to come and look if you are a serious Jeep buyer! 1. 1947 CJ2 2. 1951 Jeep pickup 3. 1948 Willys Overland Parcel Delivery (PD) Quite Rare! First two run and the PD was driven from San Francisco to Paynes Creek 18 years ago and has not been started since. It has the 4 cylinder flathead engine and the other two are F Heads. The 1947 has an F head that is a transplant out of a 1953 jeep station wagon. I will entertain the idea of parceling them out. I do not answer TEXT messages, If you wish to communicate with me you must respond to the Craig’s List email platform with your phone number and your first name and I will get back to you shortly. I can provide more pictures by request.”
1948 Willys Overland “Stordor” Bodied Van
Here’s a rare look at a Willys Overland Chassis with a StorDor body (see late 1940s brochure at bottom). What’s unusual with this van is that at some point it was turned into a motor home. While this former laundry van’s current fate is unknown, Larry, the former owner, has shared some information about it. He writes:
I had an old van registered as a Willys Housecar from 1948. Body was on a 2T frame and was modified with a Chevy inline six. Boy do I miss her…I had to leave her in shambles ten years ago
I was told that an old man in Moorpark, Ca. had custom built the interior and as seen on the exterior, the most probable “Bakery” in blue and with imagination, “To your door” showed up on the driver’s side through the house paint that is flaking off, suggesting that she was once a bakery delivery van. The previous owner had received it as a joke some time before I got it in 1980. I don’t know if it even exists anymore. She was dependable but scary with the feeling of tipping ever present like the willies you’d get in a CB or MB of, say, 1940’s circa.
On another note, I had a friend who had a 1947 Ford van similar to this Willys I owned and it had a grill in the bell shape as mine was.
You can view all the photos of Larry’s old Van here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lrgvanman/sets/72157604163626267/
Economy Delivery Truck Brochure
This brochure is from 1959, which includes some specs. This website has drawings of it and an ambulance version, too.
Delivery Package Van Brochures
I just purchased the following package van brochures from eBay.
Below is the Urban Package Delivery Van which Jesse is rebuilding.

1948 Willys Package Delivery Van Update
UPDATE: Jesse asked me to post a few more pics that show additional progress . . .
These four pics show the body on the wider, heavy duty chassis.
Here are images of the body being removed from the narrower chassis. You can see past images here: http://www.ewillys.com/tag/Package-Van/
The Package Van Arrives at Jesse’s
UPDATE: Jesse forwarded a few more pics showing the floor removed.
This is an update on the 1948 Package Delivery Van, the only one we know of in existence. When we last saw it, the van was on it’s way to Jesse’s place in Phoenix for a complete overhaul.
You can read the full story of the package van in an article I wrote and published for JeepTruck.com.
Below is the latest picture I have. The body has been stripped and cleaned a bit.
The Package Delivery Van Starts its Journey
You might remember that we spotted this rare 1948 Willys Overland Package Delivery van a while back. The buyer decided he had to let it go, so Jesse volunteered to take on the project of restoring it. To get to Phoenix, the van has made its first stop in Missouri at Craig’s place.
Craig writes, “The 1948 Willys Overland Urban Package Delivery is 430 miles closer to it’s new home in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s resting at my place in Defiance, Missouri right now before I make the pilgrimage out there to Phoenix and back in a few weeks. Since the ’48 got its start on eWillys I thought it could use an update there as well. The pictures were taken just a stones throw south of Roxanna, Ohio where Roger Martin (pictured with me) brought it from its home in Lake Geneva, Ohio. It looks a little better with some rubber on the wheels! Craig @ thefcconnection”
Willys Overland Panel Delivery Van (Going to Jesse’s)
UPDATE II: See the latest — The Van is headed West.
From August, 2011: Glenn recognized the Willys Van for sale. Even more impressive, he found a brochure for one! Well done! He bought the Sales Folder off eBay about a year and a half ago. Mfg. by Plaza Motors, Inc. Englewood, NJ and was Willys-Overland Factory Approved.
Based on the emails between Colin and Glenn, there were at least three groups of Willys-Overland Delivery Trucks produced:
1) One group was produced during or just prior to WWII (as seen below)
Here is a 1942 Panel Delivery Truck:

2) One group was produced during post WWII and pre 1950, which appears to include the Willys Van owned by Mike. The brochure provided by Glenn also appears to be related to this second group.
3) One group was produced between 1951 and 1953, based on these serial numbers.
The numbers below are for post 1950 FJs. This one appears to be a pre-1950 FJ. We are still awaiting a serial number.
1951 FJ 451 GC1 10001— none
1953 FJ 452 GC2 10001—10065 65 built
1954 FJ454 GC2 10001—10012 12 built


































