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 .
If this is legit it looks like a cool find here. There are some really amazing 100pt restorations of these so I’m kind of in the camp of if legit do a preservation of sorts on this and enjoy it. I feel it would be hard to duplicate some of the 100pt restorations of these, they were just done to a super high level, even at 1100 units, I would drive it and enjoy it.
I also just drove through here yesterday, could have stopped in and took a look in person! Day late.
Information from seller:
1964 Willys Surrey Gala Jeep. This is a rare model. One of approximately 1,100 made. Unrestored body in very solid condition with original paint. Engine runs very strong. Shifts smoothly through the gears and has functioning brakes. Lights and horn work. Odometer reads 1,699. Includes top fabric. Great candidate for restoration or run as-is. Clean PA title in hand and delivery May be possible. Asking $10,500 obo.
UPDATE: I bought the Spanish version of this brochure off of eBay, so I’m adding it to this post. The Spanish version is Forma H1-3-59.
I won this rare early (first) Gala Brochure off of eBay. It is Form H1-3-59. The marketing document appears aimed at resorts and other tourist businesses. Interestingly, it appears conceptual in scope and doesn’t show any of the actual models available, other than what Las Brisas had done with DJ-3As. Note that on the back page it encourages interested parties to write to “Gala Plan, Willys Export Corp., Toledo 1, Ohio, U.S.A.”
This slide just sold on eBay for $9.25 (+$4 shipping). It’s a great pic of s Surrey parked in front of the ocean. Someone more familiar with Oahu may recognize that location.
“VINTAGE MENU LAS BRISAS HOTEL 1966 ACAPULCO MEXICO
This 1966 vintage menu is from one of ACAPULCO’S more famous hotels, famed for their “ROOM SERVICE BY JEEP”. It measures 9 1/2″ wide by 14″ long, closed. Excellent condition with just minor soiling on the rear cover.”
UPDATE: Bruce let me know that there were three different windshields sported by the DJ-3A:
1. The typical 3A type with the vent that opens up;
2. It also came with what is referred to as the 3B WS frame. That green jeep (see below) probably has it’s original WS frame;
3. The 3rd style is the ventilating WS frame that is similar to the 2a frame in
that the glass tilts outward. This 3rd type is very rare and I have only
seen one DJ with the 3rd style
OVERVIEW
I’ve been meaning to write this history of sorts about the DJ-3A ever since I received this information from Bruce last October. Many thanks to Bruce for his tireless effort to understand the DJ-3A and his desire to share this information with the world-at-large.
I would still not consider this post finished, as I’m sure a few of you have some interesting details to add or correct.
THE GOAL:
My goal here is to take Bruce’s information and organize it in a way to make sense of this strange thing called the DJ-3A Dispatcher Gala Surrey Not-quite-a-CJ-3A colorful Jeep. I want to differentiate between these three models — DJ-3A/DJ-3A dispatcher, DJ-3A Gala, and the DJ-3A Surrey — so that I can better evaluate these vehicles when I run across them for sale.
Importantly, and for clarification, based on all the research I have reviewed, there appears to be no such thing as a DJ-3A Gala Surrey (and I’m as responsible as anyone for describing them that way). The literature I have received from Bruce refers to either a DJ-3A Gala or a DJ-3A Surrey. The Gala’s were promoted as Gala’s at the international resorts and Hawaii (which became a state in 1959, which might explain why this was being handled like an international sale).
THE DJ-3A & DJ-3A DISPATCHER:
The DJ-3A was introduced in 1955. It used the body style of the older CJ-3A, along with the L-134 engine. Unlike the CJ-3A, it came with either a column shift or top loader three-speed T-96 manual transmission. It was offered with many different body options including a soft top, hard top, or even a full van body. Some of these body options made changes to the body necessary, including some that had no tailgates so the spare tire could mount in the rear.
Others, like the DJ-3A Dispatchers, had differently shaped passenger and driver sides to allow easy entry & exit of the vehicle (I assume those were the reasons). With all these different body options, it is no wonder many of us, and yours truly as well, were confused about what constitutes a DJ-3A.
Thus far, everything I’ve learned suggests that there were no 4wd DJ-3A’s produced. So, if you encounter a 4wd DJ-3A, it’s been modified.
Probably, the most distinctive, unique, and consistent body attribute of a DJ-3A is the large speedometer, similar to the CJ-5 and the post-1955 CJ-3B speedometers. It was the only ‘low hood’ flat fender produced with the large speedometer.
EXAMPLES:
Below is a Convertible DJ-3A. You can see the lack of 4wd in the front. Click on the picture to see more pictures. Though I thought the below windshield was from a CJ-3B, Bruce provided a correction to that statement. He says some DJ-3As came with a 3B SW Frame, and he believes that’s what we are looking at in this pic.
Here’s an example from Chris of a DJ-3A without a tailgate.
Here’s a DJ-3A Dispatcher example (note cutout sides) with a tail gate:
And here’s another nice dispatcher with a top:
THE DJ-3A GALA:
In early 1959, the DJ-3A Gala was introduced and marketed to vacation locations in an attempt to offer rentable transportation solutions for vacationers visiting resorts. According to the article below, the idea was the brain child of the Las Brisas Resort in Acapulco, Mexico, which painted a few jeeps pink and offered them to consumers. Louis Yocich, a Willys dealer, spotted them and brought the idea back to the factory. To this day, the Las Brisas resort and hotel still refers to itself as a ‘Pink and White Paradise” (see quality control comment).
MUCH MUCH More information. This post was simply too big to put on the front page:
