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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 .
“The Jeep is a 4 cylinder flat head with a 3 speed transmission. It is 4WD with high/low range. The engine runs pretty good the transmission, transfer case, and clutch all work. I have a couple of videos showing things running and working. It has newer front brakes and lines but they don’t seem to work. The rear brakes work. It has new spark plugs, battery, rebuilt carburetor, and an oil change. The frame seems to be actually quite good, it has great rims and tires and even a set of military ish rims and tires. I was hoping to make a military clone, but because of some body customization, it’s really not what I’m looking for. That said, it’s pretty darn cool. It will need a little more work to drive it on the street.”
(09/26/2017) A factory bed conversion for a CJ-5? Anyone ever run across that? It’s listed as a 1952, but it has CJ-5 grille and body at the very least. Looks like a ventilating windshield, too (thanks Dave).
“Born in 1924 in Germany, his father and stepmother sent him to the Chicago area in 1937 both to live with family and to escape the increasingly anti-Semitic mood in Germany. After Kristallnacht, his older brother Herman, his father Siegfried, and his stepmother joined him in Chicago. Walter flew 30 missions for the U.S. Army Air Corps as a bombardier during the war, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Bronze Star and rising at least to the rank of Sergeant. After the war, he served as a member of the chief justice’s staff during the war crimes trials in Nuremberg, then returned to the United States and founded W&W Foreign Auto Parts in Blue Island, Illinois.”
UPDATE: A reader named Clint just determined what type of vehicle Wally was using — A 1936-1940 Opel Olympia. Here are two links to images: Link 1 & Link 2. Thanks Clint!
ORIGINAL POST published in 2010:I ran across the images shown below and others. I didn’t think much of them until I looked more closely. It appears the builder, who I assume is Wally Cohn, has merged a 1936-1940 Opel Olympia with a MB to create, arguably, the first Jeepster-like vehicle, except it is four wheel drive. The ‘Wally’ appears to use the entire jeep drive train. If you look in back, you’ll even see this car can tow a trailer!
Who is Wally Cohn? I have no idea. I can’t seem to find anything about him, other than his name was Wally Cohn and he was nicknamed the Jeep King by photographer Walter Sanders.
Photographer Walter (Wally) Sanders worked for Life Magazine from 1944 to 1961. After growing up and leaving Germany for the US in 1937, he returned in early 1946 and lived the rest of his life in Europe, mostly in Munich. You can learn more about his biography here.
Because Walter was in Europe during December of 1946, and because these photos were snapped during that month, and because of Wally’s uniform (which Bob noted is an Army Airforce Uniform), I have concluded that Wally Cohn was a member of the armed services trying to merge cars and jeeps into a Wally vehicle of some kind (note the name Wally is displayed prominently on the dash in one of the pics).
This would be a great collector’s item — and a cool jeep too!
“51 Willy’s,4w drive, rat rod, custom built,could do more! Must see, runs great, clutch slips a little, needs attention, generator not included, could use a new battery,”
“1946 willy’s jeep with aluminum hardtop doors, sides & back. swapped out a 4 banger setup for a chevy v8. was fired up then stored from 91 until I bought it in 2017. I have not tried to start it up as I got other projects (37 chevy p/u’s). has lots of parts, top bows, grill, hood, tailgate, radiator & housing, new never installed gas tank, lots of misc. floor tin, windshield &2 frames, 2 dash’s, wow just to much to list”
(last listed on ebay in Jan 2015) “This is a custom, one-off Willy’s Jeep. It was made for Henry Kaiser, when he retired to Hawaii and became involved in tourism and land development. He had the custom pink long-wheelbase Willys wagon built for exploring the island. Kaiser’s wife loved pink and all of his construction equipment was painted pink, so that seems to be where the pink color for the Jeep came from. This can all be seen on the following web page, along with a photo (which is the black and white photo provided in the photos of the vehicle) of the Jeep in Hawaii : http://cj3b.info/Siblings/SurreyHawaii.html
We also have documentation from the Kaiser Jeep Corporation stating that this Jeep is an authentic one of a kind Jeep. Please only serious inquiries only and please do not try to convince us that we are wrong about it being a one of a kind, this is most definitely not a railroad Jeep. We know what we have and are willing to answer questions of those with serious inquiries about this vehicle.”
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The seller claims to have documentation to prove that this is the only four door limo-like wagon made. to Willys Country this wagon was once used as a limo for an airport. Whether there was only one built or remains an undocumented issue at this point. Is the wagon above the same one that’s in the photo below? Hard to say for sure.
“Clear title. 3 ccy. Standard hasn’t ran in. 5 years. 4×4. Very very cool all original but top somone put a ford. Top it which. Makes it nice at times. Either way it’s. Cool old project. And. Don’t see any like this. ONLY TRADES be. Old muscle cars which means 74 or older”
“I have had this Jeep for 32 yrs with my dad (have had it 5 yrs since his passing). It has been a very good hunting vehicle for us, but have decided to let someone else enjoy it. Everything works on it and is mostly original or as gotten. Please see itemized list below:
Engine: 1953 134 F-head (replaced in 1986 from original Flathead)
Elect.: 12V (switched at engine change-out from 6V system)
Original Running gear: (Transmission, rear-ends, and transfer case (2 stick)
Extras: Tow bar, 2000 lb winch (used once to pull out buck), Warn locking hubs, good tires and tread, runs and drives strong, solid 6-point ROPS (roll over protection system) with front and middle being added professionally in 2017, all required lights work (head, tail and brake), all 7 off-road lights work (back up flood, 2 floods on front bumper, 2 KC Daylighters on rear roll bar and 2 36W/360 lumen Cree lights on front roll bar, CB antenna with all wiring in place (will change out existing fire radio with CB if wanted, the towing light bar with standard 7-way plug and a Mico hydraulic e-brake.
This Jeep is ready to be used with no fixing on your part. I used it all 2018 deer season with no issues. If you are looking for a hunting rig that is reliable and ready to go and at a fair price, this is it.
I will entertain only serious offers, and ignore all low-ballers. I am not here to give it away, but will respect a fair offer, just the same.
Please email me with any questions or interest.”
We’ve seen this one before, but for some reason I can’t locate the original ad.
“Selling a 1946 Willys that starts, drives and stops. Has an original motor that does not smoke. Recently serviced plugs, oil and coolant. Has the 6v system so its a slow starter. Great base for a restoration. Come with aluminum top and doors.”
