UPDATE: These are no longer for sale. I keep this post just for ideas.
Jim writes, “I’m tired of not having anything out there anymore for Willys. For example, the only replacement seats you can get for an early Willys are either military or black vinyl. How boring! There are no more bikini tops of any variety – everyone pretty much runs the same boring top. In response to these dreadful choices, my team and I have been building some 1000 denier, water repellent, super cool replacement seat cushions for original seat frames in various camouflage, woodland, real tree, marsh, military digital, marpat etc, and also in original style viny; any color you want.
Just think of all the guys running sweet hunting jeeps, back country rigs etc that have camo everything: clothes, truck stuff, goretex, gear, guns, ATVs, etc and now they can make their hunting jeeps match!”
Sounds like a great idea. Having just purchased a ’46 CJ-2A I can relate to the issue of not being able to find a variety of parts. Here are a couple suggestions.
Upgraded rear bumpers with built-in hitch receivers. Would love a chrome or polished bumper that is functional for towing.
Stainless or powder coated body trim pieces sold in a kit. (i.e., latches knobs, bolts hardware, grab handles, etc.
Unique Guages (including speedometer) that are packaged and sold as a complete set.
Functional console that can be installed that would have a storage box, cupholder, etc.
Thanks Gary … that reminds me .. dad used to use an old ammo box as a storage console.
Those are great suggestions!
– Dave
Awesome! I’ll be watching for this to come out. I’m in the market for a new back seat cover, a bikini top, and possibly some 1/2 doors.
Sounds Great!
I still remember the pages of flatty stuff available in J.C. Whitney in the 70s . Now your lucky to find them listed.
I like the console idea, J.R.
I’d love to have some half doors.
Will the Cj5 fit the cut out of the 2a 3a 3b?? I was just looking to put the bend in them.
2a,3a,3b half doors are quite a bit shorter than a CJ-5 1/2 door. I don’t know if you could make it work or not….For what it’s worth I’ve never seen it done and I’m not exactly new to flatties.
I know Mitch its me Brian P with the Siberians short from front to back?
I could go for a dark tan camel top, bikini top, and seat covers for a start. I like the canvas style material, but I’d like to have a choice other than black or od.
Hey guys, Jim here and thanks so much for the feedback so far as it has been illuminating. If any of you know me at all, have seen any of the jeeps I build and sell, you know I like the military thing but more than that, I like what fun a Willys is, a big life size toy Jeep and I know Im not alone. Right now we will have the first few sets of seats ready this weekend for eBay. Whatever material showed up first is what Im using, looks like they will be a very nice dark grey vinyl, classy and original looking. I have a real oak modern 1000denier cordura canvas, heavy duty stuff, some hunter will love it. I just got some actual military coated ACU camo in about an 800-1000 denier cordura and some very tough old school woodland camo outdoor vinyl that looks and feels like a coated canvas. A not here to the guy above this post about camel, email me direct (bozwell13@hotmail.com) and Ill hook you up, this stuff will be perfect. The bases are being built by a local cabinet shop, all the upholstery is professionally done, better than what I sell now which is really nice stuff. In the beginning I will be willing to sell some cheap and in exchange I want photos of them installed to show on eBay ads, other Willys pages etc so if you have a nice looking rig and want a deal we can work something out. Im going to address bikini doors and tops next. Keep the greasy side down and have a great day. Jim
As for Bikini tops and doors. Tops are easy, so are soft sided mud doors. I can have those out and ready for sale in a few days. Hard frame half doors are another deal entirely. I have a few sets of soft doors here for both flatfenders and early civilian CJ5s. I will be cutting down the frames into half doors and having a local welding shop build some more, will upholster them any way you want in any material you want and they’ll last nearly forever. I have an idea of doing some velcro covers for guys that already have frame, mail em out on a box, you install them in like 5 minutes and bang, you have brand new bikini doors using you existing frame. Any interest? Comments are much appreciated, I want some toys for Willys Jeeps, I want some stuff like whats on our 06 unlimited and our quad. What do you want? Jim
I tend to type really fast which kills my accuracy, I just read all the typos above, wow, not a reflection on my intelligence, well, not a good reflection…
Hi Brian- I know it’s you- The problem with trying to retro 5 doors to a flattie is the cowl height…With your 3B you might have better luck than someone trying to adapt to a low hood, but I believe the door opening is just altogether smaller in every dimension. Also the latch is gonna be tricky. Most guys will modify it to latch to the tub as a stock door latches about 4 inches or so up the door frame from the tub.
The door opening is the same for 3A 2A M38 3B, only difference is the 3B has a higher cowl and hood. Any door frames from any flat fender work and no reason to try and modify CJ5 doors, I have a couple sets here, as soon as Im done with them Ill sell you a set cheap.
Hey, Jim
Will you please consider making seat covers for the Forward Control FC-150s and ‘170s?
And then how about matching cloth-covered door/interior panels?
Joe
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I’d like to see a soft top in a nutmeg color. The only reason I don’t have one for my 3b is that all you see is black…my Jeep is woodstock green and would look great with a nutmeg top. I’m interested in getting my front seats re-upholstered and was thinking about getting them done locally, but don’t know they were supposed to look like when new. I was thinking more along the lines of vinyl.
I LOVE my old jeeps, but have a husband who is much more interested in airplanes, and has had a couple back surgeries that make mechanicking no fun at all. I would like the set cushions, but also need the frames and countless other parts [I have a ’58 3B and a ’67 jeepster]. There are few parts for either, specific sheet metal replacements, suspension, etc.
If there’s any jeep guys in central Montana for hire, let me know!
HI Cathy,
I know there’s at least a couple readers from Montana. I’ll contact Jim about the seat cushions. He might have a frame to go along with them as well.
And if you have pics and the kinds of parts you need (d@ewillys.com), maybe some readers have what you need.
Thanks,
– Dave
I’m looking for two sets of cushions for seat frames on 1942 Slat MB. If Jim has any in stock, what is his eBay Username? Thanks!
Jim,
You still out there? Looking at seat cover options.
Greg .. if he doesn’t respond, let me know and I will email him directly to see if he has any more.
– Dave