UPDATE: Colin reports that he purchased this Jeep and is enjoying it a lot! Congrats! He also reports below that the original date listed by the seller as 1956 was incorrect and that it was actually a 1960 Surrey.
“Production of the 2-wheel drive Willys DJ3A model began in 1956 and continued until 1964. The DJ3A utilized the 4 cylinder “Go Devil” engine, T90 side-shift transmission, and a Dana 23 rear end. The DJ3A surrey was marketed to resorts and as a fun beach buggy. This dj-3a gala surrey was Owned by 20th Century Fox where it was used in a few beach movies. Annette Funicello, Frank Sanatra etc.. Sold to Pioneer Garage in 1982 where it was totally redone. down to the frame and sat on display in the pioneer jeep showroom on Washington St. in Peabody Ma. Until purchased in 5/09 to me when the dealership closed its doors forever. It runs and drives awesome, 3 speed on the column, a true collectible. I have pictures and documentation from 20th century fox showing the vehicles history there. Also I have pictures of the jeep with Annette and Frank in the vehicle. Mileage is around 2000 miles, although California determined it as a undetermined value amount because the gauge glass was sun faded and not readable. When you see this vehicle you will know the mileage to be true.”
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Not quite sure this jeep is an actual 1959-64 surrey gala. More of a wannabe I think. the gala export model wasnt sold until late 58 early 59. sales for the surrey in US didnt start until fall of 59. If you have ever seen the willys postcard of the tennis players standing outside a yellow DJ with a convertible top and the front & rear chrome bumpers. that model was sold in 1956 & 57. I think someone has converted a convertible model into the surrey?? If you look close to this jeep called a gala surrey the rear cross is not correct, nor does it have the spring spacers or sun visor….all of which are different from the surrey production vehicle. Hood is after market, seat & top color & fabric wrong. Clean ol girl but I would Hate to be the guy buying this jeep thinking they are getting one of the RARE 1089 actual surrey gala’s produced. Just my thoughts.
Hi Larry,
I appreciate the input and analysis! I’m certainly no expert on Surreys and I haven’t found a really good website that covers the kinds of details you mention (do you know of an excellent surrey/DJ site?).
If there isn’t a good site out there (I know the CJ-3B Page has some surrey info), then I need to build an area that explains some of the differences between the DJ and the Surrey (I tend to loosely lump these together, but that’s simply because I haven’t gotten around to better differentiating the two).
Thanks!
– Dave
I would think pics of jeep w/celebs & a name of movie or two that this jeep was in would help in deciding value. Not sure if Larry is right but there seems to be some questions if it is a Surrey being it is a 56 or the conv model which as stated came with chrome bumpers & gravel guard & rear mounted spare. No mention in ad’s of the aftermarket or non original hood on jeep, so could fenders/WS frame be from another jeep also. It is a very clean DJ3A, but I would hesitate in calling it a Surrey, Didnt the Jeep Gala come first in early 59, wonder why seller didnt call it a Gala, as it was the earliest named model sold. ???
This DJ3A Surrey was advertised as a 1956 model and like everyone else, I questioned that it was a Surrey, however, the serial number plate was shown on eBay and from that I felt it was a 1960 model and after conversing with the previous owner, Mr. Chmiel, prior to my purchase, I felt that it was correctly a Surrey from 1960. The serial number on this DJ3A is verified by frame number and original serial number plate as being a 1960, 56337 19170, and is now titled in Arizona properly as a 1960 Jeep Surrey. The owner of the Pioneer Jeep Garage in Peabody, MA, who owned this Jeep from 1982 until May 2009 has verified that he bought this as a Jeep Surrey and that it had the original Surrey equipment when he bought it. It was originally a very light green with white. I have found traces of the light green underneath the current blue paint. Since my purchase of this Surrey, I have been over it, under it and have found nothing to indicate it is not a 1960 Surrey. The rear drawbar was added to the vehicle in May, 2009, by Mr. Chmiel, owner of the Pioneer Jeep Garage, upon the sale to Mr. Considine, at Mr. Considine’s request, as were the 1967 NOS Jeep embossed seat belts. The hood is non-original and when purchased by Mr. Chmiel in 1982, showed that it had been bent and then reinforced with square tubing, apparently due to movie activites involving Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. He discarded the hood and replaced it with a non-original piece. Unfortunately, he was unable to provide photos of the actors on the hood. Such is life!
Thanks for clearing that up. I remember the discussion surrounding it and am glad you were able to verify it. It’s a great story and some good detective work 🙂
That’s a good reminder also … Something another reader told me: if you allow studios to use your jeep, you are pretty much signing it away. You’ll never know how they will return it to you.
Thanks for the kind words! I am a retired State Trooper from AZ and detective work was what I did.
I have replaced the non original taillights with new repros correct for the DJ3A/Surreys, and I will have the front straps redone. The top, seats and fender pads are all in excellent condition and I don’t plan to change them any time soon. There are no signs of the lower body fabric and fringe like some of the Surreys had, but I am told this was an option. The Surrey supplement that came with the DJ3A Owner’s manual doesn’t show it in the instructions on assembling the top and side curtains either. One of the advantages with this Surrey is that it spent the first 20+ years of its life in southern California and the rest of it inside the showroom at Pioneer Jeep Garage until it came to Phoenix where it resides in our garage with our 1948 Jeepster and our 1960 Corvette.NO RUST! Our son took over the restoration of our CJ3A when I bought the Surrey and it is nearly complete. I do some technical articles for the Willys Overland Jeepster Club, so am not a novice to Willys vehicles.
Colin
I kind of figured out right away you weren’t a novice 🙂 Anytime you want to share pics of your restoration efforts or your jeeps, feel free to share them. You can email me at d@ewillys.com.
Great! Thanks, I will send you some photos.
Colin
Thanks for the comment Marc. I’ll email you.
As of this date, Dec. 8, 2012, I have had the pleasure of owning this Surrey for three years. I have become very well acquainted with just about every part of it and have found nothing to indicate or even suspect it was not a Surrey originally. What threw everyone off was the original ad by Scott Considine, where he called it a 1956 Gala Surrey. The confusion began when Scott titled it and the State Trooper who inspected it used the first two digits -56- of the serial number as the model year, 1956. This happens a lot with folks who are not very well versed in Willys vehicles and their serial numbering sequences which have changed numerous times over the post war years.
I have since put a striped top on the Surrey and taken off the drawbar and trailer hitch, replaced the rear cross member, boiled out the gas tank and done other minor mechanical repairs and just enjoyed driving it.
My friends and I are friends of Phil Chmiel and have known him since the early 80’s(haven’t seen him in years). I remember when Phil bought the Surrey. He told us about it’s history, but we were all hardcore 4 wheelers an we all said,”what the hell are you gonna do with that piece of 5hit??? We watched him restore it and I remember seeing it on display for years in his front window. As usual Phil did a great job restoring this jeep.
David, thanks for the story! Colin will take good care of it.
Hi David and Dave-
David thanks for the story about Philip and this little Surrey. I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with him prior to my purchase and felt comfortable with buying it sight unseen. With it coming from Peabody Mass, with my last name of Peabody, this was a deal made in Heaven! Even my wife didn’t object! In the past 3 + years, I have done minor repairs and found everything Philip told me about the Surrey to be on the money. I do wish I could have gotten the photo of Annette Funicello sitting on its hood, though. I bought all the Beach Party movies and carefully watched them for any signs of the Surrey in them, but to no avail. If you have or can remember any of the details Philip told you or any photos, I would love to have you contact me so I can add that to the history file on it.
By the way, if you have contact with Philip, He and his wife Lee Ann will be celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary on May 22. They might be happy to hear from you!
I can be contacted at : colins60vette@cox.net in Phoenix
Thanks!
Now that Phil has passed, I wonder what happened to Lee Ann’s Orange Fozzi Bear CJ, that was also always in the front windows.