UPDATE: Price dropped to $27,950.
Looks ready for a show.
“An incrediblly done complete restoration! This 1952 Willys Jeep Wagon 4X4 has had every nut and bolt turned and needs absolutely nothing! Powered by a period correct 6-226 Super Hurricane mated to a 3spd manual transmission with Spicer transfer case, Dana differentials, and auxillary cooling fan, she is completely finished. Extremely high quality paint job and wood trim looks fantastic. Cosmetically, she is a real head turner. Top to bottom and underneath are all meticulously done. The wood flooring in the back is completely finished, and the only thing that isnt period correct is the aftermarket am/fm cd player iin the dash. All of the gauges are clear and appear new…….I really dont know what else you could do to make her more complete. Come by and see us at Jordan Motorcars, 11919 IH10 West, San Antonio, Texas, 78230 or visit us on the web at jordanmotorcars.net.”
Currently on ebay, with a $8100 bid (reserve not met) and 4 days remaining. Buy it now on ebay is $42,500. I wonder how the privilege of using buy it now on ebay is worth nearly $7k? One would expect there’s a lower reserve, likely even under his website advertised price.
Here’s the auction:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141552604648
It looks like a really nice example, but is it $35k (or $42k) nice? We’ll see what the auction gets to on ebay…
Another Willys “TRAILER QUEEN”, what has this world come to? Never what my Willys to look this good.
Ummm I thought the 6 came in 53? Also isn’t that a jeepster hood ornament, though super Nice paint…
Got any questions email or call William At 210-279-4949. We are located in the home of the 5 Time NBA Champions San Antonio Spurs. It is even more beautiful in person.
Quoted from Dave about this wagon. I asked what he thought about the wagon. Dave said “They(the experts) know that the “barn doors” on the back are part of an aftermarket package known as a Parkway Conversion.”
So here you go guys. It’s a wagon with a rare Parkway Conversion Package. thanks William
Parkway Conversions were done to skirt restrictions on commercial vehicles that some East Coast communities had. By adding side windows to the (previously) slab-sided Delivery, the new Parkway Conversion was no longer technically a commercial vehicle, and then could then drive in areas that banned commercial vehicles.
Parkway Conversions were typically made from the Delivery Wagons which had the rounded rear fenders; this one has the squarish ones of the regular wagon. In any case, it looks nice.
You tube link… http://youtu.be/U5bKrSPt0cc
I would like to sell this truck. Can you guys tell me a market value for it.. Thanks
William Franklin
William,
That’s a fair question. My rough guess is that it should fall in the $10,000 – $15,000 realm within the “Jeep Market” for the reasons I describe below. The price will vary based on the economy, the time of year, and the quality of available bidders. However, I think that this might fetch more if you can market it towards the non-jeep-expert car lover/collector who values the quality of work and paint above the accuracy of the restoration.
I think the plusses on this wagon are that it looks to be in very good shape and that it’s a Parkway Conversion. I believe the reason you are having trouble surmounting the double digit thousands is that the restoration is really more of a refurbishing that misses the two main niches for jeep wagon folks.
Jeep-lover purchasers like a wagon that is either highly stock OR nicely modified. Based on the bids you got on the last eBay listing, I’d say the stock wagon lovers think this is too modified for their tastes and the modified wagon purchases don’t see enough updates to fit their needs (they tend to want updated drive trains and brakes).
I personally think this is worth more than the $8800 max bid from the last eBay listing I saw. There seems to be some great detail work that’s been done. With spring on the horizon, I’d try relisting this on eBay (I don’t know how many times you have) starting in late March. Over the past several years it seems to me that spring time always renews people’s interests in jeeps.
Anyone else have thoughts?
Just my 2 cents.
I agree with Dave, right on the money and the facts. Now for my two cents, the rule of thumb that most people have forgotten, never invest more money in a vehicle than “Market Price”. Market price is the selling price both buyer & seller agree to. The point is to keep this in mind before you drop a bundle on a restoration. Cost+benefit=ratio analysis. Study your market, Warren Buffett is not interested in buying this or any other Willys, so forget about the “BIG BUCKS BOYS”, they play with other toys. Remember, this isn’t a 1957 Chevrolet convertible. Just some NJ wise guy advise, telling it like it is.
Yeah, I agree with Dave and Mike. Your buyer is someone who appreciates the work who went into it and maybe values the fact that it’s a Parkway Conversion and is just gonna drive it to get ice cream or to get breakfast. It’s too far from stock for the purists and not upgraded enough for the resto-mod crowd, so your target market is pretty small. My two cents – good luck!
Dialogue From Steve who is investigating the history of this 1952 Willys. Please add if you like.
“William…I did speak with the man that had the Willys restored. Part of the mystery is being unraveled. Randall Havel was very interesting to speak with.
Randall, as I get it, is the CEO of a company called StrikeMaster Corporation. He had this Willys restored for his granddaughter. As Tim Hammons thought, the coloring of the Willys is not an original color, nor is it an original color combination.…..it is the school colors of the granddaughter‘s high school. She decided after it was completed that she did not care for a car with a manual transmission. She also wanted something sportier. A year ago Randall sold it to what he called “The Museum”, which is Ellingson Classic Cars in Rogers, Minnesota. Their motto is “Minnesota’s #1 Classic Card Dealer”, I have not yet called them, but will do so tomorrow.
Somehow the Willys then found its way to Dan’s of Big Lake, Minnesota. As I wrote you earlier, I spoke to the son of the owner here. This is where the wood was added as well as the wide white wall tires, I believe. How it got to a Texas auto auction and to you guys is not clear to me. But if Randall Havel is correct in that he sold it a year ago to Ellingson Classic Cars, it has moved around a lot and has not found a permanent home. The timing seems short, but that is what I know now. The Willys is kind of like a dog in a shelter waiting to be adopted. It is time it found a home.
Randall told me he just completed another Willys Wagon with a snow plow attached and had it shipped to his airplane hanger in Anchorage. Says a lot there!!
Well….at least part of part of the mystery is solved. Possibly you guys can fill in some holes in the story at your end…like where did the auction company get it from,,,the company that you bought it from. It would be enlightening to see how they described the Willys. My sense is that there is more to be known at your end.
So now William….you have a retired VP at GTE, now Verizon and a retired senior partner at Deloitte and Touche working over time for you, I need to attend to puppy duties and then write the thoughts that Tim Hammon had, as he eyeballed the pictures .My sense in speaking with Tim four times today is that he is really a great guy and a straight shooter. He has very high ratings from customers. But in the end, his thoughts are as a result of working on these vehicles. The vehicles he has worked on may or may not be correct. I think he has opinions based upon what he has seen.
More to follow.
More from Steve and comments form his mechanic Tim. Please contribute if you like.
“William….below are some of Tim Hammons observations on the Willys. Please
remember his frame of reference is what he has worked on and what he has
seen from eyeballing the pictures. I believe he is fair and balanced and has
no agenda here. So far, I really like him. He has spent considerable time on
the phone with me.
Items Tim observed:
1. First was the color and the color combination is not what Willys had
offered. Since I spoke to Randall Havel…we know why.
2. The wood on the side is an after market appliqué. Indications are that
this was added at Dan’s of Big Lake.
3. The Willys does not have to original inside door panels. This was an
addition that Mr. Havel did for his granddaughter. It is 5 millimeter marine
wood.
4. The fuel tank is not original. The current one looks to have been shop
built. The originals were rounder. Randall Havel indicated that this was
done by the person who did the work for him.
5. The side windows are not original. We have the “Parkway” conversion as an
answer to that, although I have not seen anything about that on the
internet.
6. Tim had hoped that the Willys was converted to a 12 volt system. Since
the only gauge that is electronic is the gas gauge, hopefully it was
converted too. Randall Havel confirmed the 12 volt conversion, but we did
not discuss specifically the gas gauge. Again…the granddaughter thing
comes into play. She had to know when to get gas.
7. Tim also wondered if the heater and starter had been converted to 12
volts. I did not get into that specifically with Randall Havel…but his
granddaughter had to be able to reliably start the Willys and stay warm in
it without either expiring too soon. My buddies with teenage daughters or
who had them at one time indicate they can be a handful and easy to become
warlike.
8. Randall Havel indicated that all the items such as the engine,
transmission, transfer case and differential were rebuilt. This was a
concern of Tim’s
9. Tim did note that the muffler appears too big for the application and it
looks to be rubbing on the drive train. Tim’s opinion is that this will need
to be replaced. If you guys are hearing a funny noise in back…that may be
it.
10. The wood in the back end of the Willys is not correct. The current is
wood with metal strips. The original was the opposite. But it looks fine.
11. Tim did not discuss this, but I wonder about the paint scheme on the
front grill area, Again, probably reflects a teen age granddaughter. I would
have thought there would be at least some chrome there.
12. Tim said the Willys looks as if it has electric wipers. Randall Havel
confirmed that it does….teenage granddaughter thing.
I could probably call Randall Havel again and get the name of the person
that did all of the mechanical work…just to be sure all major items were
rebuilt.
This is all I have for now.
Steve”
By serial number: 452FA2 15300, this was originally a 4 cylinder(4) 1952 (52) station wagon or sedan delivery (FA2) (Model 4×475- 4 wheel drive with 4 cylinder), most probably the sedan delivery, approximately 387 units from the end of that model production ( 10001 -15683, total for that model 5683 units.
In 1954, the Hurricane 6 was introduced to the station wagon and truck line. It would have had a serial number of 654RA2 plus the sequential serial number. The model number would have been 6-226 4x4SD, of which there were 219 made.
As for the Jeepster hood ornament, that same ornament was used on the 1950 Jeepster, station wagons, panel deliveries and pickup trucks through 1952. It changed in 1953 with a spear going back from the front of the hood toward the rear of the hood. Six cylinder models 1950-52 from the factory had a numeral “6” in the center of the hood ornament. But, in 1952, you could only get a 6 cylinder engine in the 2WD station wagon or sedan delivery and it was the 161 cubic inch Lightning 6 of 75 hp.
Price reduced to $27,950 Please call or email William Franklin 210-279-4949 Jordan Motorcars
Thanks for the update William