7 Comments on “1971 CJ-5 w/backhoe Mount Pleasant, MI $5000”

1. Mike November 26, 2015 at 7:03 am

   Looking at the rear tires & wheels, along with the rear axle hub, don’t look like stock Jeep. Was this a modification made during manufacture or as a beefed up after thought by a owner?
2. CraigInPA November 26, 2015 at 7:08 am

   E.H.&M, the makers of the Go For Digger, are actually still in business. They make a self propelled version of this digging mechanism which can be towed on the highway from job site to job site. I had one, and it was a very good piece of equipment. The Digger 6L was easy to operate, easy to transport, and a brute when it came to how hard it could dig. I ripped out a buried plastic water line like it was nothing, even though it was 5′ below ground and I only caught it with the bucket teeth. Thankfully, the water had been turned off. I didn’t even feel it snag, and the kubota 3 cylinder diesel didn’t drop in rpms at all. I pulled up the 1 foot wide bucket and 5′ of pipe came up with it! Common repair parts were very inexpensive. Even things like buckets and blades were pretty cheap, at least compared to what other manufacturers charge.

   I loved the Digger 6L that I had so much, I’d actually considered buying one built onto a Willy’s Jeep, but the Jeep mounted one doesn’t dig deep enough for me.
3. David Eilers Post authorNovember 26, 2015 at 11:02 am

   Mike,

   These were beefed up by Go For Digger to handle the extra weight and stress. This link shows some others: http://www.ewillys.com/tag/backhoe/

   What I don’t know is whether buyers purchased these directly from Go For Digger, or whether Go For Digger modified the jeeps on an order by order basis.

   – Dave
4. Glennstin November 26, 2015 at 5:12 pm

   We featured a GO-For-Digger shown in Dave’s link and sold here in Maine. They were a versatile unit in their day, but understand hydraulic engineering was changing rapidly. Tractor mounted units were much stronger. The Schnecker Pickup mounted unit was the first Willys attempt , Go-For-Digger was second, and the FC-170 Ottawa Model was the last try to keep Jeep in the game that I know of. My buddies Schnecker Pickup Back Hoe is still under construction. Dave showed it when he was here in Maine several years ago. Search “Breakfast Club in Smithfield, Maine” or something like that. Maybe Dave or I can add it on here. This is Willys History at its best. The Overland tried hard to advance the ball, but the competition won the day.
5. Glennstin November 26, 2015 at 5:18 pm

   I found the link:

   http://www.ewillys.com/2013/06/02/may-31-the-breakfast-club-and-vintage-wiring/#more-131841
6. Mike November 27, 2015 at 7:17 am

   Thanks guys for this wealth of information.
7. Teach March 10, 2017 at 4:51 pm

   Posting has been deleted by owner.
   Teach