10 Comments on “1951 CJ-3A? East Moriches, NY **SOLD**”

1. Joe Fitch 717-734-2495 February 4, 2019 at 2:50 pm

   Is this vehicle still available ?
2. David Eilers Post authorFebruary 4, 2019 at 2:53 pm

   Hi Joe,

   I checked Craigslist and the ad expired. I bet that it’s still available. I’ve updated the post and will email you if it reappears on Craigslist (which I expect it will).

   – Dave
3. David Eilers Post authorJune 1, 2019 at 1:46 pm

   Joe,

   This CJ-3A jeep has been relisted here: https://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/d/east-moriches-1951-willys-jeep/6891835737.html

   – Dave
4. Mike October 20, 2019 at 10:56 am

   Those passenger side tool indents bug me, I realize this is the only way these reproduction bodies are made, they just look so out of place. If I ever dared to buy a repro body, I most definitely fill in those indents. And as long as I’m ranting and raving, what about those side drain holes on the repro bodies? there are none. Not that I mind, that is a big plus, if there were, I’d fill them. Just the same , nice Jeep.
5. Terry October 21, 2019 at 6:35 am

   That repro body is M38 which had indents and no drain holes on side .
6. David Eilers Post authorOctober 21, 2019 at 8:06 am

   Mike,

   I’m not sure this will soothe your frustration, but here’s some more info. Most comes from Rommel Juan, but some is my conjectures, too.

   A few years ago over breakfast I asked Rommel Juan, president of M.D. Juan, about the M-38-like bodies the company produced when his grandfather Maximino D. Juan (aka M.D. Juan) first launched the company. He told me that the only jeep they had as a model for creating bodies was the M-38 (passenger side indents and no drain holes included). So, all the dies were created to mirror the M-38 body (except for the battery box cowl). Creating and investing in additional dies wasn’t a trivial or cheap process, so the company took its time creating additional dies to reflect the unique aspects of CJ-2As, MBs, etc.

   But, why didn’t the company try to create and perfect MB/CJ bodies sooner? In part, I believe the issue was that in the late 70s and into he 80s, most folks simply wanted to replace their flat fender bodies, especially on the west coast of the US. The west coast was arguably the companies closest and principle demographic and where stock jeeps weren’t all that important (we were racing, jeeping, commuting in them, not re-building stock jeeps). Rommel also alluded to the fact that his grandfather wasn’t aware of all the different flat fender body models, and their nuances, that had been used on jeeps.

   As the restoration niche grew in the 90s and into the 00s, the company tried to make additional dies to better serve that demographic, but fumbled this a bit, as their dies weren’t made to the standards needed by restorers, which frustrated both the company and consumers.

   Again, according to Rommel, in the late 00s, the company began reaching out to restorers in an attempt to correct the flaws and shortcomings (and restorers reached back as well, though some knowledgeable jeep folks became very frustrated with the company during this process, as it wasn’t moving fast enough too make changes). Rommel knew he would take some lumps during this investigative process (and he did), but was willing to do that to improve the product (not easy to hear and accept your product’s shortcomings). That was one reason, Rommel told me, that he and his team attended the Willys Reunion in 2013: to learn about and fix the companies’ product offerings.

   At the end of the day, some folks like the bodies MD Juan produced/produces, as they meet their needs. Others still aren’t happy with them, as they aren’t the perfectly stock replacement equipment they need/needed. Whether happy with them or not, one thing you can say about M.D. Juan that you can’t say about many other after market jeep body and parts suppliers … M.D. Juan is still going after fifty years; that’s not a trivial accomplishment, as number of body manufacturers have failed. So, it seems to be that the slow product evolution of the products has proven to be a sustainable way for the company to continue to operate.

   Though MD Juan has survived the competition so far, there’s another group in India (I have seen pics on facebook, but can’t locate a link at the moment) that has begun making vintage jeep bodies. How good the product will be and how successful the company will be remains to be seen.

   – Dave
7. Mike October 21, 2019 at 10:53 am

   Thanks Dave, for the in depth and complete explanation, I am amazed by your knowledge and patience. EWILLYS is the most informative Willys web site I’ve encountered. Thanks for all your diligent , hard work you put into this page to make it the success it is. Mike
8. David Eilers Post authorOctober 21, 2019 at 7:58 pm

   Mike, you are most welcome. I learn a ton myself just by questions folks ask me. Someone recently asked about the different headlight bezels. I didn’t realize how many different ones were made over the years, so I’ll be turning that into a future post.
9. Brian November 6, 2020 at 8:21 am

   Great info! Dave, you have made eWillys a wonderful resource for us Willys fans! Really cool. I for one have sure learned a lot here! Thanks so much!
10. David Eilers Post authorNovember 6, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    Thanks Brian. I’m glad you enjoy the site! I’ll keep trying to make it interesting, entertaining, and educational.

    – Dave