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Welcome to eWillys.com, a website for vintage jeep enthusiasts. I update this website nearly every day with jeep deals, jeep history, interesting reader projects, jeep related info, and more.
These quick searches can help you find things on eBay. People list in the wrong categories all the time, so don't be surprised to see brochures in the parts area for example.
The links to posts below show jeeps grouped by models, condition, and other ways. Some of these jeeps are for sale and others have been sold. If you are unsure whether a vehicle is still for sale or not, email me at d [at] ewillys.com for more info.
There are plenty of interesting, unusual, historic and surprising stories related to Jeeps and their owners. In addition, some of these features have nothing to do with jeeps. This link will display all featured stories starting from the latest.
Looking for parts and not sure where to go? There are a variety of large and small new and used parts sellers both online and offline.
Importantly, the allure of buying a project jeep can be romantic. The reality of restoring a jeep can be quite different, expensive and overwhelming without the right tools and resources. So, tread carefully when purchasing a "project". If you have any concerns about buying a vintage jeep, or run across a scam, feel free to contact me for help, comments or concerns .
I suspect this was made in Colombia. It’s cool piece, but doesn’t come cheap.
View all the information on ebay
“Wood Hand Crafted Willyz Jeep Coffee Truck – Quindio Colombia Burlap Coffee Bags”
This February 1955 article highlights how quickly Willys Motors shifted from a jeep and car company to more of a jeep company, chopping the number of automobiles it was selling from 10 in 1954 to only 3 in 1955. According to the article, Wills Motors also appeared most focused on the new CJ-5.
You can view this issue on Google Books or make an offer on this issue at eBay.
I’m not very familiar with these Jeep Service and Parts news brochures and booklets and don’t know if they are worth the asking prices. Here’s some that I found on eBay.
This 1958 L&M cigarette ad included a CJ-2A.
View all the information on eBay
“1958 L&M Filter Cigarettes Smoking Miracle Tip Dam Jeep Vtg Magazine Print Ad”
In May of 1960 there was a Pepsi contest that offered a Pepsi-styled DJ-3A Surrey as the first prize. Subsequently, in July of 1960, there was a second contest, Pepsi’s Sociable Sweepstakes, where another Pepsi-styled DJ-3A Surrey was given away. Learn more about the Pepsi Surreys at the CJ-3B Page.
Contest 1: This ad appeared in the May 05, 1960, issue of the Miami Daily News-Record, Oklahoma. To enter the contest, folks had to fill out and mail in this entry blank, “Pepsi Cola, The ___________ Refreshment”. This was a nearly-full-page ad (this version of the ad shown below is slightly different from the one on the CJ-3B page; it can also be found in this Miami, Oklahoma, newspaper).
This next image demonstrates just how large the ad was:
Contest 2: Two months later, Pepsi announced its Sociable Sweepstakes in July of 1960. The contest was part of Pepsi’s Sociable advertising campaign and it, too, offered a Pepsi-styled DJ-3A Surrey as the first prize. The ad below was published in the July 18, 1960, issue of the Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina. The ad was another large one, taking up most of the page.
This next image demonstrates just how large the ad was:
UPDATE: A story in the July 07, 1954, issue of the Fairbanks Daily New-Miner shares the story of church group’s successful 6,000-mile delivery of a CJ-3B to a Fairbanks pastor named William J. Gordon.
The article also notes the jeep sports an experimental fiberglass hard top is interesting. The roof of the top reminds me of the CJ-5/DJ-3A Koenig manufactured tops, but the doors appear unique.
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Original Post November of 2017: The three teens–Peter Calhoun, Richard Perry, and Geno Bogan–delivered a CJ-3B to a bishop in Alaska.
“1954 Press Photo Rev George Murphy & Teens Pray Atlanta to Alaska Jeep Trip. You are bidding on an original press photo of Rev George Murphy & Teens Pray Atlanta to Alaska Jeep Trip. Photo has waving due to too much glue being used to attach the information sheet onto the back of the photo. Photo measures 7.25 x 8.25 inches and is dated 6/24/1954.”
UPDATE: Marty notes that this is called a “hubber”, a correction from “scubber”.
Barney from Barney’s Jeep Parts shared an image of this Easy Engage device. It’s called a “hubber” (no R) and it’s made of a durable plastic. It’s used to engage certain types of Warn hubs.
He added: “They were a dealership counter accessory on a cardboard display, but were not Kaiser or AMC Jeep. It works perfect if the hubs are properly lubricated or not in a “parking” bind. And, it won’t mar the metal as homemade ones can.”
In the spring of 1961 Kelloggs offered a contest with prizes that included DJ-3A Surrey Jeeps. At least two of those winners were from California: N. E. Eastmoore, Sr, out of Bowman, California, and Mrs. Maurine Vogel, out of Pasadena, California. A third, Richard P. Varalin, out of Drums, Pennsylvania, is pictured below.
This for quality image of the back of an All-bran cereal box is the only image I have. A better one can be found on the CJ-3B Page, which also provides information about the contest.
This is the last of the 1951 Farm Jeep / Jeep Tractor Brochures that I have. It’s form FS-514101.
I find this ad from the June 22, 1964, issue of the Staunton Leader out of Staunton, Virginia, a good early example of a begining move from the jeep as a utility vehicle to it as a vehicle for outdoor recreation. Though the ad still focuses on the jeep as a way to get to these fun endeavors, it wasn’t too much longer before an inflection point where the jeep-journey itself was advertised as fun.
Remember that by 1964, Four Wheeler Magazine had been out for two years, a publication that helped spread the message and the hobby of four wheeling pursuits (clubs, jeeping, modifications, and racing).
UPDATE IV: Here’s an another photo form 1978, this time it’s a good closeup of the hood.
View all the information on eBay
UPDATE III: Charles Chips — What happened to Bill Barriere, continued (see more info in below updates). (two years after the photo in UPDATE IV) In 1981 Bill launched Charles Chips of Palm Springs, a franchised(?) business that has specialized in home delivery of cookies, pretzels and other snacks in the United States since 1942
The next week, this photo and caption was published by the Desert Sun in Palm Springs, California. Bill’s adventurer-look was gone, replaced by a more casual-business-looking persona.
UPDATE II: This photo shows Bill on top of the jeep.
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Original Post January of 2019 …. UPDATE: Another photo of Bill Barriere and his jeep appeared on eBay (see below). That find sent me once again on the pursuit of the question, “What happened to Bill Barriere’s jeep trip?”. It turns out, he didn’t make it very far. During the early portion of his trip, he crashed into a bridge in the Yukon, which left him with a $7000 repair bill and $1700 tow bill (Yukon to Fairbanks). He decided to abandon the trip idea and, instead, become a mercenary fighter in Nicaragua (and drive his jeep there). Maybe some day I’ll figure out how his life as a mercenary fighter panned out.
Did the Newgren Terracing Blade become this blade, then become the Stockland Terracing blade? See the Newgren and Stockland brochures in the next post. This is form FS-514103.
To me, it looks like the Newgren terracing blade became the ‘Jeep’ terracing blade (with a minor modification .. angled piece added to the top for strength), which then became the Stockland terracing blade. Thoughts?
Page from the 1951 ‘Jeep’ brochure with the terracing blade:
1955 Stockland terracing blade brochure:
Jeep Dealer Frank Woods appeared to have high hopes for sales with this advertisement in the March 22, 1960, issue of the Charlotte Observer.
Hugo shared a French documentary about Uruguay that includes a CJ-3A. Below is a still from the video (full video here). The jeep only makes a couple second appearance.
“At the 3:20 mark, this video shows our central and most important avenue. The date of the video is 18 de Julio (18th July), the day our first constitution was approved. The location along the avenue is still possible to recognize by the architecture. Obviouslly everything else changed.
The Willys is pulling an advertisement for the Lottery of the 6th January day of the Three Kings. It is an important hollyday in Uruguay. Today it is comparable to Christmas, regarding the weight of gifts for children.”
On a side note, while doing some brief research for this, I learned that Uruguay has the longest carnival season in the world, as it runs 40 days each year!
This ad for Marine versions of the L-134 engine appeared in the October 06, 1947, issue of The Key West Citizen newspaper. As the ad notes, these are the “J1” models, which I take to mean that the serial numbers might start with “J1”?
Roy Rogers and Post Cereals had a licensing agreement for an unknown period of time, but it at least covered the period between 1952-1955 (I’m sure the Roy Rogers & Dale Evans archives can better answer the time period question). Together, the entertainer and cereal manufacturer produced a series of TV spots, print ads, and merchandise.
Here’s an example of a Post Cereal Commercial with Roy Rogers, Pat Brady and a hint of Nelly Belle (see many more commercials here):
In 1952 and 1953, Roy Rogers teamed up with Post Cereals to produce a series of 36 pop-out cards about Roy’s epic adventures. View references to the names for the entire list of cards here.
Card #4 “Pat Brady and Hi Jeep, “Nelly Bell”. Of course, the front is actually the same size as the back. See better images here.
Post Cereals also released a series of 3D cards with Roy Rogers, a few that included jeeps, that required the use of 3D glasses. Here are two examples that include jeeps (there are some of these 3D items for sale on eBay).
And one more off of eBay:
In 1953 Post Cereals joined Roy for a series of pins, one of which included NellyBelle on it.
This mower in this brochure looks like a Newton design. It’s form FS-514100.
Newton brochure from the late 1940s (See five early mowers here):
UPDATE: Matt shared this awesome pic of a Stork FC with a plow taken at the 2019 Great Willys Picnic.
I happened upon the Stork’s Plows website the other day. The company operates out of Bernsville, Pennsylvania. It looks like they carry a wide range of replacement parts for plows and other equipment, though how many vintage parts they have for those items isn’t clear. According to the website’s history page, the company started fixing plows and has a history of jeep support. They also sell some jeep parts on eBay.
Anyone familiar with the company?
Steve spotted this great photo of Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers piled into a jeep. You only receive the photo, but not the negative.
View all the information on eBay
“This auction is for one awesome IT’s A BEAUTY !!!! WE DO SHIPPED TO CANADA.. we do COMBINED SHIPPING COST !! 1950 JACKIE ROBINSON – DUKE SNIDER – PEE WEE REESE – CARL FURILLO – ROY CAMPANELLA Brooklyn Dodgers NL Team ” RIDING In A JEEP ” 8×10 TEAM PHOTO ! !!! awesome Made from super negative !!”
I find it rewarding to find the backstories to folks see in the old photos like this. You can read Harry’s full biography here.
This photo published in the Jackson Advocate on June 22, 1946, was taken in Leghorn, Italy, and shows Harry and his wife Orlean together again after being separated during WWII. Born in Mississippi, in 1909, Harry rose to the rank of Major, serving in both WWII and the Korean War. A writer, editor and highly educated man, after spending time in Germany, France, Korea, California, Africa, and other places, he eventually returned to Mississippi, become the first black teacher at the Gulfport High School. He went on to win a variety of awards and was a member of a number of societies. Major Harry C. Tartt passed away in 2008, with Orlean preceding him.
This 1973 Busch Beer commercial includes multiple shots of a post 1972 CJ-5. I don’t remember this commercial, yet it feels oddly familiar.
Here’s the original source: https://media.dlib.indiana.edu/media_objects/6h440x06f
While the sign reads “approved”, to me this particular sign does not look like Willys approved signage. There are too many signs of slight overspray. Perhaps it was done by a service station owner? I’ve also not seen one with that background color. Anyone seen another like this?
https://toledo.craigslist.org/clt/d/toledo-vintage-1950s-s-willys-metal/7119346029.html
Marked form FS-F514105, this brochure highlights some of the tool bar implements available for jeeps, including the Rotary Lister Planter, the Conventional Moldboard Middle Buster, The Roatry Bottom Middle Buster, the Field Cultivator and the Row Fertilizer Attachment.
Barry Thomas suggests that some or all of these may be ex-newgren items that, following Newgren’s struggles, Willys-Overland began to market and sell under ‘Jeep’. I’m not as versed as some folks on the individual implements, so maybe someone can confirm this?
One thing is clear to me; Willys-Overland did not devote much marketing resources to this sales effort. These brochures are pretty simplistic compared to many other marketing documents of the time. Maybe there was a small team with a tight budget assigned to try to make something happen with this niche of farming and implements?
