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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 .
Andy shared this rarely seen US Navy Smalley Port-O-Spot. It’s another odd utility vehicle partly built with Willys-Overland parts. Only a couple hours left in the bidding; the high bid is currently $3100.
“Made by Oxnard Heavy Maintenance & Mfg Co. Oxnard California. It has a Willys drivetrain, and it does run and drive.”
Mike shared this DJ-5-transformed-into-a-smoker (in the back) and grille (under the hood).
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/734804307543868
“Pull up with this at your next party. Built from the shell of an old postal jeep. 18 ga steel welded in the cargo area(back) and sealed and all shelves (2) are on rollers so they pull out. Side back windows have shelf to keep things warm. Under the hood you have a 36″ flat top griddle for cooking. I built a fire box that only uses wood or charcoal. I used only hickory wood. Smoker is mounted on a trailer for easy towing. All lights on jeep except headlights work as they should .”
Bill shared this article by Tom Czekanski from the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, a place I have yet to visit (“yet” being the key word).
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/shop-talk-three-jeeps
PHOTO CREDIT: 1941 Ford GP awaits assembly. Courtesy of The National WWII Museum.
Glenn spotted this Pat Brady coloring book on eBay. The cover shows a great illustration of the Nelly Belle jeep.
View all the information on eBay
“My Husband’s coloring book from his childhood.”
UPDATE: Happy May Day! Below are all the pages from this issue of the newspaper.
This unusual newspaper that popped up on eBay the other day. It was the seventh issue of the Northeast 4WD Racing News. There was no publish date, but one editorial puts this at roughly January 1976. It’s 14 pages published in a full-size newspaper format, so the pics are big! I’d love to see other copies if anyone knows of any (or knows how long this paper lasted).
(The images are extra large to allow folks to read the small text. Click on the image, then most likely you’ll need to click on it again to expand it to full size)
This is the front page:
This pics show that the M-38A1, M-170, Trucks and Wagons are covered by the catalog. I can’t tell if it covered all models, including CJ-5s, CJ-6s, DJs, FJs, or other models.
View all the information on eBay
“Vintage 1962 AMC Willys Jeep Military & Utility Vehicle Parts Catalog & Price List. I know very little about this, I am selling it for a friend whose family member was a mechanic.
The large book is marked on the front Parts List / Price Catalog – American Motor Company.It appears to contain two separate books from 1962.
The first is for the Jeep Military M38AI Truck Utility (MD) & M170 Truck Ambulance (MDA) – approx. 116 pages Continue reading
Likely from the 1940s, this seems a good price on an old amphibious model jeep kit. I have one already or I would buy it.
View all the information on eBay
“Welcome welcome for sale we have a VINTAGE U.S. ARMY AMPHIBIAN JEEP WOOD AND PAPER MODEL KIT BY MOD-AC, CA.Also know as the quack! This model has been started and has a few broken pieces so please review the pictures I believe it’s all here and if your going to finish it I am sure you can fix those pieces”
Mike spotted this MPC-brand model that allows for the creation of either a Funny Car or a Service Jeep. It seems pretty pricey at $230. I would have been all over this as a kid, as I built model jeeps, Barret-mobiles, and other 60s rat rods. Note that the directions for this are not original (printed off the internet) and the tires have been altered slightly.
View all the information on eBay
“MPC Bottoms Up Jeep 2 versions. Road service or Funny Car with decals, nice-Rare kit seldom seen on eBay and never reproduced. Looks to be mostly complete. Supersize pictures and judge for yourself. I counted 100 white parts alone! All chrome looks to be there too When I found this rare kit someone had already removed all the wheels from the chrome tree and assembled the stock wheels into the stock tires. Some melting had happened over the years. I Dis-assembled the wheels from the tires and trimmed all the excess from the wheels. Once assembled you can hardly notice.Also there is a small tire burn on the drivers door. There were no directions but I was able to locate them on the internet and print a complete set. They look original. Decals look good with no cracking. Item will be carefully packed and arrive as you see it here.”
Continue reading
The Maine Willys Sales Co, appears to have launched in 1946 in Bangor, Maine. By 1949, the company was located in multiple Maine cities, including Bangor, Rockland, Lewiston, Portland, and Augusta. At some point, circa 1949, the Augusta branch sold six jeeps to the Forestry Department. The below image posted to the Forest Fire Lookout Association’s FB page documents this purchase:
Here’s an ad from the March 30, 1949, issue of the Bangor News. Note that multiple cities are listed under Maine Willys Sales:
It’s likely that 1949 wasn’t kind to the Maine Willys Sales Company, because the February 09, 1950, issue of the Bangor Daily News reported that Chrysler had taken over the Maine Willys Sales Company property, though nothing was mentioned about what happened to the company.
Later that year, on June 15, 1950, a large ad appeared in the Bangor Daily News, but only the Maine Willys Sales Company of Rockland appeared on this list of dealers.
The above ad strongly suggests that Maine Willys had dwindled to just one city in Maine by the summer of 1950. The company’s name was rarely seen in the newspapers after this ad.
The last reference I found for the company was for a July 11, 1953, article in the Bangor Daily News that mentioned an accident where a driver backed into the Rockland Maine Willys Sales showroom, shattering two large windows.
In his Conner’s Corner column for the Lewiston Evening News on October 16, 1945, Sam Conner didn’t have a “Kind Word For Jeep”, at least in regards to the pounding ride it offered. It was a fair complaint.
