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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 .
Not all the doctor appointments are without value to eWillys. We recently went downtown for an ultrasound on Ann’s heart. While walking down a hall, I spotted this parade photo, taken in downtown Pasco, Washington. I’m guessing it was taken during the early 1940s, because it features a bunch of Slat Grille MBs.
Author Debra Lenser and illustrator Kim Sponaugle based this childrens book on Debra’s son, Jeremy Lenser , and his 1948 CJ-2A. You can find it on Amazon.
Jeremy and Red Jeep are on a road trip when they happen upon Chester, a traveling tortoise, on his way to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Chester is stuck, and it’s up to Jeremy and Red Jeep to set him free.
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
Here’s an unusual brochure. Note the Desliu tie-in, too.
“Very unusual mailer here! 1963 Jeep sales mailer from Streater Buick, Jeep Division, Lakeland, Florida. Features the Wagoneer, Gladiator, Universal & FC-170 models. Also advertises the new hour long tv show produced by Desilu productions, “The Greatest Show On Earth” appearing on ABC television about the Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey Circus. The show uses Jeep vehicles and hence the tie in.”
David Tracy wrote a story for Jalopnik, about his L-134 engine tear-down.
http://thegarage.jalopnik.com/heres-what-the-inside-of-a-neglected-world-war-ii-jeep-1789089889
Photo by David Tracy
This story deserves a much longer telling, but let me cut straight to it. I’m in Seattle to work on Rusty. I dropped my iPhone in a bowl of Pho Soup. Not good. I rushed home and set it up to dry. Shortly afterward, I removed Rusty’s heater, only to find someone had built an expansive home inside the heater. This explains some of the missing cushion from the seats. As I was taking pics with the Nikon, the battery died. So, I turned to my computer, but the photos were much worse than I imagined. Not a great tech day.
On the bright side, I tested the heater fan and that works. Also, my phone seems to be drying out … finally.
As you can see below, the inside of the heater is almost entirely filled with stuff:
And this is how it looked after that stuff was removed (and after my iPhone started working a little better). I now need to remove debris from the fins and repair the lower tube.
I also disassembled my speedometer. The rod that powers the pointer had broken. I will see if there is any way to repair it. The part looks awfully like later speedometers, so there may be hope for replacing it, but I first have to disassemble the front plate from the mechanism. Based on what I’ve read, it might never work quite right. But hey, it doesn’t work quite right anyhow!
Dan Horenburger and I in front of his Streamline FC Motorhome, April 12, 2014.
On November 10th, Dan Horenburger passed away. Many of you know him for his unique Forward Control collection, which he showed off at the military FC show this past September, and some who got to know him, knew him for his warm smile and friendly disposition.
Dan and my paths crossed in multiple ways, from Wisconsin and carousels, to Wurlitzers and jeeps. He kept tabs on our travels and often shared advice on what we should see. He once explained how he’d cut his teeth on trading and hustling by reselling items from the Saddleblanket company in El Paso, which made that a must-stop place for us to visit. When we visited his LA place in 2014, he was generous with his time, sharing his various passions. He’ll most certainly be missed.
I’m told Craig Brockhaus and Jesse Ybarra are assembling a more complete remembrance of Dan that they will publish soon. Until then, here’s a short obituary of him:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nwherald/obituary.aspx?pid=182549595
Well, it isn’t a 1948 grille. If I brought this home I’d be sleeping with it on the porch!
“Incredible bar made from a Model T bumper, a 1948 Willy’s Jeep grill, and a top constructed from 150 year old barn boards”
http://maine.craigslist.org/fuo/5870748491.html
UPDATE: Still Available. Make Offer
“This is a one peace fiberglass front end for a Jeep. It is light weight and has no cracks!! Make Offer”
http://spokane.craigslist.org/pts/5863878991.html
Thanks to Keith for the tip about Old Faithful.
According to this page, the Associated Press captured this photo of “Old Faithful” on the island of Bougainville in 1944.
Recently, Jeep shot a commercial highlighting a little known fact that a jeep named “Old Faithful” was awarded an honorable Purple Heart for its service in Guadalcanal and Bougainville during WWII (not to be confused with a jeep that was named “Purple Heart“). The jeep was later put on display at the Marine Corps Museum, but, according to an article in Adweek, it disappeared and its whereabouts remain unknown.
The September/October 1944 Army Ordinance reported on Old Faithful:
Old Faithful was a Willys built jeep that served four Marine generals through the Guadalcanal campaign and the Bougainville invasion. Old Faithful was officially awarded the Purple Heart for “wounds”–two shrapnel holes in its windshield received during the Jap battleship shelling of Guadalcanal on October 13, 1942.
Old Faithful, the first American vehicle ever to be so decorated, was retired from active service by official Marine Corps order on December 22, 1943. Faithful to the last, this jeep’s motor, which has never been overhauled, purrs as smoothly today as it did on the historic day of August 7, 1942, when it first rolled onto Guadalcanal’s famous Lunga Beach. During its duty in the Pacific area,
Old Faithful served as official car for many distinguished leaders, including the late Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, Adms. Chester Nimitz and William F. Halsey, Vice Adms. A.W. Fitch, and J.S. McCain, Marine Corps Commandant Lieut. Gen. Thomas Holcomb, his successor Lieut, Gen A.A. Vandegrift, and many others. In 1944, Old Faithful, after a long journey, arrived in heaven and now reposes in the Marine Corps Museum at the Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Va.
Also in 1944, the Marine Corps Chevron included this photo and article on “Old Faithful”:
WAR RELIC’ “Old Faithful,” retired after 18 monthsservice in the South Pacific as a command oar, was displayed in San Diego’s War Bond drive. It is being inspected by Majs. Granville Mitchell (left) and Douglas J. Preacher.
Battle-Worn Jeep Back In U. S. On Bond Tour
“Old Faithful,” first Marine jeep to be landed on Guadalcanal and among the first on Bougainville, was exhibited at the Plaza War Bond center in downtown San Diego this week in connection with the Filipino Day program.
The jeep was retired on Bougainville recently after having traveled more than 11,000 miles of jungle terrain as a command car. During its 18 months’ service “Old Faithful” served four Marine generals as well as carrying every ranking Marine officer and visiting official on the two battle-torn islands.
Previously, the jeep had been awarded a “Purple Heart” for holes in its windshield, received when a Jap battleship shelled Guadalcanal. It is on its way toward becoming a museum piece at the Marine Corps Museum, Quantico.
These two brochures, one from Koenig and one from Ramsey, show two early platforms for installing a rear PTO winch. These brochures were part of a 1947 Willys Overland equipment book.
Ramsey Winch Manufacturing Brochure:
Koenig Iron Works Brochure:
This year’s Willys Moab Overland Rally will be taking place May 19-21, 2017. Learn more here: http://www.willysrally.com
The Sunrays were a short-lived musical group from California in the mid-60s. Below is a proof sheet with photos of them on a CJ-5 they bought.
View all the information on eBay
….. Well, this was supposed to appear on Veteran’s Day. Not sure why it the scheduled post didn’t appear!
Tim shared these photos. He wrote, “Here is a photo of my friend SSG Darryl Peters father, and my cousin in law MAJ Richard Hasey USMC with M151s”
Christian has posted over 100 photos from last summer’s Willys Am Tegernesee Camp 2016 in Germany. Here are a few of them. You can see them all in this gallery:
http://www.willys-am-tegernsee.de/?gallery=willysday-2016
One hub I’ve never seen in the wild is the Viking Hub, a 1968 product developed by Don Chapman at the Viking Automotive Equipment in Gardena, California. Before he moved to California, Chapman was active in Colorado’s offroad community and was involved in an offroad accessories in Colorado as well, most likely Dualmatic or Husky (anyone know the relationship between the two?), which were both based in Longmont.
Here’s an ad for it. Looks like a nice hub:
Four Wheeler Magazine did an article on the product and included this exploded view: 
Ti’s the hunting season …
Just this update today, courtesy of Charles.
Rare original color photo US jeep in front of a bistro (cafe) shortly after the liberation of Paris.
Guerre 1939-1945. Libération de Paris. Parisienne embrassant des soldats américains. Août 1944.
French officers -saigon 1949
French Hotchkiss jeep
jeep ‘founette’
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
This looks to be a four-page news piece directed at salespeople.
“original non color folder , 8.5 x 11 folded , 17 x 11 unfolded , this is volume 1 #3 of “Jeep Merchandiser” . Published by the merchandising and advertising department for Jeep salesman”
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
Another four-page news piece directed at salespeople.
“original non color folder , 8.5 x 11 folded , 17 x 11 unfolded , this is volume 1 #4 of “Jeep Merchandiser” . Published by the merchandising and advertising department for Jeep salesman.”
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
This package introduces the Merchandiser to the Jeep sales staff. I can’t tell how many pages it is.
“Original dealer’s part color folder , 8.5 x 11 folded , 17 x 11 unfolded , this is volume 1 #1 of “Jeep Merchandiser”. Published by the merchandising and advertising department for Jeep salesman , also included are two advertising bulletins introducing the Jeep Merchandiser , all items are in the original cardboard binder , 9 x 11.5.”
Jerry was having some fun the other day. He writes, “Took this picture the other morning and added the caption “Why soar like an Eagle when you can drive two of the coolest Jeeps on the planet?””
He then noted, “The MB was overheard asking the JK8 — “Who’s you Grand Daddy?””
Thanks to Glenn for forwarding this article. Four Wheeler Magazine reported yesterday from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) that OMIX-ADA reps had spotted a parts dealer from China named Unity 4WD Accessories selling parts that violated patents O-A owned. They quickly notified authorities, who then contacted the Federal Marshals, who seized the goods and shut down the booth. Read more here:
This event follows an article I read last week about a guy who developed the Forearm Forklift and has been selling it on Amazon, only to have counterfeiters copy his product and sell it on Amazon, too. They’ve used the same name and even his photographs, ones that include the guy’s family!
Maury spotted this story of a guy who built a custom plane. As he considered different engines, he finally sleeted on a L-134 to power it. Learn about his plane and the engine on the Kaiser Willys blog:
http://blog.kaiserwillys.com/a-willys-4-134-l-engine-in-the-sky
Here’s another 11×17 inch foldout brochure with a “GRIN and BEAR IT” theme. It is Form No DM61-09.
Brochure opens vertically to reveal this page:
Fully opened brochure:
Back of unopened brochure:
The entire frontside:
