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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 .
UPDATE: This post has been expanded since it’s original published date in December of 2014. There are several, similar brochures published during 1954, all shown below.
The earliest of these family-of-jeep brochures is Form KW-1705 and titled “4-Wheel-Drive Willys Vehicles”:
A second brochure, Form KW-1763, was released highlighting the same four vehicles, but with a new form number and some re-organization.
This “All Hail the … Beautiful Economy Safety of the Willys Taxi” brochure isn’t jeep-related, but I found it interesting. I wouldn’t have guess that the Willys Aero car was ever marketed as a Taxi. Maybe it was only advertised that way internationally (this brochure hails from Australia)?
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“An original 1950s Willys-Overland advertising brochure for the Willys Aero Taxi car. This interesting fold-out brochure describes the main features of this Willys Taxicab with a range of illustrations. It was published by Willys-Overland in Toledo Ohio in the USA.”
In March of 1961 it appears that Willys Motors released a 4-page brochure that compared the jeeps vs. the International Harvester Scout. The IH Scout made it’s debut in late 1960, so Willys didn’t waste much time in producing the document in response to the Scout’s release.
In turn, IH didn’t waste time in publishing it’s own comparison with a technical booklet over 40 pages long. I’m not entirely sure for whom this document was intended, engineers? Sales force? Management? For Marketing so it could distill the information for the sales force?
This “See How Much More You Get” advertisement appeared in the February 1948 issue of the Farm Journal. It measures 8.5″ x 11″. Both the half and full version of the top appear to be Worman tops.
This same ad appeared in the February 1948 issue of Successful Farming. It also likely appeared in the February or March 1948 issue of Country Gentleman.
T. Cohn made a wide number of toys, but this is the only example of a jeep that I’ve run across. It’s about 5″ long.
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“This is a great hard plastic military jeep which also has a metal base, free rolling wheels and nice detail. It is marked “Made in Gr Britain” on both sides of each wheel and it would appear that this toy is missing a “driver” and an “antenna” ?
This toy has great olive drab marbled hard plastic and the brittle windshield is not damaged. It does not retract and it does not appear that this was intended to do so. There is no glue residue, stressed portions or repairs. This item is offered as found.
The entire toy measures approx. 5 inches long. This toy shows the slightest soiling and it is a very hard to find item. It is offered as found with a number of other vintage hard plastic, diecast metal, rubber and other vehicle related toys. These items all dated from the late 1940’s to the late 1960’s.”
This is a great early photo of a CJ-3A out of Venezuela.
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“1 Original slide as shown. K5 013 Amazing old car JEEP WILLYS Caripito Monagas Venezuela 1951 Red Border Kodachrome”
UPDATE: This post has been merged and reworked after I figured out that the two tops were actually related.
In July of 1963, Fresno-based Automotive Fiberglass Company placed an advertisement in Four Wheeler magazine for its new fiberglass hardtop. I wonder if the builder of this top was also a member of the Fresno Jeep Club?
This is the 1963 ad:
July 1963 Ad from Automotive Fiberglass
This Automotive Fiberglass top appeared on a CJ-5 for sale in Fresno in 2010. It is the only jeep I’ve seen with an Automotive Fiberglass Top:
CJ-5 with 1963 fiberglass hardtop from Automotive Fiberglass.
TIMELINE —
July 1963: Automotive Fiberglass places ad in Four Wheeler Magazine;
November 1963: Top King Manufacturing files design patent for an altered version of the Automotive Fiberglass top;
February 1964: Top King top is advertised in the Four Wheeler Magazine;
September 1964: A more detailed ad is placed in Four Wheeler Magazine.
A few months after the Automotive Fiberglass advertisement, two design patents were filed and assigned to Top King Manufacturing. You’ll note that the rear side-angle has been reversed. The mid-section insert piece for the side was also changed, altered from a triangle shape to a rhombus shape. Here’s the design patent information from the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office:
November 1963 Design Patent filing for Top King. Note that I haven’t had the time to investigate the designers mentioned in the patent.
By February 1964, King Top was advertising the newly redesigned top in Four Wheeler Magazine. Curiously, the company listed its name as the Top King Fiberglass Company rather than Top King Manufacturing (could be a relic from the Automotive Fiberglass company days):
February 1964 Ad from Top King.
Seven months later, this second ad was placed in the September 1964 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine. The company had corrected its name for the ad back to Top King Manufacturing. Additionally, Top King announced it would soon have flatfender versions of the top available, along with a half cab version. Have any of these survived?
September 1964 Ad from Top King Manufacturing.
These two slightly different luggage-plus-people-wagon ads were published in different magazines.
This first was appeared in a 1946 issue of the New Yorker. This family is planning their first post-war vacation. You can view all the information on eBay:
This second one is from 1946, but the publisher is unknown. This ad includes less luggage for the group’s trip to the ‘big game’. You can view all the information on eBay:
The buy-it-now price is a weighty $749.99.
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“VINTAGE Jeep Off-road Car Club Boulder Bouncers Colorado Grille Badge RARE 50s. Condition is Used. Shipped with USPS First Class Package. It is 8” wide.
When we moved into our house the original owner had this in the garage on the wall.
He was a founding member of a very early off road club here in boulder Colorado but not sure of the year? There were early 50s Jeep parts in the garage too that have already been sold”
This is an even crazier price at $1,149.99 (priced to sell??). Was this the original name of the Hemet Jeep Club, with the Cavalcaders portion of the name dropped at some point?
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“Old School, Hemet/San Jacinto Valley – Jeep Cub sign. “Hemet California Cavalcaders.’ – 1940s – The Cavalcaders, were one of the FIRST 4×4 Clubs in the USA! …An ultra-rare item.
9” in diameter, was generally mounted to the Willys’ Jeep door. Cool & Beautiful.
Priced to sell. 2-minor scratches. TAC numbered and officially authenticated! The real dealio – not a fake knock-off!
Antique – 1940s, Hemet CA., “Cavalcaders” – 9″ Round Door – JEEP Club Sign – ultra-rare!
The Hemet Cavalcaders Jeep Club was one of the first four-wheel drive clubs – in the United States, dating back to the late 1940s. Many Club-members affixed these signs to their doors to highlight their club.”