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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 .
The Last Chancer, a wooden train built on a jeep platform, is documented at the Helena History Museum. You can view additional pictures at the Museum page. A Last Chance Train still exists, but has been upgraded.
In this early picture taken in 1954 you can see what appears to be a CJ-3B peering out from it’s enclosure.
Here is the Train as of 1957.
The Last Chancer made an appearance in the 1956 issue of Popular Science on page 104:
Check out the unusual set up on the back of the green CJ-3B. Does that jeep have a rack over the top, too? This postcard shows at least 6 jeeps.
I’ve never heard of this book. Jack Townend wrote a variety of children’s stories.
“FOR SALE IS A VERY RARE HOMEFRONT CHILDS BOOK FROM THE WW2 ERA.
IT IS ENTITLED; ‘JENNY THE JEEP’ BY JACK TOWNEND PUBLISHED BY FABER & FABER, LONDON.
THE BOOK HAS THICK CARD COVERS WHICH ARE VERY COLOURFUL.
THERE ARE BLACK AND WHITE AND COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS INSIDE WHICH ARE REALY BEAUTIFUL AND VERY EVOCATIVE OF THE TIME. THE BOOK MEASURES APPROX JUST UNDER 8 3/3 INS WIDE BY APPROX JUST OVER 5 INS TALL.
THE STORY CENTRES AROUND A JEEP CALLED JENNY WHO WAS MADE IN THE COLOUR PINK INSTEAD OF GREEN AND ALL THE OTHER JEEPS DIDN’T LIKE HER! THEN ONE DAY ALL THE JEEPS SET OF FOR ITALY AND ALL THE GREEN JEEPS TRIED TO STOP JENNY FROM GETTING ON THE SHIP BUT SHE MADE IT. JENNY MANAGES TO PULL A TREE TRUNK OUT OF THE WAY FOR THE SOLDIERS AND IS HAILED AS THE ‘QUEEN OF THE JEEPS’ AND IS ALLOWED TO GO IN FIRST POSITION! AFTER THE WAR THE JEEPS ARE TO BE SOLD AND JENNY IS CHOSEN BY AN ITALIAN MAN TO BE AN ICE CREAM CART, WHICH SHE IS VERY HAPPY ABOUT!
THIS IS A LOVELY STORY AND WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE ENTERTAINED CHILDREN DURING THE DARK DAYS OF WW2.”
1. View all the information on eBay
2. Another Jenny the Jeep book is available on Amazon for $101.
Anyone know anything about the Transport Motor Company (TMC)? Did TMC make the sprayer or is this a private labeled sprayer built by another company? I found one reference to the company on a CJ-2Apage thread.
Here’s a small brochure about the sprayer I bought off eBay the other day.
This is for pickup only.
“As you probably know these are very hard to find in their full form. These are often cut down to size, that is if one is managed to sneak its way out of being completely destroyed which is what is supposed to happen to these signs if they are removed or replaced. Contact me if you have any questions or would like to see additional pictures. This would be available for PICK UP ONLY, however. If you are willing to pay for shipping you will have to secure this on your own, prove the shipping cost, and pay the extra amount.”
View all the information on eBay
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
This is pretty cool.
“Original US WWII Curtain Fastener Set, in its original OD steel box, with GI tools, and thousands of its 1940s solid brass, oxidized bronze-finished mil-spec fasteners still within. Multi-compartmented box measures 3″ x 16 1/4″ x 25”, with hinged lid fastened by two spring catches. Two steel wire carrying handles–one on each size–complete the container. The lid is silscreened in orange with photographs of each fastener included in the set, each captioned with its federal serial number. Also depicted are the included tools, only some of which remain. The nomenclature stamp for the entire rig reads: “Curtain Fastener Kit / No. 4835 / FSN-42-K-6000 / Manufactured by United Carr Fastener Corp., Cambridge, Mass., USA.” (Carr manufactured the vast majority of the incredible array of fasteners used on all US GI gear.) Box lid is also stenciled with: “42-K-6000” in one-inch black figures and letter. Amongst the contents which remain in this amazing box are: Lift-the-Dot, Large; Lift-the-Dot, Small; a variety of different male halves for both types of LtD; Baby Durable; Large Durable; grommet (in several sizes; and an array of hardware types I cannot identify. All fasteners are NOS, original to the box. I can only assume the “curtain” in the ensemble’s title refers to that portion of the MB/GPW’s fabric top–but there are certainly many fasteners included in this set which were intended for use on seats, straps, etc. There’s thirty pounds of hardware here, and our opening bid wouldn’t cover today’s cost of purchasing the equivalent number of cheap, modern, imported fasteners. This set was surplused out of the US Army’s Pueblo Ordnance Depot in Colorado in the 1970s–which might explain its scarcity (if these were only issued at the depot level, there just weren’t that many). In over forty years of collecting, I’ve never seen another like this extraordinary assemblage, and have only even heard of one other.”
Apparently, this issue of Hit Magazine includes Jeep Jokes. However, the price of $20 makes the issue less appealing. Anyone have this?
View all the information on eBay
This seems unusual.
“JEEP Printers Block Plate ANTIQUE/VINTAGE letterpress print 9926. This type of print block was used by printers, newspapers, magazines, and advertising typesetters to create printed media.
Copper plate on wood block. Dimensions (approximate): 1 1/2” x 3/4” x 7/8”.
View all the information on eBay
Paul gives an update on his jeep build. (View past posts by Paul here)
“I’ve been making some progress on the Willys this winter but my wallet can’t keep up with my plans so I’ve had to scale my work back to consist of lower cost but necessary tasks which must be done but aren’t the flashy jobs that get noticed. One of these simple items was fabricating a license plate mount on the front bumper. I didn’t want to mount the plate on the grille where it would restrict the airflow heading toward the radiator and attaching the plate right above the bumper could restrict the visibility of the front turn signals. Hanging the plate below the front bumper would expose the plate to damage by snow piles and make it more difficult to see so I ended up mounting the plate on the center of the front bumper with some 1/8th inch thick angle stainless providing the needed support. These angle sections were cut so they were slightly wider and taller than the plate, the edges were filed and contoured to match the plate and riveted to a 16 gauge stainless sheet which fits just behind the license plate for added support.”
“With these parts together I riveted this assembly to the upper and lower surfaces of the front bumper. All rivets were flush head style which not only look smoother but prevent interference with the mounting of the license plate. The attach hardware for the license plate ended up being too close to the bumper structure so I had to hand file four openings in the bend radius of the reinforcing angles to allow clearance for the washers and nuts. The license plate mount is pretty sturdy and doesn’t restrict airflow or visibility so I like it. I’ve attached pictures of this mod so you can make sense of what I’m talking about.
By the way, the license Rolls is an old joke which began in either late 1972 or 1973. With the original four cylinder engine and the 5.38 axle ratios this poor Willys was slow. I drove many miles down the shoulder of the roads while faster vehicles (furniture vans, garbage trucks and kids on bicycles) zoomed past me. Naturally, my friends seemed to notice how slow my Jeep was and were often surprised to see a speedometer in the gauge cluster. They thought since the Willys was so slow I’d use a calender to measure my driving speed. Somehow the general opinion came to believe this Jeep was not built by WillysOverland but by a company called Rolls Knardly because the Jeep Rolls down one hill and Knardly make it up the next one. The name stuck and I paid extra to have Rolls as a personalized license plate much to the enjoyment of my friends. I still have the plate and someday I hope to have the all new and improved Rolls Knardly back on the Alaskan roads, I might even try to pass someone!”
Roy Roger’s sidekick Pat Brady had a couple color books made under his name that feature a variety of nellybelle images. You can read more about nellybelle at the CJ-3B page.
1) This coloring book is for sale in a few different places. The cheapest price I found was on Etsy for $8.00 (plus shipping) and includes a few pages colored.
2) The cover of this coloring book was on a Pat Brady Biography page. I haven’t found it for sale anywhere yet.
3) I found this copy of a page from “In Trouble” at comic art fans.
UPDATE: Was on eBay. I never knew someone made a Half Safe Toy. This looks like Half Safe following the rebuild in the UK.
“(1) GPA JEEP “HALF SAFE” WWII WW2 PLASTIC MODEL, MAKER UNKNOWN
“HALF SAFE” AMPHIB JEEP CONVERTED TO CIVILIAN USE FOR AN AROUND THE WORLD JOURNEY AS KNOWN IN THE BOOK BY THAT NAME
PLASTIC ITEM, USED TO HAVE AN ELECTRIC MOTOR BUT INTERNAL PARTS ARE MISSING, ON OFF SWITCH IS THE LIFE PRESERVER ON THE TOP OF THE CABIN, HAS THE BATTERY HOLDER STILL HOOKED UP, MISSING HEADLIGHTS AND SOME OTHER SMALL ITEMS
INCREDIBLY RARE ITEM.
SIZE 9-1/4″ LONG, 3-1/2″ WIDE, 3-1/2″ HIGH”
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
I guess you can lift anything with a Scheneker lift.
Here’s an interesting binder. I wish it included more pages.
“Up For Bid Is A Original Rare 1954 Willys Jeep Industrial Equipment Book And Made For The Willys-Overland Motors Yoledo Ohio. You Don’t See These Originals Everyday. This One Is In Used Condition But Nice For It’s Age. Book Has No Rips Or Tares And Binding Is Nice. Inside Has 2 Original Pages 1st And 2nd. Book Measures 11 1/2″ x 10″. Books Color Is Still Nice Also. Heres You Chance To Get A Nice Hard To Find Original Willys Jeep Collectible. Please Feel Free To Email Me With Any Questions You Might Have. GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY BIDDING!!”
View all the information on eBay
It’s not very old, but it sure looked unusual to me.
“UP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS A ZIPPO WINDPROOF LIGHTER
FEATURES – RARE MARLBORO ADVENTURE TEAM AND JEEP
YEAR: 1998
CONDITION: UNUSED
FINISH: BRUSHED CHROME
USE PHOTOGRAPHS FOR MOST ACCURATE DESCRIPTION
EVERYTHING IN PHOTOGRAPH IS INCLUDED
View all the information on eBay
Die Vier im Jeep (Four in a Jeep) was the original title of this 1951. It was filmed in Austria. Anyone seen it? I found some neat posters about it. Here’s more on Wikipedia.
“In post-war Vienna, occupied by the Allies, four sergeants representing each of the occupying nations (USA, England, France, Soviet Union)patrol in the same Jeep. One day they are given the mission to capture and arrest a prisoner who has run away from a Soviet war prisoner camp. But when they learn the truth about Karl, the runaway, and Franziska, his wife, they decide to help him instead. The trouble is that the Soviet sergeant is held on a short leash by his superiors. He has strict orders not to let the fugitive slip away and he comes into conflict with his fellow military policemen. In these conditions, Will Karl and Franziska be reunited and live free again?”
You can find Four In A Jeep: Director’s Cut at Amazon.com
I found a variety of posters at comicartfans.com. These were all posted by the owner of the originals, Roy Mann.
The Catholic Herald Newspaper published this photo on page one of the November 17, 1944, issue. The caption reads, “MASS ON A JEEP! Troops of the West Yorks Regiment attending Mass conducted by Chaplain J. Nolan, of Bradford, Yorkshire, in a jungle clearing in Manipur State.”
You’ll need to reach deep to purchase this rare vehicle.
“This car has never been restored since WW2, and in Italy is well known like to be the best example existing since the first ’50, there is also a car magazine that show this car for sale in 1968.Very original car and very nice body, never demaged, the car belonged to a FJ division and was founded in 1945 near Po river. Still original motor plate and gear plate, all original color inside motor area, original motor remade new 3 years ago.Unique and irripetible opportunity ti get a car like this one. Please, no curious or timewaster, only serious collectors. tel. 0039-320-4044732”
View all the information on eBay
Here is an early article that highlights the potential for jeeps following the war. You can see the online version at Google Books. I couldn’t find an issue for sale on eBay.
A couple additional references to the jeep were made in the January 1943 issue of Popular Mechanics. You can see the online version at Google Books
1) Page 33: “Jeep Flies Target Plane to Help Gunner’s Aim”
Apparently, a plane was mounted to a jeep and driven across an open field. I’ve never seen any other pictures of this.
2) Page 64: Perhaps this is the first running model jeep? It certainly was an early one!
Roberto spotted this unusual ad at the Advertising Archives website. Searches using Jeep and Willys yields some others as well, but none as unique. There are no indications regarding which magazines published the ad.
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
This two page article describes the 5th annual Cavalcade event in 1953. It was published in an August 1953 magazine, publisher unknown.
“original magazine article , 8.5 x 12 , 2 Pages , describes Cavalcade from Hemit through Coyote Canyon to Calexico, CA”
