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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 .
Here’s another customized jeep. This one was photographed in Japan after WWII.
View all the information on eBay
“Post WWII Willys Jeep Camp Zama US Army Base Japan Vintage Snapshot Photo….actual date not known”
This photo of jeeps at Mirror Lake is hosted at the Salida Regional Library. Given the CJ-3B in the photo, but a lack of CJ-5s, this photo was likely taken around 1953 or 1954. The caption reads: “The Jeep Club at Mirror Lake during their tour of Cottonwood and Tincup Passes in Colorado. This image is from the Salida Museum Negatives Collection.”
https://salida.marmot.org/Archive/salida%3A1449/LargeImage
PHOTO CREDIT: Salida Regional Library, Salida, Colorado https://salida.marmot.org/Archive/salida%3A1449/LargeImage
This July 28, 1973, article in the Longview Daily News shares information on the rising number of jeep clubs in the Longview area. I figured the text would be easier to read if I posted it separately at bottom. The CJ-5 on the upper left is running the recently introduced Desert Dogs.
Bill shared an image of a menu from the Blackstone Hotel in Omaha. It was one of several hotels that featured James Sessions’ images on hotel menus. Anyone know the history behind why hotels were doing that?
For a complete overview of the Willys-Overland WWII (and post WWII) illustrations featuring jeeps, this page demonstrates how the illustrations unfolded over the years 1941-1946. For an analysis of how the changes in verbiage may have reflected changes as Willys-Overland during the war years, view this page.
I’m sure there are more examples than the ones gathered below. Here is what I have so far:
This is the Blackstone Hotel example that Bill shared:
This one is from the Lexington Hotel in New York City:
And this one is from the Hotel New Yorker:
This menu:
The Benjamin Franklin also ran this other menu with a different illustration:
This Bulletin 114 from Ramsey Winch includes a good illustration of the underside of the jeep with a Ramsey X-200 PTO winch installed. A price listed was also included with the brochure. Below this post, you can see the truck and wagon brochure version of the X-200 winch.
This is the same X-200 winch pictured in the post above, but setup to function on the longer wheel-base Willys Jeep trucks and wagons. The is Ramsey Bulletin 115:
Morgan stated in a comment that he was a little confused as to why some of the M-38/M-38A1 rims had back spacing changes. Can anyone help answer his questions?
Morgan wrote, “Trying to get a handle on M38/M38A1 military Jeep wheels is difficult at best (let alone all the other Jeep wheels!).
1. Do only military wheels (all 16″ ??) have weep holes? Correct me but I’ve noticed that maintaining a 12 o’clock alignment of the valve stem hole puts the weep hole of a 16″ x 4 1/2″ at 3 o’clock. And the weep hole of a 16″ x 5″ is at 9 o’clock. While the top lug hole on the 16 x 4 1/2″ lines up with 12 o’clock, it’s the bottom lug hole on the 16″ x 5″ that lines up with 12 o’clock.
In addition the backspace on the 16 x 4 1/2″ is about 3 1/4″ while the backspace on the 16 x 5″ is about 3 3/4″. Now admittedly, my research is limited and maybe I’ve only learned enough to be dangerous, but it’s the backspace that got me going.
2. I’m wondering if the shorter backspace on the 4 1/2″ (setting the tire farther from the frame and brake drum) would allow a tighter turn radius (without rubbing? or no issue?) than the deeper backspace on the 5″ (which would move the rim/tire closer to the frame?) ?? Why such a difference in backspace?
3. And of course if the mere presence of a weep hole would allow a quick accurate idea of a wheel’s exact measurements, that would be a plus. I think I’ve correctly learned that the accurate measurement of a wheel’s diameter and width is always inside the rim ?!?
4. I’ve also heard that the military wheels are a higher grade, and stronger ?!?
UPDATE: **SOLD** Auctioned through sealed bids.
Jerry Huber confirmed that this is a 1945 VEC CJ-2A, serial number #11822. Jerry added, “That would place the body at the end of the 1945 production run. The Fire Dept. documents that they got it in the spring or summer of 1946, which is still possible with the time for the Darley Fire Conversion. There is also a story that the vehicle had a frame failure shortly after they got it from Darley and it was returned to the Willys Plant in Toledo where the frame was replaced with a heavier duty and reinforced unit. I have heard that story before but can’t verify although some one with more history on the unit may be able to confirm.”
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Originally posted Mar 2, 2021: Listed as a 1947, this is likely a 1945 VEC CJ-2A. It’s got rear hubs, indents, early windshield, a column shift and (I think) the earliest “WILLYS” data plate. Bidding is allowed from March 1, 2021, though April 02, 2021.
“Public Notice – Richfield Township is placing the 1947 Willy’s Jeep Fire Apparatus for sale via SEALED BID. Richfield Township is accepting SEALED BIDS for purchase of the 1947 Willy’s Jeep Fire Apparatus from Monday 3/1/2021 through Friday 4/2/2021 at 4:00 PM. The vehicle is sold as is with no warranties or guarantees made of any kind. This vehicle has been garage stored and maintained throughout its lifetime with Berkey / Richfield Township Fire Department as the original and only owner. The vehicle is open to inspection Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. The vehicle sale is subject to a minimum bid of $10,000. The bids will be opened on Monday 4/5/2021 and highest bid above the minimum sale amount will be awarded. Sealed Bids must be addressed to Fire Chief Keith Clonch at 11450 W. Sylvania Avenue, Berkey, Ohio 43504.”
I spent all of Sunday packing up the office, so no Monday updates. I’m behind on comment responses, so bear with me.
Before packing up the jeep ‘toys’ yesterday, I took this photo. It’s not all the toys, but it is most of them. I never set out to collect toys, as I didn’t have the room. Still, somehow, I ended up with these. It’s probably good that I restrained myself; less toys to pack!
In an effort to promote Bond drives during World War II, around 1944 Sgt. Jack Kreismer created “Judy the Jeep Girl”. The character, sometimes described as a paper doll, while other times described as a cartoon, has proved a difficult image to track down. To help raise bonds, July ‘traveled’ from California to Salt Lake City, then on to the Washington, D.C.
A photo of Jack and Judy appeared in the June 1, 1945, issue of Minute Man. It’s the best example of Judy the Jeep Girl that I could find:
You can see that Jack (on the left) and Allen Overby (on the right) are holding a booklet. Apparently it is a souvenir booklet that features Judy.
The only newspaper representation I could find for Judy is a less-than-perfect sketch that appeared in the Salt Lake Telegram on June 19, 1944. Judy is left to the man in the box (sauna?).
Later, on January 15, 1945, Elenor Roosevelt commented on Judy’s activities:
This June 29, 1946, photo in the Daily Advertiser shows off an early MB conversion into a Louisiana Forestry Jeep. Developed by the Louisiana Foresty Commission, the state purchased five of these rigs.
The Weekly Town Talk out of Alexandria, Louisiana, also ran the photo on the same day, but with a different caption:
Cruising through some online photos yesterday, I stumbled upon a Kaiser Jeep prototype called the Sport Low Investment” (XLI) vehicle. Apparently, employees dubbed it the Flintstonemobile. Figuring Derek likely did a write up on this vehicle, I went over to the 3B page and sure enough, he’s got an informative write up on it: https://cj3b.info/Factory/FactoryXport.html
PHOTO CREDIT: Toledo Lucas County Public Library https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll33/id/134419
PHOTO CREDIT: Toledo Lucas County Public Library https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll33/id/134408
The starting bid is $75 for this unique lighter. It’s one I hadn’t seen.
View all the information on eBay
“THIS AUCTION IS FOR A 5 INCH LONG WILLYS JEEP MODEL CJ5 CIGARETTE LIGHTER.
THE JEEP LIGHTER IS IN GREAT CONDITION
THE JEEP IS WELL DETAILED AND THE CONSTRUCTION IS VERY WELL DONE. ITS HEAVY.
THE LIGHTER SPARKS WELL.
THERE IS NO LIGHTER FLUID IN IT AT PRESENT.
A NICE, RARE, JEEP LIGHTER”
This four-page Ramsey Winch Kit brochure is labeled Bulletin 105.
Ron’s holding an open house, a military vehicle show and sale, this year on May 23, 2021, in Central Point, Oregon.
Thanks to Hans Loix for posting pics of this Ford GPW training engine/trans/tc to Facebook (and to Roger Martin for pointing them out to me).
I’m a big confused by the ‘Jeep’ image stamped onto the side of the crate. In 1951, Willys-Overland was downplaying the use of jeep as a brand. This photo looks to be more like a post 1953-Kaiser-purchase photo. I tried to find a 1951 time-frame photo of a boxed jeep, but couldn’t find any I could compare to this one. Any thoughts on this?
It’s possible, given the photo was published as part of a 1987 article, that someone just guessed on the time-frame of this photo. Also, the fact that Thailand remained active in South Korea until March of 1955 might also provide an explanation for why these boxed jeeps were heading to Thailand.
View all the information on eBay
This is the fifth of five similar brochures, though it’s the only one described as a Willys-Overland Export Company Brochure. It highlights the Willys Sedan Delivery vehicle. The form number is SD-73-MI–80M–350. Like the others, it is nearly 22″x17″.
The brochure in the post below this appears to be the same, though with different colors, and it states it is from Willys-Overland Motors. Why are they different? I don’t know.
This is how the folded front page looks:
This is the folded back page:
When unfolded vertically, this page appears:
When unfolded horizontally, this page appears highlighting the new Hurricane engine:
When completely unfolded, this page appears:
And, finally, this is how the back appears when unfolded:
I don’t have a high resolution version of this brochure, as it’s more expensive (almost $50 after shipping and taxes .. it comes from Australia) than I’d like to pay. You can see it was originally sent to Minnesota (Cutler Motors Sales, Mora, MN). How it got to Australia I couldn’t say. Curiously, it has the same form number as the export version in the post above: SD-73-MI–80M–350.
You can view more info on eBay
As with the one above, this is the front of the folded brochure:
This is the folded back page:
When unfolded vertically, this page appears:
When unfolded horizontally, this page appears highlighting the new Hurricane engine:
When completely unfolded, this page appears:
And, finally, this is how the back appears when unfolded: Continue reading
The Shreveport Times reported on a forest fires on august 12, 1947, and included a photo of a forestry commission jeep.
Speaking of Forestry Jeeps, this photo of a Forest Service CJ-3A with a Fire pump was taken August 15, 1953. The image resides in the Black Hills National Forest Historical Collection.
https://explore.digitalsd.org/digital/collection/BHNF/id/6549
PHOTO CREDIT: Black Hills National Forest Historical Collection, August 15, 1953.
That poor CB looks abused. The driver’s step is missing and there are a few mods. Seller has additional parts available.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/422265132365121
“Cj2a tub, fenders, hood, grill, 3b windshield… 1k obo I have other parts that can go with it for more $$$.”
There’s no form number on this Willys Sedan Brochure, but based on the style, I would say it’s a 1950 brochure. This is the front of the brochure. Once I receive on additional brochure, I’ll demonstrate the series of 1950 wagon/truck nose brochures.
This is the back fo the unfolded brochure:
When unfolded vertically, this page appears:
When unfolded once more, this time horizontally, this page appears. One interesting detail is that the other similar brochure refer to the engine as “new”, but this one refers to the engine as “Famous”. Thus, I suspect this is a late 1950 brochure.
When the brochure is fully unfolded, this page appears:
This is how the unfolded back of the brochure looks:
UPDATE: Thanks to Mark for forwarding this additional info about Leb’s: http://sites.gsu.edu/historyofourstreets/category/lebs-restaurant/
This May 25, 1955, photo shows a CJ-3B with a Worman hardtop that’s splashed with Leb’s advertising. I can’t tell what the hood advertising states. The photo was taken outside the Bell Telephone Company in Atlanta, Georgia.
https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/lane/id/1427
PHOTO CREDIT: Georgia State University Digital Collections 05/25/1955, Lane Brothers Photography.
UPDATE: Thanks to a May 27, 1949, article in the Rhinelander Daily News (Wisconsin), we now know that the Forestry Demonstration occurred on May 26th. There’s also more in-depth information on the event within the article.
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Originally Posted November 8, 2020: This August 1949, Volume 1, No. 6, Salesbuilder shows off the new 4WD wagon. There’s a report about a Forest exhibition in May of 1949 near Eagle River, Wisconsin, where the fire jeeps showed their ability to get quickly to fires. The Jeepster’s new inline 6 gets a nod, as does the Bountiful Jeep Posse.
