The Tri City Military Vehicle Club was out playing in the dunes with their jeeps this past weekend. These dunes are just a few minutes from our place in Pasco, Washington. I’m hoping to get Biscuit there at some point.

Next updates Monday morning.

I’m in Seattle working late on the jeep. Making progress (yeah!). So, no updates Monday.

Only the one update (above) today. Since it is my birthday, I’m taking the day off.

On another note, four readers have emailed me saying that eWillys appears offline to them (and has for several days). Three of the four are from outside the country. My web host made some firewall changes and that might be the root cause. If you know of anyone his having troubles, have them email me. We are trying to determine just how many people are affected.

Interestingly, Pascal noted that he tried to use Google from Canada to locate the site and eWillys didn’t appear in his results. So, something strange, but limited, seems to be happening.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $1100

It runs.

“I have a 1975 jeep dj5 postal jeep for sale it has a good running 6 cylinder engine and transmission. It is right hand drive with sliding doors.”

I’m going to take the weekend off. Next update will be Monday morning.

Today I spent some time doing some housekeeping on the site, including updating the WordPress backbone to the latest version along with all the plugins. Phone users (and everyone) can now search a little more easily using the ADV search link at the top of the page. So, if something doesn’t quite work right, that’s probably why.

Here’s how our Spruce Goose photo is supposed to look:

On another note, Colin shared an email with me that I altered into the story below. I don’t know about you all, but I warned Ann when we first started dating to tell me before she cut or colored her hair. I said I’d never notice. She’ll even point it out and I still can’t tell, but I can sure spot a jeep with just a glance.

A husband went to the police station to file a “missing person” report for his missing wife:

Husband : I lost my wife, she went shopping & hasn’t come back.
Inspector : What is her height ?
Husband: I never checked.
Inspector : Slim or healthy ?.
Husband: Not slim, can be healthy.
Inspector : Color of eyes ?
Husband : Never noticed.
Inspector : Color of hair ?
Husband : Changes according to season.
Inspector : What was she wearing?
Husband : I think it was red, but not sure whether it was a dress or a suit.
Inspector : Was she driving?
Husband : Yes.

Inspector : Tell me the make, model & color of the vehicle . . . . .
Husband : She was driving a harvest tan CJ-3A with a Buick V6 that generates 250 horsepower powering a Ford Toploader 4 Speed. It has a full cage colored a faux shade of aluminum. The winch on the front is a classic pre-Warn belleview winch held up by an ARB bumper that I customized. There’s a small scratch on the hood and a dent on rear quarter panel …..

The husband halted, then started crying…

Inspector: Don’t worry sir, ……. We will find your jeep.

No pics provided. Listed as a 1940.

“Just used for hunting does run but need thing done first Main thing is gas tank but can be an easy convert to a boat gas tank next on the list will be breaks Price will be negotiable but not by much motor runs great transmission is on the better side of great clutch is good would have to mess with it one with just need gas tank and breaks and the will to hunt or restore will send pictures when asked for them and does have the original hub caps thank you”

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/4398388162.html

This looks like a good price, despite the odd body.

“1942 Ford GPW WWII Jeep #109046. The original body has been cut, and though sound, is not restorable. Has good MB engine, rebuilt trans and transfer case, new steering parts, 5 new NDT tires, new brake parts, etc. The Jeep runs and drives excellent. A fun Jeep as is or, with a new body kit, would make a nice classic. $3,000.”

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/4371331104.html

Yes, you read that correctly. A couple days ago the Westchester firehouse caught fire. Lost in the fire was their 1943 jeep 🙁

http://nypost.com/2014/02/25/inferno-roars-through-westchester-firehouse/

You can just see the back of the jeep to the right. I found this pic on their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/WestchesterFireWire/photos/a.503907639717921.1073741862.387124101396276/503956493046369/?type=1&theater

UPDATE: WAs $875. Status Unknown.

There’s value here.

“I bought this jeep for a hobby when I retired,but I have to many projects,and I just know I not ever going to have the time, I bought it about 15 years ago for 875.00 and that what I want for it.”

Jesse asked me to post this information about the FC-Roundup 2014, March 28th-30th in Phoenix, Arizona. Ann and I look forward to seeing everyone there! You can learn more information here.

Photo from the FC-Roundup 2012

It is that time for me to bring up a few important things to know about the FC Roundup, because as usual we will have some new people that will be coming, I wish to prevent any confusion and misunderstanding.

Lately there has been some postings about other Jeep events held in other parts of the country. At these events a few FCs are gathering. At Jeep events, this is really great. I think it is wonderful that more attention is given to the FCs. For new people, sometimes all the pictures in the world can not explain what a difference it makes to be able to be looking at a real FC mechanical assembly and how it looks like on a running FC. So, more events are needed.

I want anyone that does not yet understand, the Jeep Forward Control event in Phoenix is not just another Jeep event. Instead this event and the NW FC Gathering are the only events that are limited for displaying only FC-Vehicles and FJ Van vehicles. The word only means is restricted it is not for any or all other model Jeeps. Non FC vehicles will not be allowed to be parked on my property. No exceptions. There is adequate street parking for all others.

Please read everything carefully:

HOTELS: The nearest hotel is the Camelback Sahara, 7th Ave and Camelback. They only have 10 rooms left. They are changing the name to Hotel 502 in March and both names will be on the buildings to avoid confusion. So there is some minor remodeling being done that the owner has told me will be done by the time of the event. It is preferred only because it is walking distance close to the light rail and a few blocks to the event. Additionally, it has been the most preferred hotel, because it is the only hotel near here that has a large rear parking lot that allows for big trucks and large vehicle trailers and they do have security.

Continue reading →

No pics provided. It includes a Sears Top.

“Two 1948 Willys Jeep projects. Enough to make one complete Jeep with lots of spare parts. Motor and drive train in one Jeep, no motor or tranny in the other. Original Sears metal top coversion on one also. Price firm. No titles. Take all or none, as is, this is the way I bought them for alot more. Will take a 8 x 20 flat bed over tires trailer, duel axle, do not need a heavy duty type trailer.”

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/4312221978.html

I guess I should acknowledge the obvious: there’s a football game today that involves the Seahawks. Here’s my Seahawks story.

In 1976 the Seahawks arrived in Seattle. I was 11. It was a big deal for me. I guess Dad must have sensed that, because in 1978 (I think) he announced he’d bought season tickets for the both of us.

That was also a big deal, because the two of us never went to sporting events. We didn’t even watch sports on TV together or talk about it that much. Neither of us are particularly opinionated about them. He tended to spend more time listening to them on the radio while working in the garage. I had a much harder time listening to sports on the radio; I definitely preferred watching them on TV.

In those early Seahawk days they played in downtown Seattle at the Kingdome. On game day we’d jump into his baby blue Ford Pinto and drive down to the dome, find a cheap parking spot, and hoof it for several blocks, joining the crowds arriving for the 1pm games.

Our Kingdome seats to watch the Seahawks in 1978 were farther up, and more to the right. But, the view was about the same.

The seats Dad purchased were on the first level, about halfway up the section at one of the corners of the field. The ‘seats’ were metal bleachers with numbers under them. They weren’t particularly comfortable. A few numbers down from us was another father and son. They were noisy, always complaining about the players or the refs. The kid was a couple years younger than me and seemed more interested in spewing nonsense and vile than studying the actual game.

Half the games were fun, because they’d happen in our part of the field. The other half were way down at the other side of the dome. I might as well have watched it on TV. Speaking of TV, the commercial breaks were a little bewildering, meaning there were no commercials to watch. All I could do was watch the players or cheerleaders as the the endless TV-timeouts broke up the action. One study suggests there is only 11 minutes of actual game time action and 75 minutes of commercials in the average football game. That was never more apparent to me then when I was sitting next to Dad waiting for the action to commence. Since we really didn’t talk a whole lot, we’d look around or read the game brochure.

The most memorable part of the games for me were the endings, especially the close ones. They were memorable not so much because they were exciting, but because we watched them on the TVs as we descended the Kingdome’s ramps. You see, Dad liked to leave early to beat the crowds and the traffic. So, while I watched the game, Dad watched the game and the crowd to gauge when the best time to leave would be. As soon as Dad gave the word, we were gone, leaving the cheering (or booing) crowds behind as the last minute events unfolded.

But, at least we avoided traffic home.

When the next season rolled around, Dad asked if I wanted him to get season tickets again. I thought about it. I felt that he only went to the games as a favor to me; similarly, I would only be attending the games as a favor to him. So, I told him that I’d just rather watch it on TV. He seemed perfectly happy with that answer. To Dad’s credit he tried, but it just wasn’t our thing. I guess we never were rabid fans.

Still, I have to say, Go Hawks!

The good news is that I’ve got some good stuff to share monday, but right now I’m busy completing my computer rebuild. I got my new terabyte hard drive on my laptop, which should give me plenty of hard drive space (1.5 Terabytes in total) for the next few years. However, during my move I ran into the normal tech problems (several old forgotten passwords and problems moving some applications to the new hard drive). Worse, something got into my email server this morning (maybe I opened a bad email?) and wiped out about 10 months of emails from my inbox. Not good. Fortunately, my ‘sent’ folder is still in tact, so I haven’t lost everything.

Charles explained that these are photos of Padre Van Der Goten, a beloved priest in the Belgian Army. According to this Wikipedia article, his jeep’s motto was “Belgian’s Can-Do Too”, pictures of which we saw in this post.

UPDATE: Still Available. No pics provided.

“I have a 1948 Willys Truck 4×4. Frame off, frame POR 15, Front Brake Disc conversion with Dana 30 open knuckle 3:73 gears. 4.3 ltr V6 came out of my truck that was totaled. Dana 44 rear with new hardware, shoes, wheel cylinders, drums and lines. 208 Transfer case with driveline. BandM shifter and IDIDIT steering column with advanced adapters power steering. Truck has NO transmission, but is set up for 700r4, gave the trans to my brother.

Trade, trades, barter, swap looking for an aluminum boat jon style at least 16 foot. Ideal would be a 16×48 flat bottom just boat only. I have a boat trailer to come and get the boat you will need trailer to come and get the truck. 360-628-7141 text pictures only.”

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/bar/4284946625.html

UPDATE: Price dropped to $2800

(11/23/2013) It runs and drives, but needs some more work.

“I am selling our 1947 Willys jeep. It is in running condition and is registered with title in hand. Please only serious inquires.
We have started restoration on it and is running
Rebuilt motor with hardened seats to accept todays unleaded fuel
Cooling system rebuilt
Fuel system Re-done
Brakes Re-done
Jeep needs transmission seal and rear end seal replaced.
Along with cosmetic restoration. But yes it does run and is registered. Please call Melanie 8five8 4four2 6ninezero5”

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/4282824803.html

UPDATE: Was on eBay. **SOLD**

This is a neat brochure. It sold on Friday for $31. Learn more about Hotchkiss jeeps.

“Description: Original 1950’s French Hotchkiss Willys Jeep dealership sales brochure is in near mint condition. It measures 3 1/2″ x 5 7/8″ and folds open to 5 7/8″ x 7″ and is in French. Combine with others I am listing and ship multiple for the price of one.”

Charles shared some more photos.

The name of this road is Hell’s Highway (learn more about Highway 69 here) which was used during Operation Market Garden. Given the soldiers in the ditch, I’d say this 1944 photo captures they felt the same way:

 1944 photo of Graves Bridge, Holland, an Operation Market Garden strategic point:

This photo shows the Belgian Army in Korea:

I found this article by the New York Times, eBay’s Strategy for Taking on Amazon, which explores eBay’s efforts to challenge Amazon. This is particularly interesting to me, because in September of 2013 eBay radically altered the commissions it paid third parties (like eWillys) who send buyers to it’s website. Since many of us have bought or sold on eBay, I thought I’d explain this a little.

Prior to September, if someone clicked on a link from eWillys, visited eBay, bid on an auction (or purchased something), and won, I’d receive a commission. For me it was a good way to generate a little money and motivated me to find unusual items on eBay that I thought would interest folks. For eBay, it’s a good way to encourage niche sites to send them high quality traffic. It was a win-win.

However, in September eBay altered the formula. Instead of awarding commissions based on a time frame that might have tracked a user over a 7 day window, now eBay will only pay a commission to a 3rd party if they purchase (buy-it-now) or win an auction within a 24 hour period. As you can imagine, there was a flurry of angry discussions from eBay traffic partners who watched in stunned amazement as their earnings suddenly plummeted by 50-80% (some were earning 10s of thousands of dollars). The overriding argument for the change was that eBay was transitioning away from auctions to a buy-it-now mentality.

In fact, in the article I mentioned at the start of the post, the New York Times claims that auctions currently represent only 30% of the purchases made on eBay. Even more interesting is how eBay is using its systems to act as the technology provider for large brick-and-mortar companies, such as Home Depot and Toys “R” Us. The company is becoming more and more focused on retail buyers and stepping away from their original core utility: auctions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/22/magazine/ebays-strategy-for-taking-on-amazon.html?_r=0

Since you are reading this post, you probably already figured out that we arrived safely tonight. Among our precious cargo was a new three year old stallion. I’d tell you all about the horse, but I can’t seem to write a very coherent sentence. So, a pic will have to do (my sister is to the left and petting the horse is my niece, Holly.

Here is my very happy wife welcoming me.