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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 .
Robin found a great short clip of the Willys Wagon that appears in the movie “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World“. I remember watching this movie as a kid, because it was one of my favorites. It’s a bunch of silliness.
I just ran across this video of Cam Carter racing the family race jeep Priority. His parents, Tim and Lynette, are friends of mine and were great drivers (probably still are). The video shows Cam is channeling their skills. Tim is in the passenger seat providing occasional advice. It looks like they are running a cross country course at the Monroe Adventure Park.
Priority is a fiberglass Parkette body with a custom link arm suspension. I rode in the jeep on an early version of the suspension a few years ago, but Tim made some changes to it that improved it quite a bit I’m told. It’s powered by an aluminum V8 with about a trillion horse power that feed in a Ford Toploader four speed that used to be in dad’s CJ-5.
Dad had a side shifter installed when he owned the tranny. First and reverse gear were so close. I was learning to drive it on the road when, after stopping at a stoplight during a training drive, I mistakenly put the tranny into reverse rather than first. I nearly backed into the person behind me when I let out the clutch. Dad was in the passenger seat and was pretty rattled by my near mistake (as was I). Fortunately, I had a good grasp of how to use the brake, which averted an embarrassing wreck 🙂
Mom sent this video. What other use is their for old Barbie Jeeps?
I happened upon this useful video that shows a restored Ford GP from MilitaryVehicleWeb.com.
Uploaded in 2010, this disassemble/assemble of this ‘Jiffy Jeep’, unlike this competition video and this parade demonstration, shows the action from the front, giving a different view onto this unique performance.
Leo found this video that compares a jeep to a Gator.
Pete from the Old Willys Forum forwarded these two videos he’s just posted from last summer’s 2013 Moab Willys Rally. The first video shows what it looks like when driving through Arches National Park. The second has some jeeping footage.
Hugo in Uruguay spotted this video. Like peanut butter and jelly, ying and yang, Fred and Ginger, Sausages and toy jeeps are a natural fit, right? Well, if you didn’t believe it before, check out this ad that celebrates 100 years of Ottonello sausages. The toy jeep appears at the 15 second mark. After viewing the video, Hugo suddenly remembered that he’d owned a red toy jeep when he was a kid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYsjhPrO1Cg
Brendan (from this-old-jeep.com) posted a link to this video, which was shown on Jalopnik. The video originated at 11foot8.com, a website devoted exclusively to capture trucks hitting a low bridge. Once you start watching, you can’t stop . . .
Blaine forwarded this video. I’d seen it previously and thought I’d shared it, but didn’t find in my posts.So, enjoy. It would be fun to find a jeep buried in the sand, dirt or bushes; we can always dream, right?
http://www.desisrus.com/videofeed/Sz0pLi9UtLI
Leo spotted this video. The comparison is a silly one, since the Wrangle can’t perform any PTO tasks. Instead, it looks more like a Wrangler promo and less like a real story. That said it’s still fun to watch the 3A.
Gary forwarded this odd short video of a rough CJ-2A that just keeps going . . . at least until it gets stuck.
Buz spotted this great video from Car SOS.
Deborah forwarded this video from Tom Townsend and the Military Network Motor Pool. The first segment deals with jeeps. To their credit they spend some time discussing jeep history and describing how to tell the differences between jeeps (ford vs mb and military vs civilian). But, I felt they could have covered the history more accurately.
For example, when discussing the Bantam prototype they showed pictures of the BRC-40 (3rd generation Bantam). They never showed any pictures of the Willys prototypes. They also suggested Willys got the contract for the jeep before Ford appeared. The reality is Ford not only submitted prototypes, but won the principal military contract, before it was taken away and given to Willys. Another mistake was that CJ-2As were produced starting in 1945 rather than 1946.
You can check out the entire episode here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/216750
Guy found these videos with jeeps and nuclear blasts. Here’s a wagon before and (seconds later) after a blast (see 1:00 minute mark of video)
Here are a couple more vids he found.
http://youtu.be/r9UwBOhyJSI See time mark 10:35
http://youtu.be/5dG76lkGC8w See time mark 2:30
Nate’s got this IHC Titan running. Check out how he starts it.
This school project about the closing of the Walter P. Chrysler Museum was forwarded by Brian. There’s a really good shot of the WWII jeep exhibit.
Coast Guard Super-Jeep at the National Guard Militia Museum in New Jersey.
Posted at bangshift (though I couldn’t find this original link), referenced by Jalopnik, linked to by Kaiser Willys, and forwarded by Colin, here is a great video of a coast guard “super jeep” in action.
NEWS ARTICLES:
1) From the May 06, 1944, Perth Mirror in Australia:
TRAVELS 60 MPH OVER SANDY BEACHES
At a Coastguard Station on the Atlantic Coast, U.S. Coast Guards men recently demonstrated a new super-jeep, carrying 10 men and traveling up to 60 miles an hour over sand. Officials said the super-jeep was developed to meet special problems of Coast Guard shore patrols. Chassis of a regulation jeep was halved and steel shafts inserted to add one yard to its wheelbace. Seats for 10 were installed and specially designed wheels employed to permit travel over any kind of beach.
2) Volume 70 of the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings discusses the results of the Coast Guard Jeep. Unfortunately I don’t have access to the whole document. I do have this:
As a basis for comparison, the regular Army jeep tried to follow the super-jeep over the same course, but foundered in the deep sand. The super-jeep was developed in the Coast Guard transportation office to meet the special demand that branch of services has for a vehicle capable of moving through sand . . .
LINKS:
http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=177213 (three good photos of an original coast guard jeep)
Joe found and forwarded this video showing a the restoration of a 1945 GPW. I am not certain whose jeep this is. This isn’t Joe’s video nor his jeep. If you want to contact the original creator of the film (or owner of the jeep), you may be able to do that through youtube.
Guy shared a video of someone who build a FJ-3A model using what you see below.
He turned this:
Into this:
Apparently, Toy King Louis Marx not only made toy jeeps, but also owned a jeep he used to cut his lawn. In this unusual home video being auctioned on eBay, it apparently shows him driving a Lefty CJ-2A with some kind of mower or cutter behind it.
“We are proud to offer:
“The Marx of History” a home birthday movie made for toymaker Louis Marx by his family in 1953.
This lot consists of :
One 16mm film on to 2 rolls
Run time: circa one hour
Type: black and white, silent
Recently found in the archives of Academy Award winning producer Jerry Fairbanks one 16mm home movie for the 1953 birthday of Toy King Louis Marx. This black and white silent work print of the Hollywood producer appears to be the only surviving copy of this 1953 film.
The film is in good condition with moderate signs of use.
By all appearance mostly filmed on the grounds of the Scarsdale Estate and Mansion, this film shows the luxurious life style enjoyed by the family of the at the time largest Toymaker in the World.
This film was put together by his family as a birthday gift to Louis Marx on the occasion of his 57 birthday in 1953.”
Robin forwarded this video from those wild Icelandic vehicles.
Kevin’s wrote me the other day to tell me about some of his videos. He’s got a variety of PTO related videos, including one of his FC operating this neat wood splitter. Just don’t get your hands caught in it! You can see a listing of all Kevin’s videos here.
Josh was in downtown Boise on Saturday morning with his son watching the holiday parade when two flatfenders appeared. He said they were both named “sidewinder” and both had 4 wheel steer with dual steering wheels. He said they were going a decent speed doing donuts or driving at an angle.
He snapped the picture below and then found a video of them. The jeeps show up at the 17 sec mark and then really show at the 44 sec mark. I’ll see if I can dig up some more info on these in the future.
