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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 .
This is the first Aluminum Flatfender Tub for sale that I've run across. Anyone have any experience with these?
"If you're thinking of replacing a tired CJ body tub with a fiberglass or steel unit, why not also consider the benefits of aluminum? These amazing aluminum bodies are 30% stronger than steel and the example CJ-7 tub weighs only 275 pounds…."
This is a drawing a Boeing co-worker of dad’s drew of and for him many years ago (in the 80s I believe). We believe the artist was Bill Mandeville or Manderville (dad can’t quite remember any more).
This article about Randy Lawson’s build appeared in the 1994 Off-Road Magazine. It took Randy 15 years to redo his CJ-3A. Unfortunately, I don’t have a before picture. Some of the details not mentioned in the short article on this page include the following:
Every once in a while my dad will start talking and he'll talk about some event in his past I knew nothing about. You'd think, for example, that I would have known my dad's first vehicle was a jeep — a CJ-2A — he got it when he was 16 as his first car. But, no, today was the first day I've heard of it. There are several reasons for this, mostly, I suppose, having to do with our father/son dynamic. Though I wish I had heard about some of these stories earlier in my life, there is something nice about continuing to hear new stories.
As dad tells it, the year was 1949 and he was 16, living with his parents and two brothers in Holladay, Utah, now just a suburb of Salt Lake City. The city of Holladay is south of Salt Lake City, laid out underneath Olympus mountain. When dad lived there, off of Walker Lane, there was only wasatch blvd and 5000 vertical feet between his house and the top of Olympus mountain. Now, I-215 with its six lanes of traffic has added a much bigger divide between the two. Of course, there are many more houses and fences in the way as well.
One day, Dad decides to take his jeep and 5 passengers jeeping up the hill towards the base of Olympus Mountain. Today this area is known as Olympus Cove, but at the time, I'm sure it was the great unknown.
As best I can interpret from Dad, he was driving his CJ-2A with his brother B.B in the passenger seat, and four other kids in the back (one was his other brother Tony and one was Jim Carter). Dad was driving very slowly, crawling along when his left front wheel started over a bump or rise. As they slowly moved forward the rise grew, shifting the jeep slowly toward the passenger side until the jeep tipped over onto the passenger side, dumping the four kids in the back onto the ground. Miraculously, the jeep didn't tip all the way over and hurt anyone severely. The worst damage was to Jim Carter, who suffered a cut on his knee or leg. Apparently, Jim fell the furthest, I guess he must have been on the driver's side back wheel well (dad couldn't quite explain this to me — sometimes dad's stroke makes these explanations more difficult).
After getting off the ground and checking out the jeep, they decided to tip it back onto its wheels and head back home.
Whatever physical damage the semi-roll caused Jim Carter, I guess he must have enjoyed himself, because he became a life long jeeper, a jeep club co-founder with dad, jeep racer, and President of the PNW4WDA for a year. Perhaps we should all fall out of a jeep 🙂
This fiberglass flatfender tub appears to be exactly what I started with, but it is in better condition than mine was. Note the gas tank inlets on both sides and the wide rim around the back of the body (though I'm wondering if the rim isn't slightly wider than mine). Interestingly, it has very similar cutouts in the wheel wells (for seats) that mine did. In a year and a half of looking this is only the second of this style I have seen.
"what you see if what you get unknown manaufacturer but heay they rerail for 2k can you complain for under $200? peramently fix the rust issue, lighten the load, eliminate dents"
I drove up to Seattle yesterday via Vancouver, Wa, so I could stop at Matt's house to pick up some rims he posted on craigslist. I've been looking for a spare for the four I've had, but have had little luck finding any. Now I have four spares! After close inspection, these are exactly like the ones I have, except they have some black coloring in between the ribs. I'm not sure whether the black color was an option or whether someone removed the black from mine (the black looks original – I'm gonna attempt to remove the black). Either way, these should be perfect. Thanks again Matt!
Was listed at $10,000
I like the day-glo color and the safari window. Though slightly impractical, the dash is installed nicely. Plenty of details to like about this jeep. This may be a bit much to pay for a drive train without much updated (perhaps it’s rebuilt?).
“This 1964 Kaiser 3B is a “High Hood” with a very clean Chevy 350. We have updated the dash with new gauges and wire. It is still four wheel drive with little mods to gearing. This jeep has always been garaged and well maintained. The windshield it very rare due the the “Safari” style windows. We have a set of rear paddle tires (Sand Tires Unlimited) with rims. Still have the original soft top and soft doors.”
From day 1, adapting the jeep was a necessary part of using or owning one. In my mind, this is one of the attributes of jeeps that differentiate them from most other vehicles, even from other 4x4s. Andy Carter highlights early desert modifications in this story with pictures from jeeps used in Africa by the British Special Air Service (SAS) during WWII. Check out the grille in the picture on the right. If you read through the site, you'll note that this was a modification done to many of the jeeps, not just this one. They look like a boxer who has been through a few rounds!
Here's an excerpt from the website about SAS Jeeps:
"The jeeps were stripped of all non-essential parts including the windscreen, most of the radiator grille bars and even sometimes the front bumper to increase the effective load carrying capacity of the vehicle. Thus the large amount of fuel and water needed for fast long-range raids could be carried avoiding the need for slower support vehicles. A water condensing unit was fitted to the front to reduce loss from the radiator which would otherwise have had to be topped up from the limited drinking water supplies…"
Louis Dawson recounts, in this four page article on code 4×4, his 12 year building process for Bumble Bee, a 1947 CJ-2A. Started as a restoration project, Louis discovered he'd rather focus on trail performance.
Louis sums up the experience with the following quote: "Our ensuing 12-year restomod of "Rumble Bee" includes a huge amount of fun, plentiful stupid and expensive decisions on my part, and a final result that retains the flat fender look and feel, while being competent and safe enough on the trail to peg the fun meter. This "retro" project includes little of the latest tech — it's mostly older solutions that reached their peak a number of years ago, but it works."
On additional feature I like is the "what we did right" and "what we did wrong" on page 4 of the article.
Just posted this morning. Maybe there's something worth saving? Bush Prairie is just south of Olympia.
"GREAT PROJECT. ALL PARTS THERE. NEEDS WORK. $500.00 OBO. YOU HAUL AWAY."
UPDATE: It appears east coast mini classics is no longer making the mini jeeps shown below. they can be found occasionally for sale on Craigslist.
http://www.eastcoastminiclassics.com/
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Matt, who just sold me set of hurricane rims (thanks!) that match what I have, sent me this ad. I believe these are actually Hurricane Rims rather than Turbine rims as labeled by the seller. I've emailed the seller to get dimensions, however they appear to be wide enough to be 10x15s.
"This is a nice pair of 5 lug Turbine wheels they are 5×5.1/2 bolt pattern which fit Ford & Dodge. the bolt holes are not washed out or damaged. This is the end of the line for these wheels if they don't sell they will go in the Scrap and that would be a shame, so if you can use them make me a offer, Priced to move."
This build is for sale on eBay. There are plenty of pics. Note the m606 in the background of one of the ebay pics.
“This is a really unique combination of old and new and we’ve had a ton of fun in it. This rig started it’s life as a military M38 until the previous owner started modifying it as a back country rock crawler. When we got it, it had wasn’t much to look at, was missing a windshield but ran and drove so well we had to have it. It is heavily modified to be a safe, comfortable, go anywhere ride. We call it The Rhino Hunter as it has effortlessly shamed a few ORVs in the mud and rocks…”
This is ‘jeep’ only in look. The rest of it is all drag.
“this is a race only jeep one piece all aluminum body center seat funny car style drag jeep INSANDITY for sale turn key or minus moter or minus moter&trans 383 alcohol injected chevy w/ air shifted 2spd lenco w/ reverser full floater ford 9 inch w/ 35 spline summers axels disc brakes, nodular 3rd daytona support pro gears. too much more to list possible trade for early streetable willys or cj5 or cash could be converted to a mud bogger w/ some suspension work …”
Many of you may have seen this site already, but if you haven't it's a treat. The author nicely details the experience of rebuilding his titled 1953 CJ-3A (which he discovers to actually be a CJ-2A). One of the more interesting details, to me anyway, was his write-up of the swing pedals. This is the first time I have seen these type of pedals (in my 1st jeep I used a swing pedal set from a Vega — with significant mods — and in my current jeep I've modified a set of pedal set from a jeep cherokee.
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $6800
“1964 Jeep Fleetvan Fj-3A,Great on Gas original 4 cyl. 3 speed trans. runs and drives good! miles unknown due to speedo cable was broke when i recieved it, 7 years ago. have recently installed disk brakes on rear, very rare, dont see these evey day driving down the street.”
Here is a rebuild from Ohio as seen on offroaders.com. It’s a very nice, clean rebuild that resulted in a playful looking flatfender. The before picture is on the left and after on the right.
Mike writes, “The Jeep had a rough life for some 8 years wheeling the local 4×4 haunts of southern Ohio and it was looking pretty rough and was needed some serious TLC. In early 2005. I stripped it down to the frame and this is the end product after nearly 2 years work.“
SEE THE FULL WRITEUP FROM MIKE AT OFFROAD.COM
**OLD POST PRESERVED FOR COMMENTS**
UPDATE: This thread is being kept for discussion and information purposes. See the updated post here.
Oldies but goodies…
“Hey you jeep racers I have 6 dogs 4 with tubes in great shape, and 2 in fair condition, 6 lug chrome spokes, mounted ready to go! only used on the weekends! with only 4 weeks till racing starts you need tires! or if your a jeeper who needs a good set of old school tires please write!”
Formula Desert Dog History
Anyone know the history of Desert Dog tires? Apparently, according to the CJ3B Page Website (See comment at the bottom of CJ3B Page), “Louie says his Desert Dogs were the first out of the mold, given to him for testing and photographed for advertising in the 1970’s.”. “Louie” is Louie Larson, aka Gopher 4×4.
UPDATE: Since I wrote this back in April of 2008, I have learned that someone in the Seattle Area purchased the Parkette molds, but I still haven’t learned who.
In April of 2008 there was an ad from a buyer looking for a CJ-3B Fiberglass body. Frankly, he was the only person I have come across on Craigslist looking for a fiberglass jeep body other than I. The CJ-3B bodies are very rare.
I did search and found a guy named Rick in the Northwest who says he has a CJ-3B mold (looks like a parkette mold with the side stripe). Here’s a website that show’s a variety of pics of him building his CJ-3B. (see more of his pics below)
According to the CJ-3B Page, there are no sellers of CJ-3B fiberglass bodies.
T
o the right is a fiberglass CJ-3B body I found for sale back in 2008.
“This is a Willy’s Jeep that i got off a friend in a trade. it was sitting in his field for years. it used to be covered but the tarp blew off a couple of years ago. someone put it together in the 80’s with a fiberglass body tub and fenders. they didn’t do such a good job, the wiring is atrocious and it needs alot of other work, but they did put lockouts and disc brakes up front, thats a plus. it needs to be completely stripped down and re-done.”
Here’s more pics of Rick’s Fiberglass CJ-3B with a Parkette (?) Fiberglass Body. You can read more about it here:
Another item I felt comfortable installing with the engine in place is the grille. I was already pretty confident where it would go, but I wanted to be sure. As a reminder, because I'm using the post '72 Cj-5 frame, I have to extend the fenders and hood approximately 3" as you can see here in this test setup below. So, there was no default location for the grille anymore.
After installing the engine, tranny and tc, I thought I'd better test to make sure the body fit over all three. The good news was that it did. The bad news was that the shifter was hitting the dashboard when I shifted into park.
So, I took the bracket and extended it with a piece of halved 2×2 square tubing. Then, I used a convenient hole bracket in the tranny (I have no idea what it is for) to add a back mount to the bracket. The results are below:
I put the body on and placed the seats on their mounts. The body slopes backward a bit, but that will be fixed when I put the correct suspension brackets on the back.
The CJ-5 I bought last year had been modified to accept a GM 350. I really liked the way they put together the engine mounts, so I chose to reuse the mounts and then modified my frame to accept the mounts.
To make the mounts, I took the standard buick v6 mounts and removed the rubber blocks, leaving only the steel. Then, I cut and welded some 3×3 square tubing to the mounts.
To make the holders that are welded to the frame, I used some recycled angle iron and added side braces to create the triangular look. I look this setup much better than what I did in my first jeep.
The tricky part of putting the engine, transmission and TC into position was making sure the TC was in the right location. If I got it back into the right place, I would not have to change the lengths of the drivelines. Fortunately, I had plenty of room for the engine, so I had lots of flexibility upfront.
Once Transfercase was in place, then I could position and weld the engine mounts.
These shots show the painted frame with the Dana 44 rear and Dana 30 front painted and attached.
