Willys Jeep – Jeep Community Official Blog

Truck Cab Interior

These views are from the old style truck manufactured in the 1940′s. This will give you an idea of what to look for in terms of originality. Over the course of the past 60 plus years, many have been altered and modernized. I am a proponent of originality and ascribe to restore my vehicles 100%. This is not always possible,but if you know what to look for in the first place,you may be able to start off closer to original. Happy hunting for your new truck!

Popeye Jeep, Jeep

From 1962 comes this 78 rpm recording of the Popeye TV show. Being a teenager at that time, my tastes ran more towards Annette Funicello rather than Popeye the sailor. ( I know, many of you are saying ..who???) AT any rate, this story actually pertains to the mythical “Eugene the Jeep” (see earlier blog) . Its about how the evil Bluto tries to capture Eugene for monetary gain. He kidnaps “Sweet Pea” and holds him for ransom with the old hag on the mountain.

Jeep sends out radio signals from his tail and Popeye picks it up on his special Transistorized radio/TV combo. They get tricked into digging into a cave while searching for gold. They actually dig into jail. A typical 1960 story with a moral.

What any of this has to do with the Willys Jeep on the cover is anyones’ guess. Its evident of the strong marketing power the Jeep still had at that time. Here is a LINK TO THE RECORDING

Little Bo Peep has Lost her Jeep

This piece of music was performed by Spike Jones and his band. They were an eclectic bunch who played a huge variety of instruments and put on a zany performance. The song was written by Frank De VOl / Jerry Browne. Here are the lyrics.
Private Jackson had a girl he fondly called Bo-Peep Now Jackson didn’t have a car, so drove by in a jeep They took a ride, the time flew by, and Bo-Peep was in heaven Till Jackson cried “Bo-Peep, this jeep’s gotta be in camp by eleven”

So little Bo-Peep has lost her jeep And don’t know where to find it Her soldier boy took it back to camp And left Bo-Peep behind it

It didn’t have doors, the seats were hard But Bo-Peep never minded It didn’t ride like a Cadillac She wondered who designed it

Roller coasters nearly killed her Aeroplanes they never thrilled her But with Jackson at the wheel She got that jeep, jeep, jeep appeal

Now little Bo-Peep wants to find her jeep And find her soldier chappie If he comes chug chug in his old blitz buggy Bo-Peep will be happy (Musical Break – Spike Jones Style)

Now little Bo-Peep has lost her jeep Her boyfriend made an error He let her drive, goodness, sakes alive That Bo-Peep she’s a terror

The throttle pushed down, she tore through town The red lights didn’t stop her The soldier knew that they both were through When she side-swiped a copper (Car sounds – “Look Out” – Crash sound)

Now little Bo-Peep has lost her jeep Oh my, why must her joy end Now her little jeep is layin’ in a heap And the guard house has her boy friend

Jumpin’ Jeeps Soldier

This novelty greeting card was to be sent from the “home team” to their soldier in the theater of war. It reads” Jumpin’Jeeps Soldier .Have a lot of fun and if you get the “brakes” you’ll soon be home with their scalps,cause you’ve got just what it takes!

The inside shows 3 bayonetted rifles with the heads of Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler and Emperor Tojo of Japan embedded upon them.

Kind of a strange thing to send someone, but wartime patriotism was strong and this obviously was meant as an encouragement.

Willys Jeep Flys an Airplane

In what appears as risky behavior for the Jeep driver, this “training” is for gunners attempting to learn the intricacies of following a moving aircraft. These trainees of the US Army Air Corp fire upon a dummy plane mounted high above a moving Jeep to simulate actual combat conditions.

In actuality, the Jeep is driverless and circles around a track so no accidents occur.

These gunners start by clay pigeon shooting with a shotgun to develop their shooting “eye” . Those deemed proficient enough follow a ridged course to become crack marksmen. I bet more than one Jeep took a hit!

Forward Control FC 170

The FC 170 was issued as the larger version of the FC 150. It was offered as a Stakebed, Pickup Body, A stripped Chassis for your custom usage, A platform Model (flatbed) and the Cab and Chassis model (shown). Its payload ranged from 3940 to 5183 pounds with up to a 7500# rear axle standard. Optional axles were ratios of 4.27, 5.38, 5.89 with power lok differential and 9000# capacity. A dual rear wheel version was available.

The optional cab accessories included: Heater/defrost, Cigar lighter, Outside mirrors, Drivers arm rest, trim panels and headliner. Front towing eyes could also be added.

Other extras which we often consider standard in todays trucks were: Locking gas cap, windshield washer, front bumper guards, insect screen, rear bumper and amber headlights.

A great durable powerful truck with low production figures. (Estimated around 15,000) They are still to be found,but for lots more info go visit:

thefcconnection.com

“BLINKERS” for JEEP Eliminate Telltale Glare

I wonder how many of you have ever seen this “attachment” for the MB?

Canvas envelopes that fit over the windshields of Jeeps used as reconnaissance cars can eliminate the glare of moonlight or enemy searchlights from revealing your position in the darkness. The “blitz blinkers” designed by Willys Overland engineers, fit over the windshield as it lays on the hood and with a few quick adjustments,its ready to see action ( or not be seen ). Previous attempts at jury rigging covers were not entirely successful as cumbersome wood panels were hard to store and install. This insightful improvement has doubtless saved the lives of many soldiers as they embarked on night patrols behind enemy lines.

I bet many GI’s wished the installers came along with the covers!

eWillys – Up Close and Pickin’

www.ewillys.com

When I launched eWillys at the dawn of 2008, no guards were hired to keep back the excited crowds, no parades were held in its honor, no grand speeches were crafted to announce it and likely not even the two people I offhandedly mentioned my intentions to days before the site launched even dropped by to see it. So, you can imagine my surprise when, on occasion, over successive months, I would receive an email from someone I had never met, someone from a different state, or even a different country. They would write me, indicating they knew not why they came, maybe to find a deal, maybe to relive earlier days, or for reasons they could not fully understand, as if James Earl Jones himself were involved. But instead of build it and they will come, it was build it, then update daily.

My dear mother thought I was a bit on the looney side, though she thinks that a lot about me. The how-will-you-make-money-from-all-the-work-you-do question she asked more than once. My friends said that as well, ‘you need to monetize it’ I have heard again and again. Even readers continue to ask if and how I will do it. My response to all has been that the site itself was never intended to generate a living for me.
So, why do it? Why expend the energy? The answers are complicated and multi-faceted. You would have to understand that I was around jeeps most of my young life. I was around club members most of my life. And, you’d have to understand all the things I learned and the experiences I had building my first jeep. Finally, you’d have to be shown the crap I went through during the past decade. It would literally take a book to explain; which, not coincidently, is why I’m in the process of writing a book about it. It’s quite literally a look at my life as a jeep, or if you prefer, growing up jeep.
Whether guards will need to be hired to keep back throngs of book lovers lining up to purchase the book, whether parades will be held in its honor, or whether the sounds of crickets will greet its launch remains to be seen. About its reception I am not concerned, because I believe my kids will cherish my crazy stories of growing up as they too get older and that will be compensation enough. There are other books I want to write as well, a couple of which are technically based and desperately needed so lovers of jeeps can more readily identify what they have or seek. I mocked up and tested the idea with a couple readers and their response was a resounding ‘YES, I NEED THAT BOOK’(I only thought of the idea, because I need it too!).
There is one more note I should make. Over the next month or two or more I will be working in conjunction with the folks attempting to complete the movie “Jeep: A story of Triumph”. My objective is to see the movie gets funded. It is a small budget, independent movie with a great story unknown to most of the world. For the people that agree to help fund it, the movie will be a great and unique legacy, especially for lovers of jeeps, world war II history buffs, or both. So if anyone has any interest in this, please contact me ASAP!
email: d@ewillys.com

THE Dispatcher Model DJ3A

The dispatcher became a reality when some marketing genius at Willys Motors came up with a plan to use leftover CJ3A bodies and place them on a 2WD chassis. After the introduction of the CJ3B and subsequent CJ5, it was realized that a great surplus of the older style bodies was still in inventory 3 years after their discontinuation. Rather than scrap them all out, it was decided early in 1955 to use a frame with 2wd capabilities and fasten the CJ3A tub to it. The instrument cluster was the single one with multiple gages as now used in the CJ3B and CJ5. Some models offered a solid rear panel area with the spare tire at the rear.

The single seat was a bench across the front or a 60/40 split bench. The powerplant was the L Head 4 cylinder.

It was marketed as a utilitarian delivery vehicle for small business, tourism and as a family runabout. Several color choices were offered including the pink “surrey” model which is highly collectible.

All in all, a fun collectible Jeep with somewhat limited production. Their biggest claim to fame was when AMC General took over the production and turned it into the postal Jeep.

I have 230 pages of text concerning parts in this edition and its preliminary parts from 1955 – available for you!

The Original Production Jeep MB

In 1941 as the United States became involved inWW2 , the Jeeps were coming off both Willys’ and Fords’ assembly lines just as quickly as they could produce them. Once they were placed in service, support was just as important as delivery. The Maintenance Manual for Willys Truck 1/4 Ton 4×4 was issued under the governments heading of Training Manual,hence the designation TM -10-1513. The particular copy shown here is a first revision dating to October 1,1942. It was obtained in Europe and I could not say if it was actually printed there. Its center binding of a strip of fabric tying two holes together is a method I have not seen in another. It would be great if those with more knowledge than I would comment.

At any rate, this 122 page book is full of the basic mechanical procedures to be followed when trouble arose. It has no details on the “extras” that would soon be added to this mighty vehicle. This copy is in our library and available for consultation per your requests.