This Willys Jeep is a great old off-roader that is ready to be driven and enjoyed as it stands right now. The next owner could also choose to undertake a restoration on the vehicle if they wanted. Barn Finder Ikey H referred the Jeep through to us, so thank you so much for that Ikey. It is located in Santa Clara, Utah, and is listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $4,000, and with the reserve having been met, this old girl is set to head off to a new home in the very near future.
The Jeep looks like it is nice and solid, and while the panels aren’t arrow-straight, they are definitely presentable for an off-roader of this age. The paint isn’t original, and it does appear that the Jeep started life finished in Potomac Gray. The current shade is significantly darker than the original, and the vehicle would look much nicer if the original color was applied to the panels. If the Jeep is going to see use off-road, then the sturdy-looking rollbar is probably a wise addition, while the soft-top, which looks pretty easy to remove, would offer some protection if the weather started to become a touch on the damp side.
The interior combines a bit of the old with a bit of the new to create a pretty comfortable and practical environment. The seats aren’t original, but they do look to be hard-wearing and quite comfortable. The wheel also isn’t original, but it should feel pretty good in the hands. Thankfully, this aftermarket item isn’t too small in diameter, because that could prove to be quite a handful when the going got rough. The entire interior of the Jeep has also been Rhino-lined, which should make for a resilient surface that resists rust, and is easy to clean.
The engine and transmission appear to be original to the Jeep, meaning you get the 134ci “Go Devil” flathead 4-cylinder engine and the Borg-Warner T-90 3-speed manual transmission. The Jeep has recently received new tires, along with new shocks, a new fuel pump, and a new master cylinder. The owner says that the only issues that he can identify are a minor electrical fault that will need to be traced, and maybe a bit of tuning for the carburetor. Otherwise, he says that the Jeep runs and drives nicely, while the clutch and transmission both feel perfect.
There is no disputing the ability of the CJ-2A when the going gets tough, which is why they were such a successful choice for the military. This particular one looks like a nice old vehicle that could either be restored or it could just be used and enjoyed as it is. It might not be the flashiest 4-wheel-drive on Earth, but it is a vehicle that was designed for a purpose, and it performs that purpose extremely well.
So funny – we have a ‘48 just like this one here at our shop. It runs perfect and looks with a sympathetic eye at our customers 2011 Liberty that has a trashed R cylinder head…
Funny, by 1948, there must have been a ton of war surplus jeeps left, why buy a new one? Great little engine, and they will go anywhere. The perfect off roader. I have often wondered how they got away with the name Go Devil. Remember the fuss with the Dodge Demon? Perhaps 70 years ago, people had more common sense and way more tolerance, unlike today where the politically correct think they have it all correct. I miss the world of my youth.
12 volts and no turn signals? Missing the windshield bumpers on the hood. These are the fun things to do.
If I had the room I would take this seriously. I had one briefly a long time ago, I can’t even remember what year it was, but it was great to have. I had to give it back to its owner who was my neighbor.
Being rhino-lined pretty much ruined it. Makes no sense why someone would do this other than it’s a great way to disguise and hide everything! New military tires look neat, but pretty much worthless off road or in snow.
Looks like the one Pat Brady drove on The Roy Rogers Show back in the ’50’s.
Thinking about it now, Annabelle the Jeep looked out of place in a cowboy
TV show, but like Roy and Trigger, that old
Jeep went everywhere. I can still see
Roy and Dale singing Happy Trails at the
end of the show. Too bad ME TV doesn’t
run that show on weekends. Seeing this
old gal brings back a ton of memories for
a gray haired old fart like me!
Check FETV, FOLK, COWBY. All have Roy on weekends as well as throughout the week. Happy Trails!