This handsome 1959 Willys-Jeep Utility Wagon is a strong reminder that the reasons behind America’s love of classic SUVs is plainly obvious: this is a gorgeous vehicle that can go anywhere and take more luggage than you need, along with a few of your friends. The fact that it is genuinely capable off-road makes it even sweeter. This example was repainted in the 70s but otherwise left alone, simply maintained by a long-term second owner who bought the Willys from the first owner in 1971. It’s now listed here on eBay with bidding to $12,000 and no reserve.
I love it when seller take the time to set up props that capture perfectly how you should use a particular vehicle. Park a vintage Porsche in the paddock at a track day; put a Shelby Hertz in front of the Christmas tree lights at your local drag strip. If selling a vintage Willys wagon, however, you should definitely create an inspiring camping scene. This could be a postcard with the line “Wish you were here!” to remind your friends of the good times inspired by a vintage SUV that looks as good parked here as it did when it rolled out of the showroom. Gotta love the color-matched cooler.
The seller notes he was aware of the wagon for quite some time, as the previous owner was a lifelong friend. He recounts in the listing how his colleague was a military veteran, police officer, and avid outdoorsman, and it’s hard to think of a better vintage vehicle for that sort of lifestyle. The paint was re-done in the 1970s and is holding up well with some obvious imperfections, and the interior was also refreshed at some point with no major flaws to report. The seller reports the Willys remains in nearly stock condition aside from some accessory gauges added to the interior and a second set of taillights.
The engine is the original 226 Super Hurricane with 3-speed transmission and four-wheel drive. The seller notes that while it still runs and drives, a rebuild may be in its future due to oil consumption and a faint-but-audible main bearing rattle. Some leaks are noted off the oil pan and transfer case, but nothing excessive. So the tough thing about a restored, vintage SUV is that few people will use it as intended, likely due to fear of ruining their investment. But an adventure rig like really deserves to see national parks, secret fishing holes, and open spaces on the regular, or at least as often as its next owner’s schedule will allow.
Can’t see one of these without picturing Terry-Thomas and Milton Berle punching each other in the knuckles.
Terry-Thomas “And what about that positively infantile preoccupation about bosoms.”
best movie ever, and I’m going to watch it right now on dvd.
Bob
And then it meets its demise driving into a tunnel and the front wheel comes out the other side first.
“I’m comin’ Mama !!!!”……
With the death of Mickey Rooney on April 6, 2014, no surviving members of the main cast are left… and that my friends, is a darn shame………. trivia question …. I know the answer ….no fair looking it up …. How is the TV show “Night Court” related to this movie ???
I know! Selma Diamond, the voice of Culpeppers wife.
This thing is cool.Makes me want to pack up the tent and go up in the national forest for a camping weekend!
A wise man once told me, “If you want a vehicle to work on, go buy an old Jeep.”. Turn out he was right. Seller has one he acquired at some point , thought it was a super cool vehicle, then he got worried about various fluid leaks and asked a mechanic. Lo and behold! It’s a Jeep!! (the older the are, the more they leak). Maybe the engine needs rebuilt, maybe there’s a mechanic who saw this guy coming and tried to sell him on a bunch of work he doesn’t wanna pay for. Who knows. This thing, “40 year old paint” and all is probably worth $6-8k. It is a magnificent specimen.
Same guy told me, “never buy a car from a real estate agent”.
…just sayin’…
I now own this vehicle. Did you know the seller? Was he a real estate agent? Lol
Jeep-JUST EMTY EVERY POCKET🇺🇸
This thing pretty basic , can’t imagine it’s real expensive to maintain. Love to have it.
This has got to be the nicest Willys Utility Wagon I’ve ever seen. Kudos to the seller for a very detailed description and lots of pictures so there shouldn’t be any surprises when you get this one home. The only drawback to rigs like this is the low top speed. Too slow for the highway but good enough for tooling around town. I’d pull the motor and give it a re-build, it’s probably tired and all new gaskets and seals would be a good idea, anyway.
I’m guessing that bidding has a ways to go with almost 300 people watching the auction. It wouldn’t surprise me as this Willys is a beauty.
FordGuy1972 right on. I’ve watched all three of the supplied videos and looked at the pics and this thing is beautiful from every angle. You are correct about the speed, and the seller called that out too. Just have to plan where and when you drive it, to avoid the legions of road raging bro-trucks and soccer-mom SUVs. People simply will not tolerate anyone going less than the posted speed limit these days. A sad sign of our current times.
“Less than”?! 20 over seems to be the norm. I’ve gotten the bird for 65 in a 55.
I had a 63 Utilty pickup from the mid ‘70’s till the ‘90’s.
I rebuilt that 226 myself with a machine shops help. It cost a bloody fortune compared to a Chevy 283. Parts were really expensive even 30+years ago. But it was a strong beast! Tall gears, top speed 55 with a tailwind
And I did the trans too! Took it apart and back together with. Motors Manual!
Very easy to sink $8K into one of these if the engine and power train need rebuilding. With age, 2nd gear seems to go first, sliding out of gear on its own. Lots of seals to replace in transfer cases, etc. If all this was done it would be worth $20K or moreq. As is, I think the current bid is getting close to what it is worth ( but that doesn’t take into account naive bidders).
The good news is almost everything can be sourced and as Willys made a ton of vehicles with the same drive train, mechanical parts are everywhere. I am restoring a 1964 Jeep CJ3B and am able to buy reproductions or NOS of everything I need, and not too badly priced.
Another thing that get me, when the seller poses a completely fake pic to get you in the mood. Open the back, get some old folding camp chairs, vintage coolers, a couple of fishing poles, and set up camp…
…In the middle of the road??
C’mon! Looks like a bad sales brochure pic…
If you look through the window in that pic, you can see a NPS sign. NPS parking area.
A very pretty girl. Dual exhaust is unusual. The added tail lights might help some. I put an LED light bar on my roof rack. Still, people want to run me down. Too nice for the places I take mine. Not sure why these do not bring the crazy early Bronco money? A ton of support for them also. https://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/index.php
Not crazy Bronco money, but got to make you feel pretty good. Probably because, a Bronco is somewhat modern, this is just an old Jeep, and probably never heard of Willys. Also, with no gearing update, that’s why the motor is rattling, they were never meant for sustained high speed ( 55 maybe, Mike?) for any length of time. I’ve seen more than one “Super Hurricane” motor with a rod out the side of the block. I wouldn’t bother with the flattie, and an update of any kind would be in order. Still a great find.
50 is about it for me Howard, thought about an O/D. With the wobble, 50 is all the fun I can take! You will be happy to hear I am looking outside at a blizzard. Great Willys weather, now about those wipers. Take care, Mike.
Mike’s got one of these, I wonder how he
likes it. Can you get a 3rd seat for this
model? And as for the drivetrain, I’d go with a 3800 GM V-6 and either a later model 4-speed or an automatic out of a
4X4 Chevy Blazer. But since this wagon is
in a great state of preservation, I’d leave it
as it is. There are still a lot of basket cases out there for me to use as a platform to build a really nice, dependable vintage SUV for me and my
family could drive and enjoy for years to
come.
Hey Ken, I hope you and the girls are well. Warm anyway. Willys had an optional seat in the back. It was mounted sidways, so you would be looking out the side window. Pretty rare. Referred to as the Mother in law seat.
Jeez a 3800 gm motor would ruin this things value completly. Why not swap a 4.0 out of an early 2000s jeep cherookie? At least keep it somewhat in the family?
This was my first plow truck!! Mine was a 61 same color same motor transmission!! Great truck but didn’t go over 45 unless I could get a good downhill run!!!
Mine was a ’61 as well, same color. It would rattle and shake but it never failed to get me where I was going. When the Hurricane engine blew up, I just swapped in another one from a wreck and got 2 more years of use from it.
Probably selling because the “Super Hurricane engine, which runs well but is getting tired, and will need a rebuild at some point in the future” means now. Seller also has his usual ” roaming Montana’s sage brush and prickly pear cactus high country. It’s led a life of fishing, hunting, and camping” BS that he uses with every vehicle he sells.
Reminds me of my childhood — my parents bought a new one back in ’55, same color and decked out with a heavy duty front bumper and winch. We did a lot of camping at our rural vacation property in Washington state. They kept it until about ’61 or ’62 when it was replaced by a new Rambler s/w. And by the way, that Willys was not ‘cool’ with the school crowd back in those days, but we liked it!
Looks great considering its age. Probably the most iconic color as well. Except for the non-original mods its one Id love to have. The mods wouldnt really be that hard to remove if important to the buyer. The important thing is the condition of the metal. This should live a long fruitful life yet. GLWA.
Knew a good looking blond neighbor that had one of these in the late 50’s, like the looks(both). The a wrench had one that wass 2WD, same color, used to drive it, nice vehicle. Likes the roomy interior. then I had a 50 Jeepster CV,
yellow N’ black. Probably put more into it then should it but was an attention getter. Had the 6 and OD, ran it down the road W/traffic, would run 60 at least.
Got a lot of parts from “The Jeepster Man”, not cheap but only needed a few.
I’m thinking the engine was a Continental but not sure., never any problem W/it
wish I’d kept it.
I would love to have this willy’s I would just drop a v6 in it and a overdrive on the stock trans and drive the hell out it. I almost bought a rusty one here on Maui last year still kicking my self in the butt for not buying it.
Current bid is about a third of what this one I looked at in Scottsdale went for. It was claimed to be “extensively restored”. I wouldn’t go that far, but it was pretty darn nice. Sold for $32k. https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1956-WILLYS-WAGON-235773
Ended:Feb 09, 2020 , 9:00PM
Winning bid:US $14,000.00[ 50 bids ]