Pepsi Promotion Survivor: 1960 Willys Surrey Gala

The Willys Surrey Gala already occupies a strange and colorful corner of American automotive history, but this 1960 example takes that novelty several steps further. Listed here on eBay, this is a genuine Pepsi-Cola promotional Willys Surrey Gala, described as one of just 100 built for Pepsi distributors, making it a rare survivor from a short-lived and highly specific marketing effort.

This Surrey Gala is a 2WD model powered by Willys’ familiar 134 cubic-inch L-head inline-four, paired with a 3-speed manual transmission mounted on the column, just as these DJ-3A-based Gala models were originally configured. According to the seller, the vehicle shows just over 13,000 miles and retains a remarkable level of originality, including its factory light blue paint.

What makes the Surrey Gala instantly recognizable is its presentation, and this one leans fully into that identity. The seller notes that the roof fabric, seat upholstery, and side curtains have been replaced with new yellow-and-white material, matching the original style used on these models. The side curtains also carry bold black “Pepsi-Cola” lettering, reinforcing the vehicle’s original promotional role. The interior is finished in yellow, staying consistent with the Gala’s playful, resort-oriented design language.

The Willys Surrey was never meant to be a conventional SUV. Instead, it was marketed as a leisure vehicle, often compared to the Chevrolet Nomad or even golf-cart-style transportation for resorts, beach towns, and tourist destinations. The Gala trim took that concept further with striped tops, fringe details, and bright color combinations. This example wears wide whitewall tires with chromed Willys hubcaps painted to match the body color, adding to its period-correct look.

While Willys produced roughly 1,000 Surrey Galas overall, the Pepsi-Cola promotional versions represent a much smaller subset. These were reportedly distributed to Pepsi bottlers and distributors across the country as rolling advertisements, making surviving examples especially uncommon today. The seller describes this vehicle as an authentic relic of mid-century promotional culture rather than a recreation or tribute.

Offered by a dealer, this Willys is positioned as a collector-grade novelty with strong visual appeal and historical curiosity baked in. It’s not a performance machine or a traditional restoration project, but something arguably more unusual: a factory-built marketing vehicle that somehow survived intact for more than six decades.

How often do you see a legitimate Pepsi-Cola promotional Willys Surrey Gala still wearing its original paint and personality?