spot_img
HomePick of the DayCivilian-life 1948 Willys Jeep restored and ready for fun

Civilian-life 1948 Willys Jeep restored and ready for fun

-

Rugged simplicity on wheels, the World War II military Jeep was a beloved artifact of that terrible conflict, and more than one GI wanted to take it home for his civilian life.

For several years after the war, Willys produced a civilian version essentially identical to those used by the military, and the Pick of the Day is a nicely restored example of a 1948 Willys Jeep CJ-2A.

Jeep
The rudimentary 4-wheeler is equipped for off-road adventure

Other than its stout roll bar and a few suspension tweaks, the Jeep has been rebuilt, refurbished and repainted to what it was when sold for use on the farm or worksite, according to the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, dealer advertising the Jeep on ClassicCars.com, who adds that it also runs great and is a hoot to drive off-road.

“This is a blast to drive,” the ad says. “It fires up every time, runs excellent and needs nothing to enjoy… If you are looking for an early production turnkey 2A look no further.  It is painted universal beige, and wait till you look underneath, every nut and bolt has been addressed.

Jeep
Red wheels and trim set off the industrial-beige paint

“When you crawl underneath this Willis, you will see that the frame has been coated and all the bolts have been replaced, the tires have 99% tread on them. All of the lights work as they should, and all of the bumpers look great.”

Power is provided by the correct Go Devil side-valve inline-4, which generates 60 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque fed through a manual transmission and sturdy four-wheel drive.  The transmission, transfer case and axles work flawlessly, the dealer adds, and new steering and suspension components have been installed.

“It literally crawls over anything (we tested it a lot!),” the dealer notes.

Jeep
The interior is a purposefully simple, hose-clean affair

Photos of the Jeep in the ad are striking, showing a vehicle that has been lovingly and competently restored.  The beige color serves to underscore the Jeep’s utilitarian character, underscored by the bright contrast of the red wheels, which are shod with no-nonsense off-road tires.

The price tag seems reasonable for this trail-ready workhorse at $16,550.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

spot_img
Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen is a longtime automotive writer and editor, focusing on new vehicles, collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. He is the former automotive writer and editor for The Arizona Republic and SPEED.com, the website for the SPEED motorsports channel. He has written free-lance articles for a number of publications, including Autoweek, The New York Times and Barrett-Jackson auction catalogs. A collector car enthusiast with a wide range of knowledge about the old cars that we all love and desire, Bob enjoys tinkering with archaic machinery. His current obsession is a 1962 Porsche 356 Super coupe.

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -