Classic Jeeps for Sale
If you are a classic car enthusiast, you may already be aware that jeeps were originally created for the US army. If you are browsing jeep classifieds, you may very well come across classic jeeps for sale that feature designs and attributes originally intended for war or utility purposes.
Here, we are going to examine how jeeps made the transition from army vehicles to civilian ones, and we will check out a few different models of classic jeeps you may find available here at Want Ad Digest. In addition to our plethora of classified ads, we also like to arm you with all of the background information available on the vehicles or other items you are looking to buy - the more you know, the better a decision you can make, and the more happy you will be with your jeep or other vehicle for a long time to come.
Around the late 1930s and early 1940s, the US Army began to search for a fairly lightweight vehicle that they could use, that would ideally replace the motorized side-car. This vehicle would need to have the capabilities of a utility automobile, as well as the ability to carry weapons. Moreover, the vehicle would need to be compact enough to be transported to battle areas by a plane, glider, or a similar method.
The Bantem Car Company approached the army with plans for designing this vehicle that the army was looking for, but they were ultimately rejected; these designs were considered unsuitable for military use. Then, Willys-Overland presented the army with their own sketches in late 1939 - these were the plans that would ultimately become the beginning of the vehicle known as the jeep.
But, the Bantem Car Company was not giving up. In 1940, they attempted another proposal for the jeep, which was again rejected - this time because it was actually too lightweight. However, that same year, the army took prototypes from Willys-Overland, Bantam, as well as Ford, and subsequently ordered vehicles from each company to test all three.
The Willys-Overland jeeps had a "go-devil" engine with a higher horsepower than the other two models. Although Willys could have dropped about 75 pounds if they had opted for a smaller engine, which would have helped to make the weight requirement, they decided not to do this; the engine was considered the most remarkable aspect of their jeep model, and so they kept it.
The Bantem models were the lightest and most fuel efficient. And, the Ford jeeps were rated third out of the three due to trouble with the motor and bearings. However, the army opted for using the primary design of the Willys-Overland jeeps, with certain aspects of the other two models woven in. Thus, classic jeeps were born.
The all-purpose military vehicles produced by Willys-Overland for the army were first considered MAs and then MBs - the MBs were the original "go anywhere and do anything" vehicles. The MB transformed into the M38 later on, which included a waterproof ignition. Eventually, MBs came to be known as "jeeps."
There was a controversy revolving around who really trademarked the "jeep" name - some think it originated as a nickname for "general purpose," as they were considered all-purpose vehicles. Jeeps served many functions during WWII - machine gun firing mounts, pickup trucks, ammo bearers, etc.
After the war, Willys-Overland continued to improve jeep models for military use, but they also began creating civilian jeeps, which were one of the very first 4 x 4 vehicles available to the public. Shortly thereafter, plans were in the works to utilize jeeps for agriculture means as well.
Civilian jeeps are also called "CJ jeeps," so if when looking at jeep classifieds you come across the term "CJ for sale," you can be sure that it is a classic jeep for sale suitable for domestic use.
The first civilian jeep, or CJ, was introduced officially in 1945, and it was called the CJ2A. Because Willys-Overland's possession of the "jeep" term was still in the works, they had to put the Willys name on their vehicles at first instead. The first two CJ2As were the VEC (Very Early Civilian) and the EC (Early Civilian), and they both looked like a more family friendly version of the MB classic jeep for sale.
In 1946, Willys-Overland came out with all-steel station wagons and sedan delivery vehicles. Also in 1946, after serial number 38221 of the CJ2A, four more colors were added in addition to the original two (Pasture Green and Harvest Tan). Now, people could buy a CJ for sale that could be Princeton Black, Normandy Blue, Michigan Yellow, or Harvard Red.
In 1947, the Jeep 2WD and 4WD pickup trucks appeared on the scene, followed by the two door Jeepster in 1948. Also in 1948, Willys-Overland introduced the CJ3A. These classic jeeps for sale had more head room and leg room than the 2A jeeps, and were primarily advertised in farm journals for agriculture purposes. The 2A had begun to see declining sales, and so they wanted to go for something new with the 3A.
Part of the reason why the 2A jeep sales may have started diminishing is because at this point, the excitement of having a civilian jeep had gone down some. Hence, Willys-Overland opted to revert to promoting jeeps for utility and work purposes. The CJ3A was produced into early 1953, with the introduction of the 3B overlapping.
Willys-Overland continued to progress with their classic jeeps for sale: In 1949, they came out with a six cylinder engine. In 1950, they introduced a horizontal grille for the Jeepster. In 1953, the company got a new owner, and subsequently a new way to go with the company - Henry J. Kaiser took over all of the Willys-Overland plants and renamed the company Willys Motors.
Kaiser was interested in expanding the Jeep line; he also wanted to see increased sales in other countries. In 1954, Willys Motors came out with the incredibly popular 4WD CJS, whose design was based on a slightly larger military jeep.
From 1955 to 1983 the CJ5 was produced. The CJ5 had a two wheel drive version, the DJ5, which was offered through 1974 (DJ stands for "Dispatcher Jeeps"). The CJ5 overlapped in production with the CJ6 and CJ7. The CJ7 classic jeeps for sale closely resemble the look of current jeeps manufactured today.
By 1963, the company's name had changed again to Kaiser-Jeep, which was later bought out by the American Motors Corporation in 1970. AMC mostly manufactured passenger automobiles, and were excited to add utility vehicles to their production line. In 1987, Chrysler bought out AMC shortly after the Jeep Wrangler took over the CJ7. In 1998, Chrysler merged with Daimler-Benz to become DaimlerChrylser, although most of Daimler-Benz's interest got sold to Chrysler, and the jeeps once again became sold through the Chrysler name exclusively.
When browsing jeep classifieds, a Jeep Wrangler is a great vehicle to take into consideration. These jeeps are utility vehicles that can operate off road as well as on road. As mentioned before, the Jeep Wrangler made its debut in 1987, but was remodeled in 1997 and again in 2007, and it continues to be one of the most popular jeeps available today.
Here at Want Ad Digest, you can search for classic jeeps for sale or more modern jeeps. In fact, you can also look for classic jeep parts in our classified ads as well. Obviously, with older vehicles such as classic jeeps, you may have a more difficult time finding available spare parts.
Here, you can shop online from your own home and get connected quickly with reputable sellers. Remember have new classifieds listed all the time, including jeep ads, thus increasing your chances that you will find what you are looking for here, for less.
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