Jeep brings back the Willys...sort of

Fox News ^ | November 18, 2013 | Fox News

[re_tail20]

The Willys Wheeler Edition Wrangler matches the most basic version of the 4x4 with heritage styling cues and a selection of off-road gear.

Willys-Overland was one of the automakers that built Jeeps for the U.S. Military during World War II and commercialized them for the civilian market in 1945.

[Paladin2]

[GeronL]

Isn’t that an Italian company now?

[TwelveOfTwenty]

Yup, we’re down to Ford and GM, and I never want to see the inside of another GM dealership.

[capydick]

Fiat owns a majority share of Chrysler

[BfloGuy]

Isn’t that an Italian company now?

Yeah, but if they can bring Chrysler back from the dead, then a lot of Americans will benefit.

[Anoreth]

They just took the doors off a Wrangler.

[mortal19440]

Originally designed and built by Bantam Car Works in Butler PA. Great tradition.

[TwelveOfTwenty]

Yeah, but if they can bring Chrysler back from the dead, then a lot of Americans will benefit.

You mean Americans like them? I guess that would be a good thing, but it won't be me buying their products.

[niteowl77]

My late uncle (a motor vehicle maintenance officer in WWII and a Dodge/Plymouth dealer in the 1950s) would have raised his eyebrows if someone had told him that in 2014, the ghost of Chrysler - in a Fiat/US government form, no less - would be commemorating Willys-Overland's version of a military vehicle appropriated by said government from American Bantam and simultaneously produced by Ford.

Mr. niteowl77

[FreeReign]

They just took the doors off a Wrangler.

The doors already come off the Wrangler.

That said I agree that there seems no real value added to this SE.

[Anoreth]

Maybe you can have them back as an option.

[wally_bert]

I’ll keep my old bucket 65 CJ5. I was never wild about the Wrangler in any of its incarnations. Here is photo of it. Next year I look to do the major paint and body. Any sheetmetal replacement will be piece by piece since it so pricey. It was 225 green at one time. The ID tag on the firewall is still legible and there is some traces of green that didn’t get painted over.

I am not sure about what color I will go with. 225 isn’t exactly my favorite.

http://tysonneil.smugmug.com/Cars/1968-Project-Willys-CJ5/i-QHGXDKR/A

The CJ, J series full sized trucks, and Cherokee Chiefs were my favorites. Wagoneers never did much for me.

[SouthernBoyupNorth]

I would be more impressed if they put the old straight 6 back in it.... those babies had low end torque forever... and they were indestructible.

[Chickensoup]

What a beautiful restore. Those were honest vehicles.

[Anoreth]

The CJ5 is the only Jeep I’d ever buy.
I’d rather have a Ford Bronco than any of the Wranglers or Cherokees that were ever made.

[CrazyIvan]

Very nice! I drive a ‘06 Unlimited with quite a few mods. Love it but would like to have a “real Jeep” like yours.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Bantam's contribution is not widely knows...

[GreyFriar]

My grandfather had a Kaiser-Frazier & Willy’s dealership in 1949-53. I remember riding around in his Willy’s jeep and his Overland, that we had until the mid-50s.

[wally_bert]

Thanks you.

I found that on Craigslist in a little SC town called Landrum.

I was the first one to get to it despite getting lost on some country highway and some unexpected snow.