Period Custom? 1949 Willys-Jeep CJ2A
Do you ever feel like sellers are missing a golden opportunity to properly list and/or promote their vehicle? This is one of those cases, as this 1949 Willys-Jeep CJ2S is listed with next to no information by a seller who actually uses the words “No idea” in his listing. When you look a little closer and start noticing details like the larger wheels and tires, light bar atop the windshield frame, and what looks like a winch on the front bumper, it’s pretty clear this CJ2A was previously built up to be a respectable rock hopper. You can see the minimalist listing here on Facebook Marketplace located in Turlock, California with a $10,000 asking price.
It’s really a shame the seller didn’t dig a little deeper, because I’m willing to bet he’d find some pretty tasty period modifications bolted onto this Jeep. I could do without the body armor, but then again, if it was used for heavy-duty wheeling like I suspect, it has a functional purpose. And since this Jeep resides in California, it likely wasn’t slapped onto cover up rust like they do in my neck of the woods. Overall, the photos aren’t great, but what we can see appears to show a sound body with no obvious damage or rust and matching paint across all of the visible panels. The interior is a mess, and you do have to wonder why the seats were unbolted.
No word on engine health, either, but right away you can see the standard Willys engine is long gone. I can’t say with absolute certainty what engine model we’re looking at, but it sure looks like an SBC. The small block V6 and V8 are both popular swaps into the vintage Willys chassis, along with Buick’s 90 degree V6. It goes to show you that this ’49 Jeep was worked over in more ways than one, and was definitely a previous owner’s pride and joy in terms of customizing it to his liking and adding tasteful, period-correct modifications. It’s a shame the seller hasn’t put more effort in to determining the history of the Jeep, as I’m sure it has a good story.
This is much ado about nothing, but whenever I see details like this – with near-perfect graphics and lettering on some of the standard instruction plates – it just tells me the vehicle in question hasn’t been parked outside with the roof off for the past ten years. The depth of the dust tells you everything you need to know about how long it’s been idled, but details like this point to it being loved at one time. And if that doesn’t convince you, the numerous modifications should. This Jeep will likely look incredible when it’s cleaned up with those in-period modifications still attached, and I’d recommend the seller trying blowing off the dust to show buyers just how cool this vintage CJ2A really is.
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Comments
The lazy seller isn’t doing himself any favors by presenting this Jeep so poorly. The lack of good pictures and zero info tells me the seller either doesn’t know how to market a car or he just wants it to go away. The purist may not be too interested as the Jeep has been heavily modified but maybe it will appeal to someone just looking for a fun 4X4. It’s an interesting find but with these crappy pictures, so little info and the mechanical unknowns, I’m not sure it’s worth $10k.
I knew it was a FB ad just by the sheer amount of junk surrounding it, but the pictures are not up to FB standards. They need to be more out of focus.
Turlock was an agricultural based town for many years which may account for the reason for the current whereabouts of this neat little rig.
I’d take this home in a heartbeat if the price wasn’t so ridiculous. The V6 under the hood there was a perfect match IMHO as evidenced by the overwhelming number of them that successfully ran (maybe still run) The Rubicon Trail annually, and this cool little ride looks like it’s been set up to take it on (maybe again?).
That’s a small block chevy, not a Buick V6.
Steve R
Thank you for the keen eye, Steve R. Once again my excited presumption based on previous practice coupled with P-poor photos made for mistaken identity.
Being on the lookout for one, I’m finding out, there must be some unwritten law among cowboys, everything needs to be modified. These yahoos with their V8’s and rock crawler suspensions transform these into machines that were never intended to exist. While Jeep did offer V8’s, not in the CJ2’s, more foolishness. Fact is, few stock ones exist anymore. I see the “price slashing” going on on these sites, so old CJ’s aren’t exactly flying off the shelves. I think there’s still enough folks like me that just want a plain old CJ, and these V8 concoctions are on those sites for months, looking for the right sap, well, I can wait. $5g’s tops on these, the V8 adds nothing for me.
Put my 2009 Honda Accord up for sale on fb recently. Took many, many photographs of the interior, exterior and engine bay. Got some fab shots too with a mountain background when everyone else photographs their cars on the pavement. Sold in 30 hours.
Wasted two years studing at college when I should have just started at the bottom and worked up. Only decent bit of advice our lecturer gave in two years was; “presentation is 50% of your final mark”. Translate that to real life and it would read “you can sell any old crap as long as it looks pretty”
You could offer to pay full price, with the stipulation that the seller pay you $15 per hour to clean out the garage. Then you would get the jeep for a more reasonable 4 to 5 grand.
How much is the fan?
The seller gets Tidy Garage of the Year Award IMHO.
Gotta love the way he stacks everything up for storage purposes. The seller wants the Jeep gone so he can continue stacking with more square footage.
If he gets any offer at all he will likely take it just to add space to his garage storage locker.
P.S. Had an acquaintance that had a small block V8 GM swap and it was excellent after the swap but sucked before it, Howard.
Bob
I had the wagon with a SBC, and transferred that to a ’51 pickup, with so so results( a 4.3 V6 would have been better) but a V8 in one of these is a bit much. The “Dauntless V6” was the best offering in CJ’s, I feel. Try and find one today.
Looks like a CJ3A to me if it’s a 49. I bet that diamond plate is hiding a bunch of cancer!
Interesting comments on the modifications on this Jeep. I agree the 10K price is too high but Jeeps have been bringing in some hefty money lately. If this thing can be determined to be in good condition then it’s worth having if you want a power enhanced Jeep. I did some growing up on the west coast. If you lived in California, Oregon, or Washington and were a car nut you put together vehicles such as this one. It’s just the way it was in the ’50s, ’60s and into this day. Personally, if I wanted another Jeep I’d jump on this one in a heartbeat.
Who cares? It’s a Jeep it sells no matter how it’s presented!
That much engine, in that little Jeep, is a recipe for disaster.