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Willys Jeep

The Willys Jeep was in production from approximately 1954 until 1983. Willys is short for Willys-Overland Motors, an automobile company that produced both military and civilian Jeeps. These are the types of Jeeps most people are familiar with when they think about the Jeeps used in combat. Over half the of the Jeeps manufactured for use in the Second World War, approximately 360,000, were manufactured by Willys-Overland. Even though the name brand is no longer around, many people are still very familiar with it-if not the name itself, then the basic design that became associated with the auto company. Now there is a thriving sub-culture of Jeep enthusiasts who collect the Jeeps that were once used in combat. These enthusiasts keep the market open, and because of them, almost anybody can find parts, information, and the old Jeeps for sale. In 1963, the name was changed to the Kaiser-Jeep Corporation, and "Willys" disappeared. The company changed hands many times after that, until Chrysler bought it in the mid-eighties and released the Jeep Wrangler, which had very little in common with the Willys Jeep, except for its outward appearance. Now the Willys Jeep is not interchangeable with the Jeeps that have been released since 1987, though they look similar in some respects. As a result, the former types of Jeep are a bit harder to find, and they're a bit harder to find parts for, though the Internet makes it easier to find parts and accessories through online vendors and private sellers.