1948 WILLY'S JEEP CJ-2A WITH 13,859 ORIGINAL MILES!!

1948 Willys

Yes, you read the mileage correct. It is 13,859 miles from new - the odometer has NOT turned over. The brief history on this Willy's Jeep is that it was purchased new in 1948 by the original owner (do not have that information) and sold the following year 1949 to the Rifton, NY Volunteer Fire Department with only 1,100 miles on it. They kept it in a heated garage until November of 1977 when it was purchased by Philip W. (Jerry) Stokes of Rifton, NY with a little over 6,000 miles on it. He owned and loved it until September of 1981 when my fatherbought it and shipped it to the western suburbs of Chicago. We restored a 1942 Willy's Jeep together and I sold it earlier that year and this was its "replacement." I think I remember that the little red Jeep had just over 13,000 miles on it at the time.
We drove it around the property the first couple of years and enjoyed it immensely. That following summer, it was moved to a heated hanger at one of the local airports and used as an airport vehicle and aircraft tug. It essentially remained in that capacity and is still stored in a heated hanger now, but the aircraft are long gone and it does not get used like it should.
The records show that the Jeep was painted from its original International Harvester Red to the Jeep CJ red in 1986. The shop removed the fenders, hood, grill, windshield, bumpers, and mirror for paint. The underside was painted also at this time and included the frame, axles, brake drums, shock absorbers, and under the fenders. The wheels were re-painted white at this time as well. The Jeep has been regularly maintained, but has honestly not needed much over the years beyond its initial Squawk List once it arrived at our house. That squawk list consisted of some simple items that totaled $1,033 in 1981. Not really worth going into detail here, but the invoices are available to view if desired.
The electrical system is still 6V and the Jeep cranks strong and starts great - no smoke. All electrical works albeit weak with the 6V system. There is an aftermarket turn signal setup that was installed prior to our ownership to make it street legal. The Jeep drives great (for an early Willys) and the engine runs strong. The most recent work that was done was a fuel pump rebuild. The muffler and exhaust pipe have been replaced recently also. I am not sure I would be masochistic enough to hop in this and embark on a cross country trip without a thorough fluid change and "nut and bolt," but it is in great driving condition and I would not hesitate to take it on an extended ride tomorrow.
If you know early Willy's Jeeps, then you can see by the photos that this is something special in the world of Jeeps. You will not be disappointed in its condition. The one caveat to the excellent condition is some rust starting underneath the passenger area on the two U channels welded to the floor. It appears that the U channel is the only thing exhibiting rust (you can see it in the photo) and the floors are solid. It is only on the passenger side and limited to those small areas. Barring that, I would venture a guess that this may be one of the best early Willy's Jeeps in the country. If there is something you do not see in the photos, do not hesitate to ask - I would be happy to take a pic andpost it. Hope this goes to a new loving owner.