1947 Willys CJ2A

Generously Lent by Evan Clary

·       First civilian jeep after World War II

·       Well optioned

·       Awarded 2nd in the 30 Under 30 Class at the 2022 Audrain Concours

The 30 Under 30 Class at the Audrain Newport Concours d’Elegance was started by Jay Leno as a way to get young people interested in the classic car hobby. Participants must be under the age of 30 and have spent less than $30,000 to acquire and fix up their car. 

The original owner of this CJ2A purchased it in Wichita, KS after leaving the Army to become a land surveyor. He used the Jeep to traverse the rough Kansas terrain in search of new oil field locations. The Jeep was then passed down to his son, who used it sparingly and placed it in storage in the 1980s. The Jeep appears to have had one repaint to the original color but retains its original paint and pinstriping on the wheels. The current owner purchased this Jeep from the original family in 2022 and has given it a mechanical overhaul while trying to keep it as original as possible.

The Willys CJ-2A is the first series civilian Jeep made after Willys transitioned from the Willys MB which was built strictly for military use. The Willys MB was a symbol of WWII. With nearly 650,000 produced, it served as the primary light duty vehicle during the War period. Military “jeeps” were produced by multiple companies including Ford, but in 1943, Willys-Overland filed to trademark the Jeep name, paving the way for the company to move into civilian production after the war. This CJ-2A is owned by Evan Clary and was shown at the 2022 Audrain Concours d’Elegance in the 30 Under 30 class.

Before the war had finished in 1942, industrial designer Brooks Stevens devised a plan to make a utilitarian civilian vehicle built on the Jeep chassis. This specific vehicle did not reach production, though it did earn him future design jobs with Willys, including the 1946 Willys Jeep Station Wagon and the Jeep Wagoneer produced from 1963-1993, standing today as a cultural icon. Willys Overland had marketed the CJ-2A as an agricultural vehicle, to assist in farming, ranching and other needs.

Production of the CJ-2A began in mid-1945 and resembled military jeeps very closely. The tailgate and side mounted spare tire held notable similarities, though there were a number of changes that made the CJ-2A more usable every day, such as a rear-view mirror, rear seat, canvas top, and side steps. Willys even offered additional options such as front and rear Power Take Off (PTO), winches, plows, and more. Though it was only produced for four years, Willys produced over 200,000 CJ-2A Jeeps before production on the CJ-3A began in 1949.

Specifications

Engine: 2.2 liter inline 4-cylinder

Horsepower: 60 @ 4000 rpm

Torque: 105 ft lbs @ 2000 rpm

Transmission: T-90 3-speed manual

Weight: 2215 lbs