Okay, there might be better or broader ways to illustrate the change of historic seasons from the 1940s to the 1980s, but one way to chart it is through the annals of American history. From FDR to Reagan: the Willys has always been in our hearts.
Another way to look at American history is to see it through the various models and iterations of the Willys vehicles that have been iconic military and civilian choices for Americans throughout that entire time frame. It tells us something about how technology developed in twentieth-century America, how innovators built on the legacy of Henry Ford and others.
World Events
The end of the 1940s was the postwar era, where nations emerged from the wreckage of the most massive international conflict in human history to date.
Newspapers of the time are jubilant about the end of the war, and triumphant headlines show how communities are trying to get back to normal on both sides of the Atlantic and elsewhere around the world.
The next decade saw the Korean conflict and other major world events.
Later, the 1960s led up to the Vietnam war and everything that happened around that.
Through it all, the iconic Willys was on American streets and on U.S. military bases, helping soldiers to do the tough jobs.
Into the 1980s
You can also chart slightly later model years of this vehicle type into the era of Reagan, and the eventual restructuring of American society after the 1970s, which had its own particular historic and societal legacy.
It's amazing to think about people keeping these same vehicles throughout all of that, and holding onto vehicles that basically became antiques.
Some sat in barns or garages – some in professional showroom windows.
All of them display the original craftsmanship and design that made the Willys, the iconic jeep, so popular in and out of a military setting, and why these vehicles have held their values so well over the years.
You could contrast it to the modern Humvee, in some ways, although that’s an oversimplification, but the Willys has much more of a rich history in American life.
With that in mind, check out the rest of the site to see how you can replace iconic parts of this vehicle when you need to restore a Willys to its former glory.
For instance, the round headlights and metal rims of this type of installation are among what we sell to interested owners. For more, browse our site and pick the Willys parts and accessories that make the most sense for you.