"My father-in-law, Holland Tussey (currently 87 and doing well) purchased his 1953 Willys CJ-3B Jeep on February 5th, 1954 to use primarily as a farm vehicle. He snatched up one of the last '53's the dealer had on their lot. He doesn't have the original sales receipt and can't remember exactly what he paid for it, but knowing him, I'm betting he got a pretty good deal. Holland was one of the pioneers of North Carolina pit-cooked barbecue, and ran Tussey's Barbecue, a successful BBQ restaurant in Lexington, from 1948-1963.
"While visiting her dad in 2010, my wife Holly made reference to the Jeep and explained how she hated seeing it, year after year, just rusting away. She suggested he let us collect all its parts and move the Jeep to our basement garage. He reluctantly agreed. The following weekend my two sons and I gathered all the parts up and towed the Jeep to its new home."
See more details on this North Carolina High Hood.
Doug wrote in September 2010, "Early in the summer I bought a beautifully restored '53 Willys CJ-3B in Cooperstown NY where I have a summer home (I live in Stowe VT the rest of the year). Of course, I immediately went online to learn as much as I could about this terrific vehicle. I've been on The CJ3B Page at least a hundred times and have learned a ton, while enjoying the car all summer."
See also a rear view photo (200K JPEG).
"I live in Rockville, Maryland. I purchased the Willys in February 2008 from a fella in Landenberg, Pennsylvania, who purchased the Jeep a year earlier. I was told it was totally refurbished 10 years prior to that. The tub was layered over with steel and a huge step bumper was welded to the rear with new rear lights and stickers everywhere. It was a non-runner when I got it, frozen motor and mouse-eaten wiring everywhere. I'm not a mechanic, so many thanks goes out to The CJ3B Page and Kaiser Willys Auto Supply. I was able to get the engine running great, the transmission working great and a host of wiring and other mini projects completed. I'm proud and happy to say that the Jeep is roadworthy and I take it on errands often."
See also a rear view and the interior (160K JPEGs). Greg sold the Jeep in 2011 and says he is on the lookout for another project.
Jeff Heidman in Newnan, Georgia is going for a military look for his '53 and has painted it in OD. When he first bought it (80K JPEG) Jeff said, "Just bought serial no. 453GB2 18404 in Georgia -- it has a title from Newport, Pennsylvania. Has a Kelly hardtop #300 on it. Haven't got the engine number yet." See also a photo of the interior as bought (80K JPEG).
In early 2009 he wrote, "We went to the new hunting club for several hours of scouting and wheelin' fun. A friend brought his 14-year-old son so it was time for some clutch lessons in the old Jeep. He admitted he had a blast. See a front pic (160K JPEG) and a rear view pic (200K JPEG)."
Jeff had it looking pretty military for Memorial Day 2010 (180K JPEG).
"After many years of living in Pittsburgh, I finally bought a CJ-3B to have here. I still have the red 1954 CJ-3B back in Colombia, which thanks to family and friends is still in great shape. The new one is a 1953 yellow 3B. It was completely restored here in Pittsburgh by Chuck Curty, one of the founders of the Flat Fender Club of Butler. As with all of his rebuilds, Chuck did an amazing job with this car. I was very lucky he let me buy it."
See some nice photos of Sebastian touring around Pittsburgh in fall 2010: a nice rear view (230K JPEG), on the street (180K JPEG), in front of the famous University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning (tallest school building in the western hemisphere, 90K JPEG) and a first -time Jeep driver (120K JPEG).
Continue to 1954 Owners and Photos.
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The CJ-3B Database. -- Derek Redmond
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