Making hay with a Willys Farm Jeep

lhfarm · Apr 1, 2019

My son Evan and I have run FarmJeep.com since 2002. We have just completely redesigned the Web sight and added a bunch of new items. One of those is a section on making hay with a Jeep. You can read it here - Haying – FarmJeep.com I just added another post to this section today. I hope you will stop by for a quick read.

If you are a Facebook user, stop by Willys Farm Jeep - Home | Facebook and give us a like if you enjoyed the read. More importantly, we would really like to hear any Jeep related hay making stories.

Thanks
Barry

Thomas · Apr 1, 2019

Good read :thumbsup: thanks.

lhfarm · Apr 1, 2019

Thomas said:
Good read :thumbsup: thanks.

Thank you! We are trying to make the site more about recording the stories that are a part of our agricultural history.

Barry

/pine · Apr 1, 2019

A lot of Willys pickup trucks were employed in citrus groves in FL...the most popular were the ones with the L6 226 (Continental red seal blocks) engines and the T-90 tranny's w/ PTO...often used to pull sprayers and dusters etc...

lhfarm · Apr 1, 2019

/pine said:
A lot of Willys pickup trucks were employed in citrus groves in FL...the most popular were the ones with the L6 226 (Continental red seal blocks) engines and the T-90 tranny's w/ PTO...often used to pull sprayers and dusters etc...

Thanks! I'm working on a post about 3-point lifts for the Willys PU. While we have focused on the CJ models, it appears that the PU trucks were active in agriculture too. Any other info you might have would be helpful. We have video of Jeeps working in the vineyards in California, but I've never seen anything about the citrus groves in FL. Fun stuff.

bcp · Apr 1, 2019

I once worked as an occasional substitute driver for a hay baling company. They used tractors to pull the powered balers (Wisconsin V4). I drove a CJ at the time, and asked if they had ever tried a Jeep to pull the balers. The answer was that they had tried but the frame broke after a short time due to the constant surging forward and backwards. A IH Scout worked better than the Jeep, but they preferred the tractors after all.

Bruce

lhfarm · Apr 1, 2019

bcp said:
I once worked as an occasional substitute driver for a hay baling company. They used tractors to pull the powered balers (Wisconsin V4). I drove a CJ at the time, and asked if they had ever tried a Jeep to pull the balers. The answer was that they had tried but the frame broke after a short time due to the constant surging forward and backwards. A IH Scout worked better than the Jeep, but they preferred the tractors after all.

Bruce

I'm working with a guy in California who has video of his dad driving a CJ5 pulling balers in the late 1960s. This was a large contract operation. I was surprised. I need to collect more stories like yours, but frankly we have focused (as Willys always did) on the positive side. About what year are we talking about?

bcp · Apr 1, 2019

lhfarm said:
I'm working with a guy in California who has video of his dad driving a CJ5 pulling balers in the late 1960s. This was a large contract operation. I was surprised. I need to collect more stories like yours, but frankly we have focused (as Willys always did) on the positive side. About what year are we talking about?

That would have been in the 60's. I don't know what year Jeep they tried.

Bruce

EddieWalker · Apr 1, 2019

I used to own a 1942 Ford GPW that had sat for several decades. I started to rebuilt it so many times, but always lost interest or got distracted before getting anywhere with it. After ten years, I sold it for twice what I paid for it. I just realized that if I ever did get it running, I wouldn't use it for anything after buying the Kawasaki Mule. I still enjoy seeing them, and other people driving them around.

Is that your's on FB with the 2 bottom plow?

lhfarm · Apr 1, 2019

EddieWalker said:
I used to own a 1942 Ford GPW that had sat for several decades. I started to rebuilt it so many times, but always lost interest or got distracted before getting anywhere with it. After ten years, I sold it for twice what I paid for it. I just realized that if I ever did get it running, I wouldn't use it for anything after buying the Kawasaki Mule. I still enjoy seeing them, and other people driving them around.

Is that your's on FB with the 2 bottom plow?

Yes, I show the 1949 CJ3a with a two-bottom plow. You can read about my plows here - Plows – FarmJeep.com

Liquidsilver · Apr 1, 2019

When I was a boy, my family inherited a CJ2a with a property we bought. The plaque under the hood said, '1946 CJ2a.'

I learned to drive it when I was 6-years old, I could always get it running and I'm told it was challenging to get me out of it to come inside and eat.

It was stolen in the early '80s and I sure wish I could have it back.

Loved seeing your web site.

quicksandfarmer · Apr 1, 2019

From the linked site:

the baler is a New Holland Model 76. It is unusual in that it is a left-hand pick-up.

I'd be more likely to believe that the jeep is right-hand-drive and the picture is flipped.

redman135 · Apr 1, 2019

Did right hand drive jeeps exist in the 40's and 50's?
I live in a right hand drive country and the only jeeps that age I have seen are left hand drive.

lhfarm · Apr 2, 2019

Liquidsilver said:
When I was a boy, my family inherited a CJ2a with a property we bought. The plaque under the hood said, '1946 CJ2a.'

I learned to drive it when I was 6-years old, I could always get it running and I'm told it was challenging to get me out of it to come inside and eat.

It was stolen in the early '80s and I sure wish I could have it back.

Loved seeing your web site.

Before I started showing our Farm Jeep, I wouldn't have believed a 6 year old could drive a Jeep. I've heard enough stories and had techniques shown to me that I believe it was fairly common. I'm going to do an article on women and kids and the Farm Jeep in the future.

If you can't have the original you could still have a CJ2a. Check out eWillys.com to see that Jeeps available around the country.

lhfarm · Apr 2, 2019

quicksandfarmer said:
From the linked site:

I'd be more likely to believe that the jeep is right-hand-drive and the picture is flipped.

Take a look here Old 1946 New Holland model 76 Baler in field - YouTube

EKlee · Apr 2, 2019

something new every day. Until I stumbled upon this thread, I had no idea that the Jeep Willy was used like a tractor. It has a pto on it? neat.

lhfarm · Apr 2, 2019

Check out this post
Let us count the ways – Jeeps working on the farm and all around town – FarmJeep.com

Liquidsilver · Apr 2, 2019

lhfarm said:
Before I started showing our Farm Jeep, I wouldn't have believed a 6 year old could drive a Jeep. I've heard enough stories and had techniques shown to me that I believe it was fairly common. I'm going to do an article on women and kids and the Farm Jeep in the future.

If you can't have the original you could still have a CJ2a. Check out eWillys.com to see that Jeeps available around the country.

You inspired me to find a picture and sure enough, odds are if there was a picture of the thing, I was in the drivers seat...

They were really tiny vehicles and I had patio furniture cushions to boost me and help me reach the pedals.

Occasionally my sisters would 'steal' it from me.

Looks like 10 grand could buy another... maybe someday. :thumbsup:

lhfarm · Apr 2, 2019

Great photos. It was shots like that got Evan and me looking for a Jeep. Even though my father-in-law had a Jeep with a Monroe lift, we didn't start outlook for a Farm Jeep. The 47 2a came with a PTO and that got us started. $10K will buy you a nicely restored 2a, but you can find a solid running Jeep for a lot less. Just have to keep looking.

Going to PM you.