At $32,500, Is This 1958 Willys DJ3A Surrey Too Fringe?
While once a museum showpiece, today's Nice Price or No Dice Jeep has now been set free, allowing anyone and everyone to enjoy its pastel pink livery and stripey surrey top. Let's see what such joyful tomfoolery might rightfully cost.
The term coupe derives from the French coupé, a word describing a "four-wheeled horse-drawn enclosed carriage for two persons inside with an outside seat for the driver in front." In automotive parlance, the term "coupe" was long used to describe a closed-roof car with two doors. That meaning expanded in the fall of 1962 with the introduction of the Rover P5 Mark II Coupé, which offered a rakish roof and—shock of shocks—four doors.
Four-door coupes proved surprisingly resurgent in the early Aughts, with models from Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen hitting the scene. One of those cars, a 2010 Volkswagen CC R-Line, came our way on Monday. Mechanically sound, but with some non-critical bodywork damage on the rear end, the VW four-door coupe seemed otherwise clean and tidy. At $4,450, its price was almost as low as its swooping roofline, a factor that played into the car's 61% 'Nice Price' win.
Feeling in the pink of health
If yesterday's VW CC was the epitome of early Aughts style and function following form, then today's 1958 Willys DJ3A Surrey is surely its polar opposite. It's also quite twee and looks like something Willy Wonka might drive around his candy factory in search of more children to abscond with.
Introduced in 1955, the DJ series earned the "Dispatcher" moniker, as that was the name given to the closed-cab edition. Other models included the convertible "Universal" and the "Surrey." And yes, they did come in bright pastel colors and gayly striped upholstery, top and spare cover.
This one adds to the pastiche with a set of new wide whitewall tires, handsome chrome-plated full wheel covers, and a full set of side curtains.
The seller describes the Jeep as having been "lovingly restored and displayed" by the curator of a now defunct Chrysler Jeep Museum in Toledo, Ohio. Based on the photos in the ad, its restoration has held up remarkably well and still appears display-worthy. Also, it should be noted that the ad describes this as a 1958 model; however, the Surrey option didn't arrive until halfway through 1959, so this is either a homage or is listed with the wrong year. A check of the VIN tag would sort that out.
Four by two
One notable aspect of the DJ series of Jeeps is that they were Willys' first two-wheel-drive products. While still cart-sprung front and rear, the front axle is a simple iron beam rather than a team player in the Jeep's motivation. That explains the lack of multiple levers in the floor and the truck's amazingly light 1,820-pound weight. These were marketed as recreational vehicles for people who didn't want to go off-road but enjoyed the look and simplicity of the Jeep lifestyle—with stripes and a surrey fringe!
Powering the DJ is a 134.2-cubic-inch L-head cast-iron four producing a leisurely 60 horsepower. In the related CJ series, that engine went by the cheeky name "Go-Devil," but wasn't branded as such in the DJ. That's backed by a three-on-the-tree manual transmission (the column shift being something else that separated the DJ series from the CJ) and a Spicer 23 rear axle.
Cars don't get much simpler than this DJ. Instrumentation is limited to a combo gauge featuring a speedo, fuel, and engine temp, mounted squarely at knee level in the dash. The driver does enjoy the luxury of an electric windscreen wiper; however, the front passenger has to make do with a hand-cranked wiper. Ventilation is handled by a single push-out door below the windshield and the fact that the rest of the cab is wide open.
It belonged in a museum
Everything else about this DJ is as simple as a pimple, with no carpet to worry about, no stereo, no sound deadening, no cup holders, no (gulp) seat belts, or anything other than the basic of basics.
Despite that paucity of comfort and convenience features, this DJ has everything necessary for its enjoyment. First off, it looks spectacular. The paint (officially Tropical Rose over Coral Mist) is in excellent condition. So too is the chrome on the wheels and impeccably straight bumpers. Naturally, the Surrey's party piece is the striped upholstery and top, which also appear to still be in museum-quality condition.
According to the ad, the Jeep has 35,000 miles on the clock, a low number to be sure, and with a full restoration to as-new condition, less relevant in this case than in most vehicles we look at. The title is clean, and the ad mentions a new fuel pump, carburetor, clutch, and transmission, so it should be ready for any parade, resort run-abouting, or just personal enjoyment anyone could imagine. Or maybe sock it away in another museum.
Surrey fury
To do that, one will need to come up with $32,500—a not insubstantial amount of cash—which is the Jeep's asking price. To be fair, can you think of any other "museum-grade" car or truck that might be offered at such a low price? The seller thinks highly enough of the Jeep to have listed it on Hemmings classifieds, in addition to the more plebeian Craigslist
This is also an extremely rare vehicle, with just over 1,000 made between 1959 and the DJ3's retirement in 1965. How many are left today is anybody's guess. You should also take into account this Jeep's spectacular presentation. This is a turnkey classic that's ready for show or go.
With all that in mind, what's your take on this DJ3's $32,500 asking price? Does that feel fair given its rarity and condition? Or is that too much to pretend you're an extra in "Oklahoma!"
You decide!
Palm Beach, Florida, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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