My 1943 Willys Jeep

My Barn Find

(Well it was almost a barn find, it was a big shed)

In May 2015 I discovered through a friend a 1943 Willys Jeep in the township of Marybourough QLD. It was in a sad state and in dire need of some TLC, fortunately someone had the good sense to keep it out of the harsh QLD weather. For a vehicle that is 70 years plus, she was in fairly good shape for her age (for what I could see),  I had limited knowledge on WW2 Jeeps, but I knew enough to know that this was a genuine 'Wartime Jeep', or was it? Either way I knew I was looking at something special,  a real WW2 Combat Jeep, I didn't really care anyway it was an old Jeep that was in need of restoring.

I mean this thing had been stripped completely down years ago, some of the parts were wrapped in newspapers from 1980 which indicated when it may have been stripped, it was contained in a myriad of old boxes and bins of bits and pieces, I wasn't even sure if it was complete, well I noticed some parts that were incorrect, a four spoke steering wheel in box told me it wasn't a Jeep Steering wheel, I noticed someone had welded a Bantam Trailer handbrake to the cab floor as a modified handbrake, a GPA serial number on the engine seemed a bit suspect, three combat rims gave me some hope, among some of the other points.

So whilst trying to remain somewhat cool in front of the seller who wanted $1,600 for this tangle of odds and sods, and worth every penny of it I was sure. I casually dropped a few pointers about the irregularities, I could tell the assortment of pieces strewn around three sheds, which held no less than five T-Model Fords in various stages of restoration, the seller was keen to get rid of the Jeep and clear some space. I noted the chassis was an MB, so was the tub, although the tool box lids showed "f" scrips, bit of a salad I thought, GPW block, GPA top end. Oh what to do I thought?

Here we go, how about I give you a thousand to take it off your hands, I said. Um! went the seller, how's about eleven hundred, cash, he came back with. Deal, I said, almost falling over to shake on the deal. We left Marybourough later that afternoon with a small Rav 4 packed to the gunnels with boxes, tins and whatever, my twin cab 4x4 style side ute also loaded to the hilt and a 7 x4 single axle trailer with the chassis and the tub, plus a bit more heading back towards Brisbane way. I found some chalk and I scrawled across the tub "I BOUGHT A JEEP" I received much honking etc all the way home and whenever I stopped a crowd drew around the Jeep like a magnet. I knew I had the passion, I knew I'd get the help and I knew then I had done the right thing in my endeavor to rescue and restore a fine motor vehicle. My Jeep. I have since joined the MJCQ (Military Jeep Club of Qld). Watch this space for progress reports and photos.

Cheers all.

This was the day I brought my find home, as they say 'Look what followed me home'
Watch for updates.

                                        Yes! I did have the windshield down during transit.