Mike Venturino Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 This isn't a Thompson but I'd bet a Thompson rode in it at one time or another. If not I can guarantee one will soon. I brought this home today. Its a fully restored 1943 Jeep by Ford. Got the canvas top, pioneer kit, jerry can, and a bunch of parts and such with it. http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr169/MLV1/photobucket004LargeWebview.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Dudley Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 I think you're having WAAAY too much fun!! Nice score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyfivecal Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 nice GP' Mike! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 The Ford was designated "GPW". The wonderful thing about the GPW was that Henry Ford had every single part on them marked with the Ford "F" mark(even the bolt heads). I have two, both 1942's. Mike you will want to join the G503 Board now. There you will find the info you need to bring her up to date. She needs a period paint job, that OD is too dark and too shiny, she will also need a new set of stenciled markings. You can also run her Vin number and calculate what her hood number would have been. You will need to drill a hole in the front bumper for the hand crank to fit through also. Here is a shot of one of mine at a WWII event: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Hawkeye/jeep.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyfivecal Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 while not a thompson question, what was the distinction between the Ford models GP and GPW? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 The early Ford prototype Jeeps were labeled GP and the early Willys jeeps were MA. These were made to try to capture the contract from the Army. Willys won the contract and produced the improved model MB throughout the war, Ford lost but because of huge wartime demands Willys couldn't make enough so Ford made the improved GPW. The first MB's and GPW's had what is called the "Slat-grill", this was timeconsuming to produce so Ford developed the stamped metal grill everyone is familiar with. All parts on Ford and Willys jeeps were interchangeable, but there were several differences in body parts, tool box lids, gas tank sump, and front frame cross member. MA= Military Model A GP= Govt. - 80" wheelbase MB=Military Model B GPW= Govt.- 80" wheelbase - Willys design Ford GP: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Ford_gp_jeep_1942_holabird_sm.jpg Willys MA: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Willys-MA-3.jpg And the one that started it all the Bantam BRC-40: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Bantam-jeep-1.jpg Bantam actually invented the jeep with their "Blitz Buggy" and then the BRC-40 but they had no manufacturing capacity to build them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidd Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Good going now I want a jeep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle3 Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Duke, Nice acquisition, now you will have to get rid of that, too small German helmet, and acquire a U.S. steel pot. One more thing, it looks like you have taken off quite a bit of weight, good for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbore Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Just wondering - what does a good working condition WWII Jeep cost? heres a pic of a friends '43 Ford. http://www.adcofirearms.com/junkpics/43ford.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hammer Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Always wanted one of those since I was a kid when everybody told me there was someplace that I could buy an army surplus jeep for $50 bucks. Needless to say I could never find that someplace that was selling them for that price. I'll bet they are a bit more expensive nowadays. What's the top speed of WWII jeeps? Mike Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyfivecal Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 (edited) thanks hawkeye for the information and pictures. i had a willys CJ2A in high school, and i knew the differences between the models back then, but, that was a long time ago, thanks for refreshing my memory. to add a thompson reference to this thread, and because i know you enjoy WW2 posters and photos, as do i, see the photo attached. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/eagleyedone/pic20161.jpg Edited March 29, 2009 by fortyfivecal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 (edited) Ok, Mike, you started this! This is my Willys G503 jeep, delivered to the US Army on 20 May 1943. It lives under the wing of Piper L-4 Grasshopper 43-29080, delivered to the Army Ground Forces on 28 May, 1943. Top speed? 45 mph if you want the engine to last as lubrication is less than perfect. Up to 65 mph if you don't care. Also remember that there are no seat belts and the vehicle rolls easily because of its high center of gravity! The cannister on the front grill is a coolant reservoir, part of the original desert cooling kit. Howard http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/jinxx1/Wheeled%20Vehicles/WillysMBJeep1945Manufacture1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/jinxx1/Wheeled%20Vehicles/WillysMBJeep1945Manufacture3.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/jinxx1/Wheeled%20Vehicles/WillysMBJeep1945Manufacture5.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/jinxx1/Wheeled%20Vehicles/WillysMBJeep1945Manufacture15.jpg Edited March 29, 2009 by TSMGguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Dudley Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Good going now I want a jeep. Yeah, I've been looking for a few yewrs. This post fired me up for the search again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Venturino Posted March 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Eagle3: I have several US steel pots. Thanks for noticing the weight loss. I'm down 60 to 65 pounds since last September depending on which scale I believe. On my way to 100, I hope. Hawkeye Joe: I bought this for a photo prop and a fair weather toy. I'll leave all that nit-picking stuff for some future owner to get the pleasure of fixing. All I expect to put into it along with gasoline is routine maintaince and repairs. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilOhio Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Mike, You seem to be inflicting far too much fun on yourself these days. At age ten, my late dad let me more or less teach myself to drive with one of those surplus jeeps we had. My practice area was the rolling hills and dirt roads on a large farm we owned. There was nobody around to tell me it was too dangerous, or that I couldn't do this or that. While I was away at college, my dad sold the thing for a little of nothing, not knowing I had any interest in it...or so he said. I still miss it. But they are indeed dangerous, especially when you get carried away, having fun, and start trying to climb ditches and hills diagonally. While I was in Korea in the '60s - '70s, G.I.s were getting hurt in them every single week, because of this roll-over problem...even with the later independent suspension models. So they ran lots of AFKN radio "commercials" warning about the problem. Still it continued. Have fun, but be careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 (edited) TSMGguy you need to meet "Iowa"... he's got a 1942 L4-B....two GPW's and a slat grille and is building a WLA. I like the desert cooling system.....did it come with it or did you install? Bigbore, they can run from $7 to $20 K, depending on the level of restoration, GPW's with all "F" marks intact bring top dollar. I picked up both of mine from Ebay, one for $4k and the better restored one for $9K. But Mike, once you get bit by the Jeep Bug it's like Thompsonitis hard to cure. You will want to do it right, and paint and stencils aren't that hard to do... Ahh, back on topic: Thompsons: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Hawkeye/WWII%20pics/jeep.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Hawkeye/WWII%20pics/German_POW.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Hawkeye/WWII%20pics/Thompsoncleaning.jpg Jeeps, Thompsons, they go together like peas n' carrots...... Edited March 29, 2009 by Hawkeye_Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob@rat-tat-tat Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Your pictures are great! Makes me want to buy a jeep! Are any of you members of the MVPA? http://www.mvpa.org/ Good place to locate vehicles and parts for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAS1921AC Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 My dad taught me to drive in the late 60's in his WWII Willys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 (edited) TSMGguy you need to meet "Iowa"... he's got a 1942 L4-B....two GPW's and a slat grille and is building a WLA. I like the desert cooling system.....did it come with it or did you install? "Iowa" is a respected contributor on the www.g503.com boards. The desert cooling kit (hooked up and working) was part of the restoration done by Marcus Schneider of Willys Acres, just outside of Toronto. It's a first class job, as you can see! I did the markings myself, right in the driveway. It wasn't difficult to make the stencils and tape up the stars. The jeep honors my uncle, a driver for the commander of D Co. (heavy weapons), 263rd Inf. Regt., 66th Infantry Division, in France, during WWII. He's driven it, and showed me all of the little Jeep driving tricks and tips. Edited March 30, 2009 by TSMGguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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