Why do I want a wartime Jeep?

[jonesy]

For a couple of years now I've had this urge to buy a wartime Jeep where I'd love to visit Normandy in it. I have no background in historic military vehicles (shame on me!) nor have I ever driven or sat in a Jeep.

 

I now have possibly enough funds to buy one. Not a concourse winner but more of a motor pool Jeep where it looks like it has been used. Chances are I will be buying one already restored as I don't have the means for a restoration.

 

My question is though, what made Jeep owners buy their first Jeep and what pitfalls should I look out for?

 

Cheers,

Neil.

[Lord Burley]

 

Jeeps were flat packed and assembled over here by lots of back street garages, hardly U.S. built. The French acquired the the plant and built the Jeeps under license, the early Hotchkiss was predominently U.S. bits, and 6volt.:kissoncheek:

Really???. Funny that. My uncle during the war before he joined up worked for the American Red cross in London. And drove Jeeps straight back from the docks after being unloaded.

[Richard Farrant]

Under Operation Bolero, civil contractors in Britain were assembling crated vehicles for the US, for their forces in Europe, but they were collectively only acheiving 4,000 vehicles a month, so not keeping up with shipped arrivals. The US then got their General Depot 25, at Ashchurch, Glos. to build a production line, with inspiration from a visit to Austins, to build crated jeeps. This depot at Ashchurch is the same place that is now the Britsh Army vehicle depot.

[Big ray]

Yeah, from what I've gathered on the forums, the Hotchkiss jeeps are basically wartime jeeps with all the issues ironed out.

 

One of them does sound good but I'm not sure if I'd be happy owning a jeep which I knew wasn't 100% wartime authentic.

 

£9K is basically my budget which puts me right at the lower end of a quality jeep.:cry:

 

AUTHENTIC ? In the autumn of 1944, after the liberation of Paris, the american army put something like 160 thousand Jeeps through the Hotchkiss factory just outside of Paris. They went in one end, stripped, all useable components set aside for re-use, unserviceable stuff scrapped and replaced with new, they went in as Ford or Willy`s, but came out the other end composite, Ford or Willy`s parts fitted............ whats this authentic, and remember lots of WARTIME Jeeps never heard a shot fired in anger!!!!! The Hotchkiss is a good Jeep.:kissoncheek:

[Big ray]

Really???. Funny that. My uncle during the war before he joined up worked for the American Red cross in London. And drove Jeeps straight back from the docks after being unloaded.

That would be before they realised the need for vast quantities, and the advantages of shipping flat packed..... a lot more Jeeps for your buck.:cool2:

[jonesy]

Well, after six months of tinkering and getting the Slat how I wanted it, I attended my first show on Monday. It was only a local vintage tractor & engine show in West Wales but my father's the show secretary and he really wanted the jeep to be there.

 

[RattlesnakeBob]

Jonesy I gotta say mate..

........I've only just found this thread and it does appear to me....as if some folk on here.... would even argue over the exact colour of the correct mud needed on a 'genuine' Jeep....:-)...

..By all means I very much bow to the knowledge of people on here but ....never let it lead you away from the fact that the simply bottom line is this..

Your Jeep looks awesome... and you shouldn't give a flying toss how many bits of it are 'genuine' or 'Hotpotch' or whatever... if you're happy with whatever you ended up paying for her?....

then that's all that matters.

....besides all of that and whatever anyone else's opinion on here of what you have bought is...

your little lad in the passenger seat is obviously chuffed to the top and back with Dads Jeep so what more could you possibly want ?

[Tony B]

After 70 odd years any vehicle is going to have undergone any number of changes. Looks great.