question Hould my '44GPW have script parts?

[Nigelr32]

Hi all,

 

As some of you may be aware, I've just begun my first MV restoration with a '44GPW. Obviously, it has a composite body, but I'm wondering if Ford still used scripted parts in 1944?

 

I have found some part numbers on brackets etc that start "GPW.....", but no f scripts?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Nigelr32

[jenkinov]

a high proportion of Jeeps that survived the war are a mix of Ford and GPW parts ..The reason is that after the war all the vehicles were basically trashed and needed heavy refits ...The Reme set up plants in europe as well as German manufacturers re booting the car industry by rebuilding allied vehicles ..same happened in japan ...

A vehicle wouls arrive at a refit plant and be broken into component parts ..axles / wheels/body/wings engine alll went into great piles and these were then refurbished by teams ,,

 

When it came to rebuilding ...A chassis ..2 axles from the pile ..a body ..hence all thed parts became mixed ..hence i have a willys mb chassis ..a ford and rear front axle ..a ford bonnet ford bin lids ford wings . 1 ford seat and one willys and a willys engine ...

 

In terms of script parts all ford parts generally have the F but the Ford script was not applied to bodies after about 42 ,,

 

I can appreciate that as a ford GPW owner you will want as many ford parts as possible but the willys bits are also part of the vehicles story and persinally i think its quite interesting that my vehicle is such a mix

 

Jenkinov

[deadline]

If you look at the SNLs just about every part on a jeep has TWO part numbers... GPW-XXXXX and WO-A-XXXXXX

 

They all interchanged, but depending on the mechanic/outfit they could have ordered Ford parts for GPWs and WO-A parts for MBs... to a mechanic that would 'sound right'... you would not order GMC parts for a Hercules engine even though both were 6 cylinder. You may get GPW parts without the script 'F' for several reasons: Poor/light/painted over stamp or simply missed. Some parts were to small to stamp, others were outsourced from for and never stamped.

 

Post war refits.. I agree.. parts were parts. But I think most of the mix-matched parts were from when the jeeps got into civilian hands and price was the major concern... not part numbers. Jeeps didn't really hit the restoration scene till about mid/late 70s and in the 80-90s the 'factory class restoration' crazy began.

 

Sad fact is that most jeeps are so 'over restored' that they never looked that good coming off the assembly line. 'Factory class' is really more 'I spent more money than you' class.

Edited June 26, 2011 by deadline

[jenkinov]

Gents find enclosed photos from G503 that show Jeeps and trailers in Okniawa in the late 40s and early 50s ..

 

My jeep might havfe been one of these it was refurbished in Japan for the Korean was and i have a US army ordnance corp plate ..As the Engine was likely beyond repair it was fitted with a new replacement but refitted with all the 6v equipment ?

 

Doubt it went to Korea as it then went to Greek under one of the US funding projects and served with the greek army being fitted with a tow or HMG...The Greeks used these jeeps until the mid 80s when they sold of the old ones and an enterprising Brit brought in 40 ...

 

one of my friends in the Yorkshire MVT also has a Greek Jeep and they are a real mix of parts ..personallyI i think the Axle ,wing ,engine swops were mostly done by the military if anything collectors have tried to reverse the swopping and sought mostly Willys or Ford components ...I like the Mix

 

Jenkinov

[earlymb]

This is the MVPA's 'GPW Judging Standard', it should answer a lot of questions:

 

http://wiki.g503.com/index.php/GPW_Judging_Standards

 

Ford did continue to use 'F' or 'GPW' marked parts were they could, because there was a warrenty and they didn't want to pay for broken Willys parts.

 

For detailed infomation on 'jeep-evolution' almost per month you can try to find the very hard to find book by Lawrence Nabholtz (either of both editions and both if you can find them).

 

Greetz

 

David

[Enigma]

3rd pic. on Jenkinovs reply;

 

Notice the absence of a voltmeter on the Command Car....