1944 Ford GPW Jeep

Built in June 1944 – incidentally the same month as the allied invasion of Europe – this GPW was built under contract by the Ford Motor Company. It might not be a true Willys (not that it really matters) but it’s, crucially, a genuine wartime Jeep. That matters among military vehicle fans and greatly increases this machine’s value and historical importance.

Though we don’t know the whole story, there’s a fascinating thread of correspondence in the service history between the DVLA, a former owner and the Invicta Military-vehicle preservation society (IMPS). The paper trail relates to the retention of this vehicle’s original registration. It appears that by the early 1990s, this Jeep wound up in a scrapyard and was subsequently saved and restored. The original log book and paperwork was lost at this point, making it tricky to keep the reg. Anyway, the previous owner persevered, as it proudly wears NFY 943 to this day.

The vendor was keen to point out that every effort possible has been made to keep this Jeep original. That means refurbishing and reconditioning parts wherever possible, rather than simply swapping them for new items; most of which are available. That means those dents and pits in the metal of the front grille, for example, are there for a very good reason. They tell a story. Just as that old hood support frame does. The vendor mentioned that new shiny alternatives are out there, but he felt that the original items remained perfectly serviceable and should stay in place. We couldn’t agree more; a vehicle is only original once after all.

The correct period serial marks and service numbers can be seen all over this Jeep with nice touches such as the listed kerb weight (2450lbs), incidentally a little over the original 1940 Army specified 2160lbs. The axe and shovel – should they be entrenching tools? – are period-correct accessories as are the ‘Jerry’ can and black-out lights. We’re certainly not claiming to be Jeep experts, but this one does appear to be highly original. Though perhaps those cracking tyres are a bit too ‘original’, probably worth upgrading if you’re planning on covering some on-road miles.

The beautiful simplicity of the original Jeep is perhaps best expressed by its Spartan interior. There’s literally nothing in here that isn’t absolutely necessary. Having said that, the gauges are pretty generous with readouts for coolant temperature, charging system voltage, engine oil pressure in addition to the usual fuel level and speedo. There’s an additional gearstick for swapping between high- and low-ranges with a lovely plaque on the dashboard explaining transmission operation.

We wouldn’t recommend covering too many miles in here though as the bare metal on the seats are only made marginally more comfortable by thin fabric cushions. There’s no sound deadening of course and the doors are largely decorative but that’s the whole point. This is a tough go-anywhere vehicle and owners need to be made of sterner stuff as a result. There are two concessions to comfort however, the split windscreen and the fabric hood. The former has a war wound (crack) to its nearside top corner. We wouldn’t trust either in severely inclement conditions, though for a run to the local car show on the village green, they seem more than up to the job.

This Jeep is powered by the 2199cc Willys flat-head engine, which develops about 60bhp and 105lbft of torque. It might not sound like much, but this little Jeep only weighs a ton so it’s surprisingly peppy. This one has had electronic ignition fitted, with the printed circuit board hidden, making the conversion invisible. It looks as though the front brake flexi lines have been replaced recently, though there’s no evidence of this in the service history.

We were very pleasantly surprised by what we saw under this 77-year-old vehicle. There are some light patches of oil and grease mist from former leaks – though none seemed to be causing any imminent issues. Plenty of paint has been used too, keeping the floors and bulkheads looking ship shape. There’s a damp patch under the driver’s seat where the fuel tank is located but we couldn’t ascertain if this was from a hole or simply sweating. There’s also a bolt missing from the inside edge of the bonnet hinge, but other than these minor points, this Jeep appears ready to storm the beaches.

Though it’s fairly obvious, from a close inspection, that this Jeep has led a charmed life since it was restored in the early-1990s, there’s very little supporting evidence of any actual work carried out. We only have the previous owner’s word for it that it was in fact restored, though we very much doubt that it’s lasted this long, looking this good, without extensive work.

The vendor reports that he had the transmission removed and comprehensively refurbished by Jeep specialist Dallas Autos near Newbury just a year ago. The vendor also mentioned that this included all new splines, cogs, gaskets etc. and the gearbox now changes ratios accurately and quietly (rare for one of these). The previous owner also reports that the clutch was replaced approximately 1500 miles ago.

We do have a pretty complete set of MoT pass sheets going back to the early 1990s, which is nice, as well as the aforementioned correspondence regarding the registration. There’s also some really good period literature; including an original Willys Truck maintenance manual, a comprehensive tome on wartime ‘Jeeps’ and a lovely period article from The Autocar.

Fighting vehicles might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the Willys/Ford Jeep seems to rise above the usual fare. Rightly so too, they are enormously engaging to drive and have the ability to still show up many a modern ‘off-roader’. These fun little vehicles might evoke an era that’s long gone but they remain an important piece of motoring, as well as military, history. As a result of this, plus the originality and usability of this Jeep, we’re confident in placing an estimate of £21,000 - £31,000 on this war-winning machine. 

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located at THE MARKET headquarters near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.