Hot August Nights 1944 MB

[Tim52]

Kinda brings tears to your eyes

[mahughes]

Somehow wish I hadn't seen that.

[tamnalan]

It really is amazing.. the things that people do.

Wonder if that blackout light is functional?

[Marty, SoCal]

My GPW looked someting like that, but bright yellow paint, wide white spoke wheels, bright green indoor/outdoor carpeting, and gold metallic seats.

Most of that added on stuff would come off, hopefully it still has the original engine.

[Tim52]

It was advertised on craigslist for $10,500. 95% restored!

Interesting ax/shovel bracket.

[Goranwc51]

95% destroyed.

Goran N

[Ethan L]

So much chrome... How... Why? I find myself saying, "I wish my tub was in that condition" while shuddering/cringing at the same time. I guess most of us look at this fine automobile the same way the Model A purists look at hot rods.

[Goranwc51]

This is the Willys MB of Gösta Wollin, a Swedish national that fought on the allied side in Europe. He bought, and brought home, his Jeep after the war. This was the first WW2 Jeep ever imported to Sweden after the war.

Gösta Wollins Willys MB_GW with Jeep.jpg (69.91 KiB) Viewed 1106 times

This is the way this poor vehicle was treated after a number of years: The axles were placed under the leaf springs to get that "cool" ride height. The engine was replaced with a V8 engine/gearbox combo (I think). Bucket seats were put in and Monster Mudder tires were placed on 44" rims to round things off.

Gösta Wollins Willys MB_25025489.jpg (82.34 KiB) Viewed 1106 times

I'm happy to report that this MB has been purchased by an enthusiast and is slowly being brought back to its former glory.

Goran N

[thidisbogus]

Wo the things people do....

[Docsjeep]

I am the odd man out. I like it. It is not butchered, but it does have way to much chrome! Do they all have to be the same shade of OD with 101 airborne markings?

Dave

[Goranwc51]

Hi Dave,

Yes, in a way I can agree as it is not butchered beyond recognition. I do, however, oppose the practice on this particular Jeep as it has a well known history.

"Do they all have to be the same shade of OD with 101 airborne markings?"

- My pet hate object.... I have been to Normandy on a number of occasions and encountered rows upon rows of (some of them at least) beautifully restored Hotchkiss M201 Willys MB "lookalikes" and true MB/GPW's, all marked as Aaaaiiijjjbbbooouuunnneee Jeeps, preferably 101st / 506. People walk past them after looking at a couple of them and wander off to Jeeps that have different markings that are more interesting.

I have marked my own Dodge WC51 as an ambulance of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force / Força Expedicionária Brasileira (FEB), a 25.334 strong force that arrived in the autumn of 1944 to fight under the US 5th army and General Clark, up til war's end. My Dodge was not in that great a shape then (it is currently under full restoration) but still drew a lot of onlookers due to the unusual markings on it. The FEB was the only allied force, apart from the Soviets, who didn't use the allied recognition star, but rather the "Cruzeiro Do Sul", five starts taken from the Brazilian national flag.

armysimbolbr.jpg (12.48 KiB) Viewed 1030 times

Gärdesloppet-31-maj-2010.jpg (142.27 KiB) Viewed 1030 times

Goran N

[Docsjeep]

Goran,
I was commenting on the jeep in the original post. It would not take much to get it back in uniform. I agree that a jeep with some history needs to be restored correctly.

Dave

[Robert Cotten]

They could have properly restored it for what it cost to have all of those parts chromed and the other stuff they did to it. Now there is the added cost of undoing what was done to that Jeep.

[horrocks]

I think we could assume that under all that chrome and gloss paint is a jeep in essentially very good condition.