How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Mark Jesic » Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:10 am

Agreed Michael, i was never in the forces,But i class my jeep as a tribute to ALL our heroes, my Dad included . The smile on veterans faces when they have a ride in my jeep, makes it all worthwhile.


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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:59 am

The fun part was witnessing nice clean WWII Jeeps in actual use at Dow Field and the local National Guard facility over the years and witnessing them as fresh post war thru 50's surplus, suffer a slow death in the hands of civilian users. I grew up in the Jeep parts business and witnessed the god and bad repairs and enjoyed the Jeep war stories of our customers.
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Michael O.
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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Michael O. » Wed Dec 06, 2017 12:25 pm

Mark Jesic wrote:
Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:10 am
The smile on veterans faces when they have a ride in my jeep, makes it all worthwhile.
Indeed!
Michael O’Connell

Too many jeeps…and a Dodge.

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Hammerhead » Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:11 am

It WOULD be very interesting to know how many MB/GPW Jeeps survived to this day but it will be near impossible to ever find out. There are Jeeps STILL being located to this day in barns, fields, etc so the number is growing of survivors! There are stories on the "G" and in Supply Line and Military Vehicles magazines about new discoveries!

It's a huge testament to their construction and design that they've lasted 70+ years later! Wasn't the whole original design from concept to prototype around 90 days! I've owned various MB/GPW's since 1988 and still love driving mine.

I think it is interesting that the MB/GPW was so successful that the M201 design came along that so closely copied it. The old saying "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" certainly holds true in this instance.
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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Mark Jesic » Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:40 am

Too true Hammerhead, the best and truest statement about our jeeps is, they will outlive all of us on this site. :D

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by 70th Division » Wed Feb 07, 2018 4:54 pm

Hello,

This is an interesting concept ....... how many jeeps are still out there ?
How many are still out there but degraded by weather, neglect, rust, etc ?

They are " All " still out there, we just need to find them, and beat the elements, scrappers, time, etc. to recover them.
Most importantly, just get them into shelter, even if they are rusty, as some day they will be considered restorable :D :D :D
I do know that many are gone, and every year more disappear through attrition, getting parted out, getting sent to the scrappers,
but .......
Every year I have been finding and saving more and more of them, as well as parts, old tubs, hoods, fenders, engines, axles, seats, etc.
Most recently getting an MB brought back to Florida from Roswell, New Mexico :D :D :D
Thanks Ozzie !!!!
So even jeeps that are parted out to others, do come back to life again as a new jeep, or for rebuilding another jeep :D :D :D
I think my fleet of jeeps that are in various levels of conditions, can all be restored.
Likely I have over 20, but I also have been rescuing Dodge WC's, and a couple of CCKW's ( a Tipper, ex-French Army and a shop van )

Now as for vehicles serving over seas or in the USA, to me it makes no difference , as they served here at the countless Army Bases training the Troops , Defending America, and the Free World Allied Nations, they all came from the Mother Ship America !!!!!!!!

With that said ...well over HALF of the WW2 military vehicles I have, came back to America from Europe !
Jeeps, Dodge WC's, CCKW Tipper truck, and the CCKW Shop Van was at an Army Depot in Japan .
None of them came back recently, likely in the 60's or 70's.
I have just found them, here and there.
I recently rescued an old WC-54 Dodge Ambulance literally from the scrap shredder in Fort Lauderdale, Florida area.
It was rough but had full running gear and engine. It had a tiny little tag on the radiator that said a name, and Copenhaven.
This WC returned from Denmark, to America, at some time in the very, very, distant past, and had a dash tag with a crown stamped on it.

So to those out there in America wondering if your vehicles or jeeps were ever overseas ? It is very likely, in my case 50/50 !!!
Years ago I bought a stripped 1/2 ton Dodge Command Car, that the son of the original owner who bought in 1946 or 1947 told me that a dealer
had shipped it back from Europe, way back then. He also had a GPA, that I missed getting by 1 day !!
It makes sense as at US Government sale prices, European sales where a lot cheaper, and could come back on fairly empty cargo ships to America.
It had a 29-X on the rear bumperette, well you may ask if the 29th Infantry Division ever had 1/2 ton Command cars in theater at the front in France ?
Well, yes , yes they did . That can be seen on a film of the division moving inland from Normandy to St. Lo.
Is it the same Command car, I guess it could be, but I will have to look for my hood numbers, and find the film again :D :D :D
The 29th also trained in Florida at Camp Blanding , before overseas deployment, but like I said, I was told that the Command Car came back from Europe after the war by the owner who knew the history, and used to ride it to church and school !!!
They bought it in Orlando, from a post war dealer in military vehicles. He was there when they bought it.
His exact quote pointing at it in the chicken pen with chickens roosting on it .... "that came back from Europe " .

The winch from it, was cut off and was retrofitted on his 1/2 ton International Harvester Weapons Carrier.

So, Happy Hunting, and look to do your part in preserving these wonderful historical vehicles that were used to secure the Victory that we all are enjoying today, it is the least we can do, and thank a Veteran for their service every time you see them !!!

I recently spoke with a 13th Air Force Veteran who refueled their B-24's on Morotai and other Pacific Islands, and no doubt my
uncles B-24 , Peggy-Lou .

I also met at a Third Infantry Division Veteran of Anzio, a great guy, happy guy, and very nice, at a restaurant in the University of Florida Hospital.
His brother was a paratrooper in the 101st and went in on D-Day. Both made it home !!!
He was doing well, and was there at the hospital to get his glass eye replaced, as they replace it every few years, since the end of WW2.
He was severely hit at Anzio and spent 3 years in Army Hospitals after the War.
He had no complaints, and said he did his duty, and served our great country. A true Patriot !!

So thank a Veteran every time you can, they paid the price for us to be who we are today !!!



Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Mark Jesic » Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:35 am

Some good points Ray, and you seem to have saved half of all jeeps that existed, well done, you are a history saver. Did you ever hear the story of four thousand jeeps in dry underground storage, in Norway, they were in readiness for the cold war(apparantley), could anyone verify this ?

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by 70th Division » Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:02 am

Hello Mark,

Yes I try to do what I can, to Keep 'em Rolling !
Just need to get some rolling :D

I have heard over the years about underground storage of WW2 vehicles, kept in a state of readiness for any potential invasion.
I would think that if anyone could and would do it, it would be Norway !

I did hear that Switzerland had many of their reserve WW2 vehicles in caverns, and tunnels which protected them from weather and observation.
Several years ago, well and a few, I saw piles of ex-Swiss Closed cab GMC's shop vans and Diamond T wreckers that were clearly kept somewhere dry since the end of WW2. They had US Shop van and Swiss shop van boxes on the trucks.
They were all outside in Holland, but man there were a lot of them !!!!
The seat covers were like new tan "leather" with GMC logos stamped on the edges of the bottom of the cover.
They literally at the time were like new !!! They were I think $2,500 US.
The Diamond T wreckers were offered at $2,500 US and they would be running and driving with brakes, and tuned up.
Maybe like 40 to 50 of them it seemed.

He also had many ex-Israeli half- tracks, I remember stepping from bumper to bumper across those.
They were at the time ..... " not a dime less than $5,000 US " and running condition unknown, and as is, but likely would run.
My neighbor here in Florida had bought a ex Dutch GMC CCKW tipper a year earlier, for $2,500, in running condition.

I hope they were all saved !!!!!!!!

The prices I am sure are higher now, but they may still have some there. I have no idea what may currently be there or if they are still in business.
The Diamond T's were complete and were mostly hard cab models, with some soft cabs.
Pioneer tools still strapped in but were getting weathered even then.

It was near Hertogenbosch ?? in Holland. Van Dam was the man I spoke with there.
I went there to get a Tipper, but unfortunately he was completely sold out of them :(

Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Mark Jesic » Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:12 pm

Ray you are probably aware of this so apologies if you are. Ex Norwegian jeeps were very well looked after. They were undersealed, had a snow blind put on them, indicators fitted, and they modified the back seat into a sealed tool box. They are quite desirable to have. Yes my previous jeep was one, and it never let me down in 12 years. It is still running fine today.

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Mark Jesic » Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:25 pm

Another point Ray, i was led to believe that this jeep was one of those ones saved for the Cold War. I couldnt verify this though, so the mystery continues. :D

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by 70th Division » Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:42 pm

Hello Mark,

That is great !!!
I am of the same opinion of anything that has come out of Norway !
They took excellent care of their vehicles and had a vibrant maintenance service in their military.
everything gets rebuilt to new condition, and the big blue tags get put on the components.

I recovered 4 Norwegian 1942 WC55/52's from a junk yard in Orlando, Fla in the late 90's that was clearing the entire field full of military vehicles.
Most vehicles were post war, M-37's by the dozens, but I saved these WW2 Dodges that were rough, and long picked over .
They were like new when they arrived back in the early late 70's to 80's according to the yard man, a WW2 Veteran himself !
One had partial spark plugs in it still, it runs like new !
The others had water intrusion, the winches were gone, tailgates gone, and rust was getting the soft sheet metal.
But I got them all, 2 are fully restorable, the third can be restored as well, the 4th had the winch frame cut flush with the grill.

The running one is under cover and as usual...half way done :D :D
But it should be getting assembled this year....hopefully !!

The Norway vehicles are great if you can find them !!!
I did recently rescue a ex-Swiss WC-51, they built their own Dodge style windshields, and the windshield and glass is perfect.
It does have differences from the original naturally, but looks the part. The lock down latches are the main difference.

I am glad to have it !!

Now, back to work on the jeep barn !!!

I also need a Dodge Barn,CCKW Barn, Halftrack Barn, DUKW Barn, might as well build a second jeep barn for just Ford GPW's,
and what else :D :D :D :D :D
A guy driving by, says he has an old weasel he may want to send to a new home, as the tracks are bad ......hmmmmm :D :D :D
I guess if I start working 100 hours a week, I can make some forward progress .


Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:47 pm

I'll bet more CCKW's have been imported past 35 years than Jeeps. :wink:
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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by 70th Division » Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:44 pm

Hello Ben,

That is likely the truth right there !!

But I bet more jeeps have been exported than CCKW's imported in recent years !!!! :D :D :D :D


Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: How many jeeps, survived after the World War II ?

Post by Mark Jesic » Fri Feb 09, 2018 12:06 am

I agree Ben, still a mystery regarding the Cold War jeeps though. I do know that here in England, there exists an underground tunnel system that stored steam locomotives in readiness for the Cold War. Apparentley these were cut up in the mid 80s when the threat diminished.(more history lost). It is known as Burlington Bunker. NO PUBLIC ACCESS. They also assembled crated jeeps down there in WW2. :D


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