Original Real Navy 42 GPW Barn Find

[Don Jennings]

I recently came across this 42 GPW (August 42, #GPW54539) parked under a roof behind a barn in California's farm country. Not used since the early 1980's, and supposedly only used on the farm since "new." It's a bit used-up, but I was happy to get it because it was still unmodified (for the most part) and the engine matched. The frame is perfect. I thought it was unusual that the Jeep never received the trailer socket, gas can holder or back panel reinforcement modifications. I did a bit of sanding to see if I could find the registration number, but instead I found this "U.S.NAVY" marking, so I guess that must be the reason it never received any modifications or updates. The green color was a civilian paint job, green with white seats & windshield. There is a grey or off-white layer under the green. The "87" after the Navy mark seems to be a different paint layer. Is this a common "Navy" style stencil? Not a factory marking I assume... I hope you enjoy the picture. DON

[Tom Wolboldt]

Hello Don,

Very nice find!!!!!!!!!

Army blue drab numbers should under the US NAVY. If you want to save the US NAVY 87 for now check the rear panel above the script Ford for Army numbers.

Can you post a photo of the data plates ?

Is the glove box floor flat or ribbed ?

[Ronnie Guin]

The jeeps came OD to the Navy and some were later painted gray by the Navy. In some WWII pictures they were left OD, but the blue drab numbers were painted over with a new navy number. Maybe you will find the blue drab number under the Navy stencil?

I am trying to build a navy GPW and would be interested to know if there is any gray paint under the fenders or on the frame?

Thanks for sharing.

[Mark Tombleson]

You may have several layers of different gray paint jobs depending how long it was in service.

Navy marking could of been white, black or yellow... 2" or 3" high.

If it was surplused in CA and was registered here it would have a date first sold on the pink slip or registration documents... mine was 00-00-1950.

Are there any small data plates on the dash or anywhere?

Finally, was the underside of the jeep coated with any asphalt emulsion?

Very cool find!

[Don Jennings]

Here's a picture I took of the data plate. It had a California Pink Slip that I used to change title to me, and it was originally titled as a 42, but I don't recall the date of first sale. I thought it was interesting that the Navy markings were in white, not black like so many use when restoring a Jeep to Navy configuration. I don't know about those other things right now. It's at my shop across town. I'll try to get by there tomorrow and check on the other questions. DON

[Tom Wolboldt]

Hello Don,

From my GPW studies and GPW database, I believe your GPW 54539 should have come from the Dearborn, Mi. assembly plant. When looking for the blue drab Army numbers, they should be in the 20141xxx range.

[Don Jennings]

There apparently was a two rivit data plate of some sort on the dash between the emerg brake handle and glove box door. The rivit holes are 2 1/16" apart, center of holes. It's missing, but I took a picture. Any idea what was there? The glove box is of the VERY light weight type (see picture) so I can't say if it was ribbed or not. The under-fenders and frame were definetly painted grey, and still are (under the rust & dirt). I took a picture of the front & rear under-fenders and a part of the frame. I forgot to check for undercoating. It's actually pretty well undercoated with decades of farm dirt, so I really need to get it washed off - which won't be easy. This has two layers of green over the grey. The dark green is over a light green. Neither is olive drab, so it must have had two civilian paint jobs (with a brush or maybe a broom). Looking closer at it, I think the grill, dash, steering column, maybe the seats, windshield and under the hood & fenders were never repainted with the civilian green. What I thought was white I now believe is actually a faded-out grey. That would mean the hood lettering was white on grey?? That doesn't make much sense. Unless this was at least medium grey, the lettering would be real hard to see, and unless this paint really faded-out a lot, it was a light grey. The motor & trans & transfer case are stuck. It's stuck in 4 wheel drive and 4 very flat tires so it's real hard to move around right now. I popped off the trans top and noticed it had zero oil, but the gears are nicely rusted together. I have another project underway right now so I won't be tearing into this one too much for a while. I would like to get it movable though... DON - SEEMS LIKE IT WILL ONLY ATTACH 3 PICTURES. I'LL SUBMIT THIS, THEN ADD A COUPLE MORE.

[Don Jennings]

This also had a key in the ignition with a dime-size thin rusty tab that says H 127 (maybe a 4th number) and embossed under that is RECORD & DISPOSE. Could that be the original military key on the original tab? It looks old enough.

[Mark Tombleson]

That may have been a property tag...

I posted some on this thread.

viewtopic.php?t=91797&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=navy+property+tag&start=15

[backsink]

I wonder if the "87" was a ship number.

[Don Jennings]

I noticed one of the Navy property tags in that other thread shows a ruler giving exactly the same distance between rivit holes as I have. That would probably be a real good indication that the holes were for a Navy property tag. The "87" doesn't seem to have any numbers after it, although the paint layers are a little confusing. I can't tell if they are the same layer as the "US NAVY" or not. They actually seem to be the same layer, but the spacing and "angle" don't seem right. I first started looking for numbers on the other side of the hood with a block sander & wire brush, and quickly took that down to bare metal on the high spots and left a mess of unidentifiable paint layers. I took it real easy on the other side and found the navy marks. Sanding in different places leads me to believe there is a dark green layer over a light green layer (both civilian) over a grey layer (now faded to off white) over an OD layer (only visable in certian protected spots, like under the petrified rubber stuck to the cowling under the windshield frame). Certian areas were left grey and never got the civilian green, such as the grill, windshield, seats, dash & steering column and underneath things. Large flakes of grey paint are falling off the windshield showing bare rusty metal (no OD) which leads me to believe there was only one grey layer. I can't explain the 87. A ship number may be a good guess, but the location would be unusual, I think. The strangest thing to me is that the "US NAVY" was white painted on grey. A strange combination that would have been hard to see. DON

[tractor12]

It also could be an auction or depot marking for sale. Lot 87

[Don Jennings]

An aution number is another good guess. The ambulance I'm working on was a '43 Navy WC54 and it has a white painted "69" on the side as an auction number, along with "SURPLUS" hand painted on the back. DON

[Don Jennings]

For those who care about this sort of thing... the complete hood number is "U. S. NAVY 87071." It's white lettering on grey paint. All on the same paint layer, but the US NAVY seems to be a seperate stencil from the 87071. The angle of the letters/numbers is slightly different. DON

[Halsey]

Very nice find! And looks to be in very good shape as well. Congrats!!!!

Thanks for posting!!

Chris