Farm Sale

[nick peters]

Hello
Did any of you 503,rs make it to the farm sale near Aylesbury yesterday?
regards Nick

[Derek Eddlestone]

Were there any DUKWs for sale?

Derek.

[nick peters]

Hey Derek
No livestock
regards Nick
seriously no dukws there. one 45 mb and some crawlers(wartime)

[horrocks]

The Jeep looks very complete, and sound. Don't often get these in deadstock sales nowdays.

Wonder how much it fetched.

http://www.wjaruralpractice.co.uk/index ... tlowesfarm

[Derek Eddlestone]

A couple of phone calls and I've found out that it went for £8600 + commission which put it over £9000 for a vehicle that was in need of total restoration. On the positive side it was a very correct late jeep that still had most of it's original parts like tyre pump, horn, oil can in bracket and was still sitting on wartime S3 tyres. Interior was fairly sound with all instruments etc but to put it back to road going condition will cost the new owner quite a lot of money. Apparently those attending read like a who's who list of the MVT. There were other interesting smaller items that went for strong prices but there was nothing to get too excited about.

Derek.

[horrocks]

I think it would be quite fun to leave it as is. Teriffic hard top mod, with the lower door openings cut down to accommodate the doors. A G member here in Essex has a similarly modified tub, and suspects it is a postwar Brit army modification. Total restoration and we will have just another olive drab Jeep (101st AB ).

Note the original linked wipers.

[Derek Eddlestone]

I think it would be quite fun to leave it as is. Teriffic hard top mod, with the lower door openings cut down to accommodate the doors. A G member here in Essex has a similarly modified tub, and suspects it is a postwar Brit army modification. Total restoration and we will have just another olive drab Jeep (101st AB ).

Note the original linked wipers.

If I remember correctly, I was told that the whole thing was 1947 including the hard top which is as your friend has stated. I'm not sure where farmers get their reputation for being careful with their money............

Derek.

[nick peters]

Hey Derek
What you havnt mentioned, was that the jeep also had a cracked block which looked to have a very ugly repair. Also the cut down sides put me off it. The dealers who attended ran out of steam on the bidding,when the price got really serious, for a jeep that need,s a lot of money spending on it ,either to restore the hardtop(frame had serious woodworm) or take it back to original. Dont know if your contacts told you,but someone had stolen the spare wheel prior to the sale. Shame as that too may have had the original goodyear tyre (orange synthetic mark) and valve stem protector,just like the rest of the wheels. Dont think that will mean a thing to the person who stole it most likely been weighed in for scrap allready. I managed to get an original fire extinguisher bracket as well as two shovels all for small money so im glad i was there. Like i said in my original post I was just curious if any other 503,r went.
regards Nick

[Derek Eddlestone]

Hey Derek
What you havnt mentioned, was that the jeep also had a cracked block which looked to have a very ugly repair. Also the cut down sides put me off it. The dealers who attended ran out of steam on the bidding,when the price got really serious, for a jeep that need,s a lot of money spending on it ,either to restore the hardtop(frame had serious woodworm) or take it back to original. Dont know if your contacts told you,but someone had stolen the spare wheel prior to the sale. Shame as that too may have had the original goodyear tyre (orange synthetic mark) and valve stem protector,just like the rest of the wheels. Dont think that will mean a thing to the person who stole it most likely been weighed in for scrap allready. I managed to get an original fire extinguisher bracket as well as two shovels all for small money so im glad i was there. Like i said in my original post I was just curious if any other 503,r went.
regards Nick

Nick,

Yes, the cracked block and seized motor was mentioned but not the missing spare wheel. The two shovels were keenly eyed but they were too late in the sale to be bid on........ and hopefully taken away, the FE bracket wasn't mentioned either but then again one person can't spot everything. Congratulations on your 'finds'.

Derek.

[nick peters]

Derek
The bracket was fixed to the inside of a little sailing boat I wasnt going to try and buy a boat just to get a bracket anyway the guy who purchased it was so surprised that i wanted it from him.He kindly sold it to me Like i said shame about the wheel, but glad I didnt see it in a way,as I,d be bloody annoyed if it had been completly original ,as i suspect it was Other things i noticed about that jeep for mb guys. It was frame #411247 dated 1-29-45 (had the little ord stamp) external handbrake set-up,squared off edges on the pedals. Captivated nuts for fuel filter installed in bulkhead but no filter. Pintle was missing so cannot say which had been fitted,but guessing stamped metal.
Anyway hope the bloke who purchased it ,comes on 503 and tells the story as it unfolds.
regards Nick