Description
The most iconic ‘General Purpose’ military vehicle to emerge from WWII was the four-wheel-drive Jeep which served allied forces in virtually every theatre of war. Designed by American Bantam in 1940, this superb military runabout was built by both Jeep and Ford in huge numbers. A total of 639, 245 Jeeps were built for military service between 1941 and 1945. This is the first wartime example we have owned for some years and is a superbly restored example. Both the Willys MB and the Ford JPW featured the Willys L134 2. 2 litre engine. Nicknamed the ‘Go-Devil’, it was a 4 cylinder side valve unit which developed 60hp.
The design was hugely successful and production for the civilian market continued after the war. The Jeep also provided the inspiration for the original Land Rover in 1948. The Jeep was truly the foundation of the modern off-road four-wheel-drive and SUV market.
The previous owner has kept our Jeep in superb condition. Before recent ownership, the Jeep was based in West Yorkshire where its enthusiastic owner carried out an ignition overhaul in 2015 and tuned the vehicle. It is well maintained, starts on the button and is flawless to drive.
It appears that the vehicle was originally restored in the UK by a prominent Jeep specialist 15 years ago and the mileage at its first MOT in 2008 is recorded as 46 miles. It has now covered just over 6100 miles since restoration and it is still a show quality vehicle ideal for military events, re-enactments, film work or just the pure fun of driving an iconic piece of motoring and military history.
