1944-45 Jeep Questions

[Eric B]

Hello Johan

I will be able to answer some of those questions.

1- The GPW's we bought would have had the USA numbers painted on them as my understanding is that they were painted on at the factory.

They would have been painted over once Canada bought them. Those shipped overseas would have had the War Department number starting with a CM assigned to them once they were assigned to a Unit.

2- Sometimes one headlight was removed or the bridge plate was just placed over the headlight. The other bulb was not always replaced by the earlier blackout bulb, especially later in the war.

3- Fire Extinguisher was usually the US one as it was suppose to come with the vehicle. However it was replaced with the CDN/British one if it was not included.

4- First aid kits were not part of the contract but some brackets might have been left on some of the used vehicles.

- We generally did not mount a decontamination kit on the Jeep. They were not a general issue item.

The Overflow Kit was not acquired by Canada and i have not seen any period photos with one attached. I have seen them with the holes drilled, which means they were most likely removed before delivery to Canada.

The modern Canadian flag on rear bumperette would not have been used nor the RCAF Roundel on the Overflow Kit. The Roundel was used only by the RCAF and units in Italy.

GPW's would have been left in the US Khaki paint, if repainted near the end of the war some ended up semi gloss.

The later issue vehicles did not generally have the US star, (To much of a target) the circle was not commonly applied on CDN vehicles.

I hope this helps

If you provide me the Serial number i can see if it is in my data base.

Thanks

Eric

[Johan WILLAERT]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Eric...

Haven't checked the frame number yet, will do so after disassembly next month......
Most likely this jeep was originally not issued to the Canadian Army, but since the museum is all about the liberation of the low countries by the Canadians, it will be restored to represent a standard Jeep delivered to, and used by the Canadian 3rd Division in 1944/45...

Cheers,

Johan

[Johan WILLAERT]

Update on the restoration... GPW has been completely restored from the frame up...
Still need to finish some electrical details, windshield and then markings...

Quite a difference in three months (27th February and 14th June 2016)...

03-GPW-FFM-27Feb16%203.jpg
http://s153.photobucket.com/user/joh...6%203.jpg.html

36-GPW-FFM-14Jun16%202.jpg
http://s153.photobucket.com/user/joh...6%202.jpg.html

[simon king]

Would a late GPW have been fitted with a Sheller steering wheel. Surely the steel spoked steering wheel originally fitted would be correct.

Sk

[Johan WILLAERT]

Originally Posted by simon king

Would a late GPW have been fitted with a Sheller steering wheel. Surely the steel spoked steering wheel originally fitted would be correct.

Yes, at first glance you are correct...

Because of the ACM II body I assumed it was a late production GPW.
However during disassembly we discovered the original frame number which is GPW62754. It came off the Louisville, KY, assembly line on 7th September 1942 with original hood number U.S.A. 20150051.

Basically it is an early frame and drivetrain, fenders and hood with a late body. The hood has neither holes for the grease gun bracket, nor those for the lube guide... The windshield does not have the gun rack brackets...

It was clear this fairly early GPW had its Ford body replaced with an ACMII tub at some point in its service...
So we decided to keep everything not related to the body early style, while keeping all body accessories matching the late ACMII tub.

Originally GPW62754 would have made with a green Sheller steering wheel... The spoke steering wheel that came on the Jeep had been adapted with a longer steering rod and tube (visible on the first picture) to fit a taller and heavier driver so we went back to the original steering set-up...

In the end it is a mix of early and late parts but still representative of one of the reconditioned Jeeps delivered to the Canadian Army from US Stocks in 1944...

Within the next few weeks the windshield and top will be added, along with markings for the Glenngarian Infantry of the 3rd Division...

Thanks for your interest,

Johan

[david moore]

Johan
I think the unit you are referring to is the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders from Eastern Ontario around Cornwall, Ontario. They included units of the Princess of Wales Own militia regiment from the Kingston, Ontario region. The divisional marking on the drivers' side, front (beneath the windshield) and back (on the bumperette), would be a French gray rectangle with a yellow(gold) maple leaf. The unit marking on the passenger side would be a brown rectangle with a white number 68. The census number on the hood sides (and sometimes the rear) would be CM 42xxxxx
Hope this helps

David Moore, Kingston, Ontario

[Johan WILLAERT]

Yes, it does confirm what I had already found!

Thanks a lot!