Will I make it? Jeep project!

[Lars R.]

In interesting modification involves the rear seat (the one in picture did not come with the Jeep). It was moved in the position of the passenger seat, using the bracket from the rear and a stopper for the back.

[Lars R.]

It also had the spare wheel carrier moved to the passenger side. There is no other paint then OD under the traces of the installation. Civi paint (yellow and red) must have come after this was done.

[Lars R.]

These brackets on the rear corners of the body are a mystery. They are well made and have OD paint on them. They use the original EC and TR20 marked bolts as well as the hooks for the rear seat...(also see pic in first post). Should anyone have an idea for what they might have been, please speak up. They do not seem to match any known ambulance set up. It might be important to note in this respect, that the tops of the inner fenders look perfect, no dents, as if protected by someting for a long time. Tool box covers look great also, with good hinges and still working locks. Inside of tool boxes with original OD, no dents or scratches. Rests for rear seet removed, additional bolt holes on inside of fenders. The side handles were moved back and up. All holes for top bow brackets ar removed handles welded shut. Same with stud holes for half doors or ax / shovel brackets and footman loops, fire extinguisher. It has the Canadian Mod for antirattle of the hood at the rear, but using the windscreen catches, not the CMP ones.

[David Dunlop]

Modified for stretchers perhaps?

David

[Lars R.]

David, that was also my first thought. But it does not match the known ambulance mods. I have the notion this would have been a Canadian based Jeep, so, would they have modded it into a frontline ambulance? Hmm?

My intention is to restore it to the "delivery" config. But I will take care that no measurements for the "changes" are lost and keep the brackets in store. I will also keep the rearseat mods at the passenger seat.

[Lars R.]

It also had a rare original WILLYS water heater installed under the dash. These would have been also available post war. But that makes only sense if it had a full enclosure, maybe even a hard top. I will keep that as well!

The installation did, however, not follow the suggested standard set up!

[David Dunlop]

Is there any sign of the yellow paint between the Green and Red, Lars, or just on the wheel rims?

The reason I ask is that during the war, RCAF jeeps were the same green as the army ones. IF, it was an RCAF jeep, and IF it was in use on the field a lot, they were often painted yellow to make them easy to see by pilots landing aircraft.

Here in Canada, during the war, there were many Flight Training Bases across Canada. Many of these had Emergency Landing Fields built nearby: a small triangle of runways with a parking pad and single hanger at one apex. I know nothing of their staffing, but as an emergency field they may have had rudimentary emergency vehicles. In the 1980's a small civilian airfield north of Winnipeg, at St Andrews had a 'Fire Fighting Jeep' on hand they had inherited from a closed RCAF Station. It had a heavy duty overhead rack supporting several sections of wooden ladder and the rear cargo area had been modified to hold a number of very large, portable fire extinguishers.

That could be another possibility for the history of your jeep. Or not.


Have fun with the project.

David