1944-45 Jeep Questions

[Johan WILLAERT]

Our local museum ( http://www.forfreedommuseum.be ), honoring the 1944 liberation of our region by Canadian troops, has recently acquired a GPW Jeep.

The jeep was driven by its former owner for several decades and is a typical resto job from the 1970/80s... It is now awaiting a full frame-up rebuild.

Since this GPW will be put on display as well as being used as a mobile publicity tool for the museum, it will be restored and marked as a Jeep used by the Canadian Forces late in WW2 (Glengarrians, 9th Inf Bde, 3rd Infantry Division, late 1944-1945), Motorpool Restoration...

This GPW being a later production model or a mix of various parts should/could fit into the 1944 Canadian order of 3500 standard US type Jeeps (50% new and 50% reconditioned) as desribed on page 435 of Lloyd White's Jeep Book Part 1.

A few questions have arised....

1. Were the Jeeps from the 1944 order shipped with a USA Hood Number or without a number? If delivered with a blue drab USA number, were these painted over before the CM number was applied or was the CM number painted on top of the Original blue drab number?

2. Commonly the passenger side headlight was covered by a bridging plate and the driver's side light was replaced by a BO lamp upon delivery. What kind of BO light was fitted? Type and a picture would be great!

3. Were they fitted with a standard US model Fire Extinguisher or a British one in the Original bracket? What about the M2 Decontaminator?

4. The Original ACM2 body has the holes in the dash for the FA kit. Were these included in this Canadian contract?


Would appreciate thoughts and answers to the above, and I'm sure many more questions will come to mind as we go...


THANKS!

Meanwhile two pictures of what we're starting with...

09th January 2016

GPW-FFM-09Jan16-1.jpg
http://s153.photobucket.com/user/joh...n16-1.jpg.html

GPW-FFM-09Jan16-2.jpg
http://s153.photobucket.com/user/joh...n16-2.jpg.html

[Peter Phillips]

Very nice looking rig to start with. I'm sure there's a ton of expertise on this forum but I do suggest you also look into the G503 Forum info. Some very knowledgeable folks over there too.

[Johan WILLAERT]

Thanks Peter...

Having been a member of the G for over 10 years; I ad already posted my questions there too...

I know my way about US versions of the Jeep, but have many questions on the Canadian contracts...

Cheers

[Peter Phillips]

Good to hear Johan! I'm sure someone will come up with the information you're looking for. I'll be watching this restoration

[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]

Applying the hood (bonnet) CM-number was the final touch...
Jeep is now ready and awaiting visitors in the museum..

Thanks all for the advice!

09th January 2016 -15th October 2016

GPW-FFM-09Jan16-1.jpg
http://s153.photobucket.com/user/joh...n16-1.jpg.html


44-GPW-FFM-15Okt16.jpg
http://s153.photobucket.com/user/joh...Okt16.jpg.html

[Ed Storey]

That is a very nice looking Jeep!

[Johan WILLAERT]

Thanks Ed!

[Eric B]

Hello Johan

The USA Hood number would have been overpainted when we bought the used vehicles from the USA and they entered Canadian service.

The painted over area did not usually match unless the whole vehicle was repainted.

Other than that it looks good.

Having both displayed on the hood would have created many questions from the MP's.

Sometimes the numbers came through the overpainting when worn or the outline was visible.

Thanks

Eric

[Johan WILLAERT]

Thanks for your remark, Eric!

I went over dozens upon dozens of original pictures showing hood markings and indeed the vast majority of those showed overpainted US markings under the CM numbers... As you say sometimes the entire hood was repainted and sometimes the square outline of the overpaint above the numbers was clearly visible...
But in one or two cases the blue drab US numbers were still visible under the census numbers...

To add to the history of the vehicle and as a conversation starter, we went for this option... And I must add that in the picture above the blue drab is much more visible then in real life as somehow the picture ended up a bit too bright...

Still I will take your remark with me and may overpaint the blue-drab number in the future...

Next month we will be starting a similar job on a 1942 Willys MB which will bear the markings of The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry / 2nd Infantry Division... We have already decided we will overpaint the original USA number with a slightly different color before we put the CM number on...