1942 Ford “GPW” 4X4 Jeep

This example was originally assembled with one of those desirable Ford-script body tubs at the Chester, Pennsylvania assembly plant, and was accepted by the Ordinance Bureau of the U.S. Army on April 22, 1942. This is confirmed by the original body tags which is still attached to the original glove box door and is included with the sale. Added to our consignor's collection in the early 2000s, this Ford GPW's authenticity was further confirmed after a personal inspection by well-known Jeep enthusiast and historian, the late Tom Wolboldt. The story goes that while Henry Ford wanted to contribute to the war effort, he was afraid that the government might come back with warranty and quality issues on parts Ford did not produce, so he demanded that even the smallest items be clearly marked as being from his company. Items such as fender panels, wheels, lamp assemblies, and even bolt heads and washers, with a stylized "F". Today these items are treasured among collectors who refer to them as "F-Parts". Our consignor set about collecting only proper Ford built components and during the restoration used these hard-to-find items whenever possible or exacting reproductions.

This example benefits from a very fresh restoration with only a few test miles on the odometer and appears just as it was delivered to the U.S. Army, complete with a replication of the original hood numbers that were discovered during the restoration process. When found this GPW was powered by a Willys engine and only after an exhaustive search was he able to locate an actual Ford built replacement block which he had machined, bored .030 over, then reassembled it with all Ford parts going so far as painting it the correct Ford 9N tractor gray then stamping this new engine with numbers to match the original serial number. A canvas top is also included, which is how they were presented to the U.S. Army when new. Nearly 640,000 Jeeps produced during WWII, with Ford building around 278,000 of those.

It is extremely rare to be able to find one of these early "Ford" script examples, which has been verified as 1 of about 20,000 such GPW's produced at the Chester assembly plant. Today it stands ready for the most critical judging or if the new owner wishes, it can be equipped or modified for one of the many crucial roles that these little vehicles were pressed into during the war and helped to bring victory and peace to the world.

PLEASE NOTE: This vehicle is titled as a 1942 Jeep.