My Ford GPW 1/4 ton jeep

derk derin · #1 22-11-09, 02:59

The guy that had the jeep since 1981 and had over time converted the jeep to 12 volt and had stripped off some of the original pieces but after scrounging around the yard he came up with these parts.Am I glad he kept them as it saves me looking and costing more for the restoration.I am not sure the generator is from the jeep?It is an AC Delco generator but I don't know alot about what was original to the Ford jeep.I bought 4 combat rims yesterday and today picked up a better hood,original rear springs as he put in car springs because the original ones broke,a Ford rear drive shaft as I was told my jeep had an MB driveshaft.I also was given a right hand lower windshield frame arm to convert it back from the tie rod ends he welded to fix the broken arms.I have to find the left lower arm from a parts donor frame to restore it back to original.

NORTH-SHORE(CANADA) · #2 22-11-09, 03:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by derk derin

It is an AC Delco generator but I don't know alot about what was original to the Ford jeep.

Hi,
You nee a ford generator and distributor and starter

Ford started using Gpw generators from June 1942

and for the regulator you need a autolite

cmperry4 · #3 22-11-09, 03:33

Another great find - that thing looks barely abused (again, relatively speaking, compared to some (bare) survivors I have seen over the years)

I'll have to get around for a look-see one of these days, if I ever find the time.

derk derin · #4 22-11-09, 03:54

Hi Eric,
Thanks for the info,this is a future project once the CMP is done,in the meantime I will try and learn as much as I can and scrounge all the parts I need to restore it.

Mark,
Lorne was over when I brought it home and he had a good look and said it is in nicer shape than what he started with.He pointed out the original Ford parts I have on the jeep and what I have that isn't.That is how I knew I had an MB rear driveshaft in the Jeep and bought a Ford driveshaft off of Jack today with a set of rear springs I needed.They are MB rear springs but the dimensions are the same and will have me back on jeep springs until I can put a set of Ford springs together.You can see in my photo's I have one spring with a broken end.
Derk.

jim fraser (RIP) · #5 22-11-09, 04:49

hi derk.congratulations,,,,,,,,that jeep is a great find.you dont find them like that very often.very,very original.regards jim.

jim fraser (RIP) · #6 22-11-09, 05:08

hey derk.if you grow tired of the gpw just ship it east lol,regards jim

ozm29c · #7 25-11-09, 05:05

Derek,
Great find

Out of interest what is the chassis and engine number. I have a 43 Ford Gpw 135997.
Cheers
John Wilson

maple_leaf_eh · #8 28-11-09, 02:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by derk derin

The guy that had the jeep since 1981 and had over time converted the jeep to 12 volt and had stripped off some of the original pieces but after scrounging around the yard he came up with these parts.Am I glad he kept them as it saves me looking and costing more for the restoration. ....

Don't you just love old Prairie farmers and their yards! He was more conscientious than most. There is a wonderful little book by Lee Valley Tools of articles and tips from a little post-war magazine. Homemade solutions with vehicles, building materials, chemicals and old-time ingenuity to solve the problems of the day. That Jeep could have been converted to a stump-puller, stationary engine, windmill generator or cement mixer.

derk derin · #9 28-11-09, 06:56

If you look at the back of the jeep where the pintle hitch should be,you will notice the pintle hitch and the piece of frame it was bolted to is gone! It might as well been used to pull stumps.These poor old jeeps tried to live up to the reputation that they were given as indestructible and could go through anything and so they were abused until their reputation was proven wrong!The story goes the previous owner before Jack had the jeep stuck in a bog and tried to pull it out with a skidder and ripped out the hitch and frame! I asked Jack if he still had the hitch but it was gone when he bought the jeep.That is when I asked if he had any other pieces left and I pointed to where the bumpers would have been bolted on and he said no you don't want them,they are too flimsy,you want to make your own out of something heavier.That is when we went looking in his back yard for them and I spotted one in the grass and weeds so in pulling the bumper out of the grass pile it latched onto the second one and out they both came.They are both F marked and saved me looking for 2 items.It never hurts to ask!
Derk.

jim fraser (RIP) · #10 28-11-09, 07:13

hi.Minor detail derek.if you see some of the jeeps here in ontario that had plows on them you would count your blessings.that is a mighty fine jeep you got.not all jeeps are bad out east here but the majority that saw salt are pretty rotten.regards jim.

derk derin · #11 26-09-10, 05:20

My intentions were to restore my 3 ton Ford CMP ambulance this year but after making the trip this summer to Topeka,Kansas for the MVPA convention and buying alot of the parts I needed to start the restoration of my Ford GPW,I pushed the cmp to the side and started stripping down the jeep.There were alot of holes drilled in it that had to be filled in.I am now getting pretty good with the mig welder now! Once that was done,I continued to collect parts from local collector friends that helped me out with parts and now I am at the stage where the bad spots need work.

derk derin · #12 26-09-10, 05:21

The fenders are a little rough with cracks and holes torched in them but nothing the mig can't fix.At least the jeep is mostly original with the "F" marked parts still there.

The hood was the roughest part of the jeep.The only good thing on it was the hinge.I bought another hood from one of the local Prairie Command members that was in nice shape but the hinge was completely broken away and beyond repair.I had the idea to drill the spot rivets and swap hinges to the good hood.That is when I realized that Willy's hinge was manufactured differently from Ford's.I will somehow find a proper way of fixing it.Anybody have any suggestions on how to go about this?

Like all jeeps,the first thing to receive damage are the fenders and grill.My grill was damaged on the left side and with alot of fine tuning (pounding with a ball pein hammer!) I managed to get it fairly straight and what I thought was the worst part was the bottom center where it bolts to the cross member.There was a bump that I thought was caused by previous damage so I straightened it out.Then I went over to my friends house for measurements from his GPW and then realized that it was supposed to be there! Now it's back to the fine tuning to put the bump back!

derk derin · #13 26-09-10, 05:22

There are spots on the jeep that will require repair from rust damage but I am up for the challenge and will have lots of practise using the welder when I am finished this project.

The front of the frame was fish plated and stuck out like a sore thumb and with it on,I couldn't mount my new hardware brackets and bumper so I stripped all of it off and found many cracks that will have to be welded up to give it strength again.One side had a piece of metal welded solid I left in as it would not interfere with the mounting of the hardware and was afraid that removing it might weaken the whole front of the frame.I saw at the convention that they reproduce the front of the frames to repair problems like this.For now I am just cleaning the jeep up to where it is presentable to use and later on when my other projects are done,do a proper restoration of the jeep and fix the frame properly.