I've picked up a GPW...

[warren brown]

Thank you for the advice Lynn and Terry. I'm contemplating how best to clean it having vacuumed all the charming rat 'deposits' out of it - and even though the rat poo looks like it was dropped sometime before the American Civil War - I don't want it to be a health risk. The jeep is locked up completely out of the weather so it's not going to get wet unless I wash it - yet I know at the National Museum of Australia - with some of the vehicles they have conserved they've left dirt on them. Any ideas?

[warren brown]

This weekend's been the first chance I've had to have a good look at the GPW. Mike - I have the serial numbers! - Engine - 247591 and the chassis 222230. I've looked the numbers up in 'All American Wonder' and it seems the engine was built for the contract of 29DEC44 and the chassis AUG44. Does that sound right? I spent Saturday carefully cleaning it - the paintwork is a bit of a mystery. Original factory OD under the toolbox lids, then it's had Bronze Olive at some stage and then - this green with a touch of blue in it - and then OD flat on top of that. The OD on top is so chalky rubbing will wear it off so I've pretty much left it. The odd green colour has been very carefully applied - professionally I'd say - the 'cardboard' (whatever that stuff was - malthoid? Dunno) lining sheets on the inside of the firewall are still there and they're painted this colour too. It's very well done. The jeep has never been painted since the farmer got hold of it - circa 1960. Any ideas anyone?

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by warren brown

I know at the National Museum of Australia - with some of the vehicles they have conserved they've left dirt on them. Any ideas?

That seems a bit extreme. Do they know at what period the dirt was deposited, wartime, during service, after service? And are they worrying about the coat of 2013 vintage dust gathering on top of it all?

I support removing the rat deposits - even a "healthy" rat can leave bad shit for humans in their shit and the acid in their piss can't be doing any good for your paint or sheet metal either.