Commonwealth jeep mods in WWII...

[Tim Sullivan]

All,

Just wondering if anyone has any info on the common modifications that the Canadians and British made to jeeps during WWII? I just picked up a Willys and would like to do it up as accurately as I possibly can for Commonwealth service.

If anyone has any books and/or websites they can offer for information as well that would be great!

Tim

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Tim,

Don't mistake me, I love jeeps... they're versatile, easy to drive and easy to store. I've driven WW2 MBs and GPWs, owned an M38A1 (which I used as a daily driver for years) and several civilian variants since then.

If I were to do an MB as a WW2 jeep in Canadian service, I would be inclined (at this point) to set it up as a Normandy-era ambulance, with homemade stretcher racks. Little could be more poignant than that. If you're more inclined to a combat unit, I will selfishly suggest my friend Art Bell's TAC HQ jeep from the 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment. He's still alive and, I'm sure, would be astonished to see the recreation.

Other than that, and since you're in Hamilton, go RHLI and interface directly with their Regimental Association.

If you're building this from scratch, feel free to improvise as far as extra gas/water cans, camouflage and personal stores are concerned. At the unit level, all was fair game! Pics of all can be found.

Keep us posted and take some pics!

Geoff

Originally posted by Tim Sullivan
All,

Just wondering if anyone has any info on the common modifications that the Canadians and British made to jeeps during WWII? I just picked up a Willys and would like to do it up as accurately as I possibly can for Commonwealth service.

If anyone has any books and/or websites they can offer for information as well that would be great!

Tim

[Brian Gough]

Tim,

In Wheels & Tracks #1 there was a great article called "Maple Leaf Jeeps" that has a lot of the information you are looking for.

Vanwell Publishing Ltd. in St. Catharines may still stock Wheels & Tracks. Contact them at 1 800 661 6136 or sales@vanwell.com


Brian

[Larry Hayward]

Tim,

See attached for a bit of inspiration!

It came (via MVT's Windscreen Magazine) from a book called

'The Wartime Jeep in British Service 1941-45'

by Mark Askew, Jeep Books Ltd and retails in the UK for £19.99.

which has a British & Commonwealth focus.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

WILLYS: M 4768471 to 4771586, S/M 2275..I queried the 4th digit but wondered if it is a '9' not an '8'.

[Larry Hayward]

David,

Just a thought.

What number do you think it is on the jeep?

It looks to me like M 4768469.

If so, it's too early by 2 digits for your batch?