Willys Military Jeep
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In July 1941, the US War Department awarded Willys a contract to produce a small agile 4wd vehicle that the army so desperately needed. Willys won the contract mostly due to its powerful engine (the "Go Devil"), which soldiers raved about, and it’s low cost and silhouette. The design features in the Bantam and Ford entries which represented an improvement over Willys' design were then incorporated into the Willys car, moving it from an "A" designation to "B", thus the "MB" nomenclature. Most notable was a flat wide hood, adapted from Ford GP.
Manufactured in 1944 this Jeep went to Germany with the US Army and ended up in Berlin. It stayed there until July 1955 at which point it was refurbished by Deutsche Waggon-U. Maschinen Fabriken and sold to the Greek army: it spent 20 years in dry storage which I think has contributed to its excellent condition. In 1975 it was sold by the Greek army and was purchased by a farmer in Kent where it remained until it was sold by executors of his estate in 1989. I bought the Jeep in 2012 from its most recent owner in Dorset.
The Jeep was the best I came across after years of searching. It's in very original condition unlike most of the others I saw which were either very rough, or had been 'over-restored'. It retains its original 6v electrics and foot button starter. All the canvas is in very good order. It steers straight (better than most Land Rovers I've driven!) and the gearbox, high/low box and four-wheel drive engage really well. The chassis is sound and rot-free. It wears the insignia of the 11th Armoured Division which are not original, but there because of a personal connection the previous owner had with that division.
The Bantam T-3 trailer that accompanies the Jeep was manufactured by the American Bantam Car Company. They were awarded the contract to produce a ¼ ton trailer for the Jeep, having lost the contract to build the Jeep that they helped to design. These trailers were designed to float, although the 6v electrics would probably have never worked again!
About Car Barn Beamish
About Car Barn Beamish
Car Barn Beamish is the leading independent sports, prestige and classic car specialist in the North East, as well as an official Caterham dealer and INEOS Grenadier servicing agent. Located on the historic Red Row Estate, an idyllic 37-acre country estate set in the North East countryside, Car Barn Beamish is one of three sister companies that all serve to provide fantastic customer service to the owners of luxury automotive brands. We offer a wide variety of used vehicles for sale in our showroomincluding special editions, low mileage examples, supercars and high-performance models by Lotus, Ferrari, Porsche, Bentley, Morgan, McLaren, Jaguar, Ariel and of course Caterham.
Our specialist service, repair and diagnosis workshop at Car Barn Beamish is staffed by experienced local mechanics with a wide range of skills and diagnostic equipment. If your specialist car has developed a fault, please call by and we will be happy to give a no obligation estimate. In addition to annual or routine servicing and maintenance we also undertake classic car restorations including all aspects of chassis repair, engine tuning, paint and body work.
We are one of the North East’s few specialist sports, prestige and classic car buyers who will buy your vehicle directly or offer sale or return and part exchange from our showroom. We are constantly seeking used stock. If you find yourself thinking “the time has come to sell my car”, be it classic, sports or prestige, and you want to deal with a well-established North East company please contact us to discuss our best price. We provide a more personal and flexible approach than car buying websites or auctions and as a classic and vintage car specialist are happy to discuss cars which have been in long term storage, off the road, SORN or vehicles which are otherwise described as barn finds.
We have an in-house transport service which offers collection, storage and delivery facilities and Car Barn Beamish are happy to purchase used classic, sports and luxury cars from across the North East region and the wider UK. Our experienced team are also pleased to help and advise if you are a collector or seeking to purchase a car specifically for investment purposes.
The benefits of buying and selling with us include:
- Nationwide collection and delivery service on our own covered transporters.
- Cars which are prepared by technicians working exclusively on classic and sports cars.
- Our own warranty programme.
- A comprehensive customer service which truly works for the duration of ownership.
- The confidence of dealing with a leading independent specialist established over 35 years ago.
- Finance available on all stock including classic cars.
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