Description:
Military buffs unite! Here’s a head turner if I’ve ever seen one, and that’s before I got a look at the crazy stuff that came with it! The last of the flatfender Jeeps, these were the closest the public got to the military model. For the builder of this Jeep, though, close wasn’t enough—from the olive drab paint to the decals to the WORKING .50 caliber machine guns up top this is a crowd pleaser from city parades through VFW reunions!
Is this Jeep worth what we're asking? The bidders at Barrett-Jackson apparently think so! A Willys built by the same man in identical condition, with a single .50 caliber gun and NO memorabilia sold on January 16 for $95,000 PLUS buyer's premium! Check it out for yourself—it was lot number 943.1!
How many people can look at one of these vehicles and NOT think of M*A*S*H? They were in every episode so frequently they could have been counted as supporting actors! Besides the obvious resemblance, what do the two have to with one another? Well, there’s a footlocker worth of accessories that goes with the Jeep, and right on top are autographed pictures of stars Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, William Christopher, Gary Burghoff and Jamie Farr! That would be “Hawkeye” Pierce, “Hot Lips” Houlihan, Father Mulcahy, Radar O’Reilly and Klinger! How cool is that?
There’s more stuff in there, too, from WWII era newspapers covering when Congress declared war, the Nazi surrender and others. There’s a case of victory cigarettes, K rations, mess kits, gun oil, a record (LP) by MacArthur about the victory in the Pacific, and more memorabilia stretching all of the way through the Korean War era, and more! That doesn’t even include the stuff in the Jeep—there are jerrycans, a gas mask, grenades (hollow, thankfully) short bayonets, a couple of field radios, helmets, and oh yeah…huge .50 caliber guns! Hoosier Hot-Shot hooked this guy up with simulated fire, ATF approved twin guns that run on compressed oxygen and propane making for a hell of a fire and light show! The guns are fully accessorized with chains of cartridges hanging out of armament boxes!
Designated the M38, Jeeps such as this one were the first postwar redesign, incorporating more power, a heavier duty chassis, a stronger transmission and a host of other improvements. There was still a Willys Go-Devil inline four under the hood, but it now made 60hp and 105lbs/ft. The fuel tank could be filled without removing the driver’s seat and gear ratio changes made for easier driving. The essence of the Jeep, though, remained undistilled.
I looked at this Jeep and was told it was authentic Olive Drab paint, but it didn’t look right. Well, a half hour of digging on the internet turned up more information than I could hope to digest, and I found out there are more standards for Olive Drab than you’d think. For WWII and early Korean war vehicles, this is the CORRECT shade of Olive Drab, and it is definitely different than what was on Vietnam era war vehicles! Now, I don’t know how many gallons of the stuff was used on this Jeep, but it’s everywhere. Obviously the super solid and straight body’s coated in it inside and out, but so is the chassis, all running gear, the motor and drivetrain, the wheels…everywhere! You could ford the Pacific and not rust!
Inside you’ll find restored seats, all functional switchgear (including the one for the fender mounted wailer siren—too cool) and a dash full of reproduction brass plaques displaying gear patterns, transfer case operation, minimum octane requirement (68!) lift points, vehicle data and more. Turn the large kill switch to on, watch the original gauges rise to their correct positions, and hit the foot mounted starter. I don’t think the engine’s taken more than three revolutions to start any time we’ve moved it, and it always settles to a smooth idle. Push in the medium weight clutch, grab hold of the very notchy shifter and take off. The two handles next to the shifter are for the transfer case and front differential disengagement, and both work as designed. New 7.00x16 military tires are at all four corners and on the spare hanger. The ride is as you’d expect from a 1950’s Jeep whose primary mission was off road use, and the all hydraulic brakes function as they should. Time to catch the next transatlantic transport for the Ardun!
Now let’s talk about the guns and the mount. These pieces are hand made by an expert who builds props for Hollywood. They are NOT real .. but definitely look the part. They “fire” using a mixture of bottled propane and bottled oxygen. These “guns” come with a certification from the ATF that they are perfectly acceptable for street use. After all, a puff of air isn’t going to cause any carnage or destruction any time soon.
If you’re a military buff looking for a perfect, original piece that was used in WW II or the Korean War, this one isn’t for you. So please, don’t send us a 50,000 dissertation on exactly how one of these was built in 1943. If you are looking for a cool nostalgia piece or an ultimate car show cruiser, this is it. Between the finish, the running condition and the paraphernalia included you’ll have a blast! Fire it up, stick your best bud on the top guns, and go blazing!
Is this Jeep worth what we're asking? The bidders at Barrett-Jackson apparently think so! A Willys built by the same man in identical condition, with a single .50 caliber gun and NO memorabilia sold on January 16 for $95,000 PLUS buyer's premium! Check it out for yourself—it was lot number 943.1!
How many people can look at one of these vehicles and NOT think of M*A*S*H? They were in every episode so frequently they could have been counted as supporting actors! Besides the obvious resemblance, what do the two have to with one another? Well, there’s a footlocker worth of accessories that goes with the Jeep, and right on top are autographed pictures of stars Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, William Christopher, Gary Burghoff and Jamie Farr! That would be “Hawkeye” Pierce, “Hot Lips” Houlihan, Father Mulcahy, Radar O’Reilly and Klinger! How cool is that?
There’s more stuff in there, too, from WWII era newspapers covering when Congress declared war, the Nazi surrender and others. There’s a case of victory cigarettes, K rations, mess kits, gun oil, a record (LP) by MacArthur about the victory in the Pacific, and more memorabilia stretching all of the way through the Korean War era, and more! That doesn’t even include the stuff in the Jeep—there are jerrycans, a gas mask, grenades (hollow, thankfully) short bayonets, a couple of field radios, helmets, and oh yeah…huge .50 caliber guns! Hoosier Hot-Shot hooked this guy up with simulated fire, ATF approved twin guns that run on compressed oxygen and propane making for a hell of a fire and light show! The guns are fully accessorized with chains of cartridges hanging out of armament boxes!
Designated the M38, Jeeps such as this one were the first postwar redesign, incorporating more power, a heavier duty chassis, a stronger transmission and a host of other improvements. There was still a Willys Go-Devil inline four under the hood, but it now made 60hp and 105lbs/ft. The fuel tank could be filled without removing the driver’s seat and gear ratio changes made for easier driving. The essence of the Jeep, though, remained undistilled.
I looked at this Jeep and was told it was authentic Olive Drab paint, but it didn’t look right. Well, a half hour of digging on the internet turned up more information than I could hope to digest, and I found out there are more standards for Olive Drab than you’d think. For WWII and early Korean war vehicles, this is the CORRECT shade of Olive Drab, and it is definitely different than what was on Vietnam era war vehicles! Now, I don’t know how many gallons of the stuff was used on this Jeep, but it’s everywhere. Obviously the super solid and straight body’s coated in it inside and out, but so is the chassis, all running gear, the motor and drivetrain, the wheels…everywhere! You could ford the Pacific and not rust!
Inside you’ll find restored seats, all functional switchgear (including the one for the fender mounted wailer siren—too cool) and a dash full of reproduction brass plaques displaying gear patterns, transfer case operation, minimum octane requirement (68!) lift points, vehicle data and more. Turn the large kill switch to on, watch the original gauges rise to their correct positions, and hit the foot mounted starter. I don’t think the engine’s taken more than three revolutions to start any time we’ve moved it, and it always settles to a smooth idle. Push in the medium weight clutch, grab hold of the very notchy shifter and take off. The two handles next to the shifter are for the transfer case and front differential disengagement, and both work as designed. New 7.00x16 military tires are at all four corners and on the spare hanger. The ride is as you’d expect from a 1950’s Jeep whose primary mission was off road use, and the all hydraulic brakes function as they should. Time to catch the next transatlantic transport for the Ardun!
Now let’s talk about the guns and the mount. These pieces are hand made by an expert who builds props for Hollywood. They are NOT real .. but definitely look the part. They “fire” using a mixture of bottled propane and bottled oxygen. These “guns” come with a certification from the ATF that they are perfectly acceptable for street use. After all, a puff of air isn’t going to cause any carnage or destruction any time soon.
If you’re a military buff looking for a perfect, original piece that was used in WW II or the Korean War, this one isn’t for you. So please, don’t send us a 50,000 dissertation on exactly how one of these was built in 1943. If you are looking for a cool nostalgia piece or an ultimate car show cruiser, this is it. Between the finish, the running condition and the paraphernalia included you’ll have a blast! Fire it up, stick your best bud on the top guns, and go blazing!
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