UPDATE: Still Available.
Seller indicates the VIN is #5767 and that it was manufactured in December of 1942. Given the first GPWs were constructed in February of 1942, there seems to be a disconnect (http://wwiijeepparts.com/Archives/JeepSerialNumber.html#WWIISerialNumbers)
“POSSIBLY THE OLDEST OPERATIONAL FORD GPW JEEP
***FIRST WEEK OF PRODUCTION–DECEMBER 1942***
VIN #5767
ALL ORIGINAL PARTS HAVE BEEN CLEANED AND SAVED
About 6,500 were produced that first week. Somehow this one survived over 70 years in original condition. However, to be operational, it required a lot of TLC such as:
REBUILT ORIGINAL MOTOR AND MANIFOLDS
NEW ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, REGULATOR, BATTERY AND STARTER
NEW RADIATOR
NEW TIRES AND TUBES
NEW BRAKE SYSTEM
NEW HOSES AND BELTS
NEW TRANSMISSION AND HOUSING
NEW SEAT CUSHIONS
NEW FUEL PUMP AND FILTER
ORIGINAL CARB REBUILT
NEW FUEL TANK AND LINES
SEVERAL HUNDRED HOURS OF THE OWNER’S LABOR”
https://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/6030885794.html
This is one of the poorest attempts at portraying a rebuilt WW2 jeep using body filler and paint I’ve seen, not to mention all the incorrect parts used or missing, using a cj windshield would have been better than the attempt to rebuild what’s on it now. An injustice to an early numbered GPW, clearly not worth anything near the asking price. Excuse me if I sound harsh, but someone will be taken as usual.
That number would be December 1941 (not December 1942) and I “think” would have had a slat grill, which Ford got away from soon thereafter, months before Willys.
This definitely needs that wind screen replaced with correct one, and the radiator, and the rims, and, and, and… but could be worth a look, esp. since no price is being shown any more.
Joe, as I understand it, GPW production didn’t begin until Feb of 1942, so there were no Dec 1941 GPWs?
I must be thinking of the Ford GP. I’m looking through old jeep history references now, once which says “On November 10, 1941 Ford was designated as the second supplier and a contract worth $14.6 million was placed with them for the supply of 15,000 Jeeps”, but in addition to the error of capitalizing jeep in that statement, the author also states “GPWs (General Purpose Willys)” so this is NOT an authoritative source, since we know that G=Government, P refers to the wheelbase, and W=Willys If the Nov date is correct, it would be hard to have produced any Dec 1941 GPWs, although not impossible. I’ll keep looking.
Joe, this was the resource I used: http://wwiijeepparts.com/Archives/JeepSerialNumber.html#WWIISerialNumbers
I found a better source. Ray Crowdery’s All-American Wonder, Volume Two agrees with you: serial numbers start in February 1942. Page 186 suggests that this serial number (5767) was produced between 2 and 12 March 1942. But of course the seller should be able to read the Date of Delivery from the data plate, and would therefore know that it wasn’t December 1942 (unless it got seriously out of sequence?).
Ford didn’t start producing the GPW until Feb. of ’42. The first ones were built on Willys frames supplied to them. Only Willys MB’s produced between Nov. ’41 and March ’42 were ‘slatgrills’. Previous to Nov’ 41 Ford was making the GP only, Bantam the 40 and Willys the MA.
Again, this is a jeep being sold by someone ‘NOT in the know’ of what he really has (or is trying to fool potential buyers) as I agree with Luis.
CL ad now has pic of dash plate…march ’42….also shows T90 tranny…