UPDATE: This may be an M-201 (at the very least it has some M-201 parts). Thanks to Gaston for pointing it out.
John shared this auction for an MB rebuilt in Europe, along with a trailer.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1944-willys-mb-4
“This Willys MB is said to have been refurbished in Europe and was imported to the United States before it was purchased by the current owner in 2017. The truck is finished in olive drab green with US Army–style graphics, and power comes from a 134ci “Go-Devil” flathead inline-four paired with a three-speed manual gearbox and a dual-range transfer case. Equipment includes 16″ steel wheels, military tires, a rear-mounted spare, turn signals, a folding windshield, a tan soft top, a rear pintle hitch, pioneer tools, a jerrycan, seats with tan canvas cushions, a dash-mounted rifle holder, and radio equipment. The accompanying single-axle utility trailer is equipped with taillights, a canvas top panel, and troop-style seating with tan cushions. This Willys MB and trailer are now offered by the seller on behalf of the current owner with canvas doors and side panels, an inoperable rifle, and Arizona titles for both the Willys and the trailer.”
Not a WWll Willys MB. It is a French Hotchkiss M201.
Gaston,
Thanks for pointing that out! Do you think the whole jeep is M201 or just parts? I can see, for example, the M201 hood (I’m not super familiar with all the differences ..)
– Dave
OOPS .. I should have look at the comments before the previous post. Now I see you did note it. The seller claiming it is 100% original MB is certainly incorrect!
Perhaps a French body on a original MB chassis?
I know from reading a UK classic car magazine, there are all sorts of hybrids (to use a polite term) in Europe passing themselves off as original wartime vehicles.
Wonder what it is titled as?
Being surplus military out of Europe, who knows what the chassis number (pre-VIN) might be? A state could call it a Willys, Jeep or whatever with any chassis number…or maybe a state assigned serial.
I know I’m not immersed in the WWII jeep world deeply enough to readily spot the differences between the M201 and MB. Thankfully, there are a few pages out there that help highlight the differences, such as this page https://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/m201mb-differences.html, which seems to reference Steve A. Carr’s work, though it’s unclear to me where the original 4 part article he wrote was published.
Also, this YouTube video series by Steve A. Carr seems worth a watch (I don’t have time to watch it right now): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABP0dtJkpd4 & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UISfWxKCuHQ
Anyone watched these?
It was listed on 10/19 as an “All original Willys MB”.
The next day Jeep fans called it out as a Hotchkiss, in fact a 1960 unit by serial number, so so much for the wartime history angle.
On 10/23 B-a-T retitled the auction calling it a M201.
Jeep fans again to the rescue.
B-a-T usually does pretty good vetting of car offerings, obviously, and somewhat understandably, they missed this one.
I bet the seller is feeling had by the guy that sold it to him. I’m guessing the selling price (IF it sells) will be a fraction of what he expected.