UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $7800.
(12/14/2017) This is a neat jeep. It’s a Navy ordered CJ-5. It appears to have a gov plate attached to the dash. It includes a ventilating windshield. Looks like the passenger rear side has been patched.
“1965 Naval Military Jeep is one of 600 made. Most are not running. This jeep was owned by Russell Dees Military Vehicles and I now own it. I just had Knico engines in Moultrie Ga do the rebuild on this 4cyl engine that has warranty. I had Hayman’s Garage Albany Ga put new clutch, brakes, brake lines, alternator,water pump,radiator, hoses, belts and new gas tank and ignition . The body is in good condition with only a spot of surface rust here and there. Tires are almost new . A rare opportunity to own a collectable part of military history.”
So it’s not a M38A1/? Very interesting. Since the Army base in Albany was/is there. I believe there were Seabees assigned there too. A Depot with what ever was needed for war. I can understand the ventilator windshield, whew, the humidity. My guess it was a HQ’s vehicle.
Nope, not an M-38A1. Over the decades there military would occasionally order civilian vehicles. Maybe they were a little cheaper, yet met the needs? I’d agree these were likely just used locally for general use at or near a base.
If it was owned by the Seabees, there is/was a Seabee symbol somewhere under that paint. We mark our vehicles like dogs mark trees!
Wait, you mean you pee on the tires, too? 🙂
LOL Dave & Gayland!!!
Gayland is right in that all Seabee Jeeps were marked with their logo probably to prevent unauthorized procurement by another less fortunate Navy unit. Case in point:
A Navy special communications unit was assigned a small comm space in a remote corner of a larger Army communications base in South Korea in the early 1960s. The base was supported by a large motor pool full of Army jeeps while the new Navy unit had none. That just didn’t sit well with the sailors assigned to their remote corner of the base. They took matters into their own hands one dark night and procured their jeep from the motor pool and promptly spirited the hot ride clear off base into a small town nearby. They located a repair shop owned by friendly locals and had the OD jeep quickly painted ‘Navy Grey’. The only thing left to do then was to alter the hood registration numbers to reflect its new Navy heritage. The C.O. of the unit researched mil. regs looking for help on how to proceed. He was against the idea of changing the hood markings and finally decided to retain the Army assigned digits on top of the new grey paint. Problem solved. The Spec. Comm. unit enjoyed the use of their new ride for another two years before the unit was disestablished by the Navy. Who knows what happened to that unusual Army jeep after the last guy shipped out!!!
It was also SOP for the Department of the Navy to order jeeps directly from Willys to quickly procure vehicles they needed. These would probably have been CJ3B’s and later, CJ5’s. Most would sport civilian-style tires and be utilized on a Navy base worldwide. Jeeps have also been assigned to and loaded on-board large vessels in the fleet for use by the C.O., X.O., etc.
I spent 2 yrs. at a Naval Communications Station in Hawaii and personally used a Willys M38 assigned to the Special Services Division on base. The jeep was available for recreational-use by military personnel only on weekends and holidays simply by signing it out and promising to return the jeep with a full tank of gas. Now that was a sweet deal….. The jeep was painted fire engine red with white Navy hood markings and ran great (thanks to a team of sailors volunteering their time and talents to perform all maintenance required).
My next duty station was a NATO base located in Keflavik, Iceland. The Naval Security Group Detachment was located 6 miles off-base in the lava fields and previously had a Willys CJ3A, with complete cab enclosure, assigned years before I arrived. That jeep was replaced by a tracked weasel-type vehicle, again with a complete cab enclosure, an absolute necessity during the cold winters…..
Joe, thanks for sharing all those stories!
I wonder what would be involved in licensing this for the road?
Erik,
That depends on the state, the condition of the title, and whether there’s a serial number attached to the jeep somewhere. For most states, I wouldn’t think it would be too big of issue.
– Dave
I was C Company, MCB10, Company Commander till mid December 1969, when Nixon had his first Vietnam cutback and half of the Mobil Construction Battalions in the Navy were decommissioned and I got an early out. While in Vietnam my Jeep looked just like this one except for the sandbags all over for mine protection. Worst part of my job was driving around Vietnam between Hue and Quang Tri, checking on crews building headwalls bridges, hangers, mess halls, and berthing facilities. Best part was working with Sea Bees. Great bunch of people, Ill never forget.
Thanks for the insights Ed!