New Large Scale Ford GPW Jeep Project

[ColemanCollector]

One final push this long weekend (plus my other son home for more even more help), saw the frame completely stripped of the remaining drivetrain, brake lines, and suspension. Now begins the long process of dismantling, cleaning and evaluating all the bits and pieces.

20250217_143743.jpg (1.82 MiB) Viewed 1910 times

20250217_143752.jpg (2.13 MiB) Viewed 1910 times

20250217_143801.jpg (1.86 MiB) Viewed 1910 times

And something that never gets old--finding more parts stamped with the Ford "F" script. We figured it was just Ford going a bit marketing ID crazy, but apparently they did it to identify the manufacturer source of any parts should they fail in service.

20250217_143828.jpg (2 MiB) Viewed 1910 times

Mike.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Interesting: some twenty-five years ago, I helped a friend restore his father's 1948 Ford 8N tractor. I do not recall finding the script stamped in large parts.

[ColemanCollector]

Strictly a wartime thing by Ford to identify their parts. Willys and Ford parts were interchangeable, and apparently Ford was not going to take the blame for a Willys' (or other manufacturers) part failure.

Back when I knew next to nothing about GPWs/Jeeps--I'm at rube status now--I thought the f scripts were Henry Ford's shot at the US govt for telling both Willys and Ford to get their names off of the vehicle bodies in late-'42. It's a World War boys, not a Sales War!

Mike.

[ColemanCollector]

Frame just back from being sandblasted, worn and oblong old bolt holes welded up for fresh drilling, minor straightening in a few spots, proper new rear tow mount welded in, and weird chopped out bit (possibly for pto shaft) in the rear crossmember welded up. All ready for primer.

20251223_143627.jpg (1.73 MiB) Viewed 22 times

20251223_143652.jpg (1.67 MiB) Viewed 22 times

We had hoped to prime and paint in the early fall, but the welder/machinist is opening a huge new shop and was woefully behind. Such is life...

The sandblasting revealed some of the clearest "F" script stamps yet, but sadly, they'll all be hidden by bodywork.

20251223_143555.jpg (1.13 MiB) Viewed 22 times

20251223_143219.jpg (2.28 MiB) Viewed 22 times

This one is on the machinegun pedestal mounting plate which again, is hidden by the body.

20251223_143513.jpg (2.34 MiB) Viewed 22 times

20251223_143518.jpg (1.81 MiB) Viewed 22 times

On to the transmission and transfer case for refreshing.