The Ford GPW was commissioned by the US government in October 1941 in order to help meet the demand for the newly introduced Willys MB. The GPW was largely identical to the Willys model, and approximately 280,000 examples were built at several Ford plants during World War II. This example is finished in olive drab, and the grille area and front bumper were repainted by the prior owner. Features include a canvas top, a folding windshield, a nine-slot…
The Ford GPW was commissioned by the US government in October 1941 in order to help meet the demand for the newly introduced Willys MB. The GPW was largely identical to the Willys model, and approximately 280,000 examples were built at several Ford plants during World War II. This example is finished in olive drab, and the grille area and front bumper were repainted by the prior owner. Features include a canvas top, a folding windshield, a nine-slot grille, a jerry can, a side-mounted axe, a rear pintle hitch, and white hand-written graphics. The paint is weathered and there are dents and scratches on several panels.
Green 16″ steel wheels are mounted with 6.00-16″ Specialty Tires of America military tires. A full-size spare is mounted to the tailgate. The GPW shared its frame, suspension, and brake system with the Willys MB. Work under current ownership is said to have consisted of replacing the parking brake assembly and brake master cylinder.
The cabin features front bucket seats and a rear bench reupholstered in light green canvas. Equipment includes a headlight lockout switch, a floor-mounted starter button, occupant retention straps, and instructional placards. The dashboard and floors are scratched and chipped.
The three-spoke steering wheel sits ahead of central instrumentation consisting of a 60-mph speedometer and gauges for fuel level, coolant temperature, amperes, and oil pressure. Central shift levers control the transmission, front axle engagement, and transfer-case ranges. The five-digit odometer shows 29k miles, approximately 100 of which were added under current ownership.
The 134ci Willys Go-Devil inline-four was manufactured by Ford under license and features an L-cylinder-head design and a single one-barrel carburetor. An engine tune-up is said to have been performed in 2015, and a PerTronix solid-state ignition kit, upper oil line, and battery cable were installed. The seller notes that the underside of the hood was refinished under previous ownership, and the white stencil marks were replicated using prior photos for guidance.
Power is delivered to all four wheels via a three-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. A replacement tail pipe and muffler are said to have been installed in 2015. Corrosion is visible on underbody components.