1946 Willys CJ-2A Navy
My father (Hans Neukomm Sr.) grew up in Switzerland. As a young man, he became a Jeep driver in the Swiss Military. This is where he acquired his appreciation for the Willys Jeep. Later he immigrated to the states to become an engineer & start a family. As I was growing up, he & I started collecting Willys Jeeps & parts. He acquired a Willys that we finished restoring into an Army version about 10 years ago. He has always had a dream of finishing three Jeeps: An Army, Navy and a Marine Jeep of WWII. We have taken the Army Jeep to many shows & parades.
About 5 years ago we tore down the second Jeep to be restored (the Navy one). My father shortly fell ill to bladder cancer. So the project was put on hold for the time-being. He was up & down with the cancer for a couple of years. It took a turn for the worse and metastasized into bone & lung cancer about two years ago. He also lost his leg during this process due to the cancer. Due to his ailments he was not able to work on the Jeep or even spend any time in his shop. The amputation also prevented any driving of any stick shift.
My father’s birthday is May 19th, 1936. I came up with an idea in late April of 2010 to restore the Navy Jeep for him. He proceeded to fight with his cancer and all of the chemotherapy. Having some resources available to me (wonderful friends!), I put in motion to do this restoration without letting him know it was being done. It was an early Sunday morning when two of us stole the Navy Jeep out from underneath my father’s shop. This Jeep was a tub, engine & trans. and many……many…boxes of parts! We loaded everything on a trailer and took off for a neighboring town where we were not going to run a risk of anyone saying anything to my father. I enlisted the generosity of Willy’s Restoration in Toledo, Or. I encouraged both my and my father’s friends to pitch in over the next two weeks to help accomplish this restoration set to be fulfilled by his birthday on May, 19th, 2010. It was a very challenging project! We had already planned a big party and unavailing of the Jeep to him so you can imagine the challenges of this build. I had teams of friends that were skilled in different areas (paint, mechanics, fab & more) to accomplish this. We did complete the Jeep on time. (Both running & driving!) He suspected nothing over the entire two weeks.
This project changed his outlook on life. We wanted to show him that anything was possible to accomplish. This Jeep will serve a great purpose here in running in the great Albany Veterans Parade held each year. That is what he wanted this Jeep built for. For many years to come it will do so.
Hans Neukomm Jr.
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Hey guys,
Are any of these magnificent restored Jeeps for sale? Hit me up if there any takers.
EOC James J. (JEEP) Bilenki Jr. USN. (RET.)
Pasadena, Maryland.
E-mail address: picnicpappy@gmail.com
[...] Restore the Navy Jeep for him – Kaiser Willys Jeep Blog HomeFeb 16, 2011 … 1946 Willys CJ-2A Navy My father (Hans Neukomm Sr.) grew up in Switzerland. As a young man, he became a Jeep driver in the Swiss Military … [...]
This is so cool. I love it. Great job and thanks for publishing the article about the history of your project. Wonderful stuff.
Thanks,
Tom Wright
THE VALLEY EXPLORER and
PARISH GAP (Classy Classic and Art Rock)
Hans.Congratulations, firstly for doing this to your father and secondly for the quality of the restoration.The same applies to all the friends that helped in the job.I can imagine your father’s face, when he saw his Jeep,now tottally restored.¡ good job and good son!. Regards from your fellow old Jeeps fan.Eduardo.
We have two old willys jeeps, one is a 1947 CJ 2A, and the other is
A1956 DJ 3A [ column shift, two wheel drive... excellant condition.]
was used as an mascot for the school of mine’s [ Texas Western Collage]
Now “UTEP”….Retired Mine & Smelter M.E. engineer..
Your former Navy willys looks good with allot of “TLC” restoration..
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Forbye4, Hemmings Motor News. Hemmings Motor News said: Restoring a naval Willys MB for dad: http://bit.ly/hAs8D7 [...]
Well done guys Nice damn work!!!
Wow!!! What a tribute to your father and his love of vintage Jeeps. Would you please email my son and daughters!!!!!
Great job……
Thank you everyone for the compliments!
George: I was refering to the Albany, Or Vetrans Parade.
Bob R.: I picked the USS Hollister becuase of one of his best friends that served on that ship also. Mabey you know him, Charlie Cole?
Jason: I have used many brands of paint & color for the jeeps we have. However the Navy one has turned out the best so far. I used GCI brand WWII Navy Gloss Grey.
[...] get to due to his fight with cancer. Hans’s son, Hans Neukomm Jr., decided last year to finish the Jeep’s restoration for his father’s birthday – in two weeks! Not only did he do so with the help of some [...]
Olá, se você gosta de jeep willys
visite este blog
http://www.jeepsejipes.blogspot.com
Hans,
I am sure you made your Father proud. Hey, is this the Albany, New York parade you are referring to? I am a proud Willys owner outside of Albany and I’d love to see the Jeep in person.
I am restoring a 1952 Willys Wagon and would like to paint and make it look like the US Army version that was built for the Korean war and used as field ambulance or litter carrier. Can anybody help with some pictures?? Also would need a period siren and red light
What an inspiring story! Congratulations on a job well done. Thank you for sharing.
How did you pick the ship’s name (USS HOLLISTER DD788)displayed on the Jeep?
Just curious. I spent some time on the Hollister in 1965.
Great looking restoration !!
I have an old army jeep I have owned for over 40 years and we are restoring it – but as a Navy jeep (my wife is a Navy Captain – can’t very well go back with OD!). Everyone has their own pick for a modern-day substitute for the navy gray paint color and I was wonder what you used for yours?
Thanks, Jason