The restoration started in 2016 and completed in 2020, the Willys MB was bought in the little Colorado mountain town of Lyons for $2500 in its a rusted-out state and was towed down to New Mexico on a u-haul. After several layers of restoration that took me all the way down to the frame and as far as a WW2 military parts conventions in the Netherlands, and finding by chance a matching WW2 MBT trailer in my home town, all the parts were finally put together and a restored WW2 Willys MB has reentered service as a retired civilian.
My dog Dana and I taking the Jeep and her matching 1943 Willys MBT to the Valles Caldera National Preserve for her first of many camping trips after the completion of her 4 year restoration.
In the background can be seen the tent rock formations that dot the landscape.
With some trepidation we undertook the 200-mile solo round trip into the less traveled areas of the Caldera with a 70+ year old vehicle that had only gone through light off-roading trials in a dirt lot, but to our joy she got us there and home just fine and in style.
The most memorable thing during the trip was as we were on our way home after spending the night under a star strewn sky, we passed a couple of fellow jeeps on their way up the mountain, turned out they were a local club I found out later, getting a Jeep wave from all the members of the group as we passed making an already great trip, perfect.
– Matthew Goei
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