~ Story and photos sent in by Cora and Ragan Simpich
“Cactus Rose” is the name of this 1942 slat grill Willys MB Jeep. I got a call one day from a friend, Tom, who said, “There is a really old jeep at the crusher that you might want to check on.” I went over to P and L Scrap Iron in Colorado Springs to see it. It was next in line to be crushed, a pitiful yellow hulk sitting next to the crusher. It had 4 tires holding air and an engine compartment reasonably complete even including a radiator. The grill, windshield, seats and many small items were missing. It said, “Willys” on the back panel. When I saw that writing along with the age of the body, I new it was a slat grill. I ask how much he wanted for it. Three hundred dollars was the price. I had just sold some jeep parts so I went to the ranch and got the trailer and the money and came back to get the jeep. My son and I went to lunch to celebrate the rescue!
We took it home and began the long process of restoring it. Three years later and much hard work it was finally ready for the Veterans Day Parade in November 2013. I had spent months tearing things apart welding, pounding, and fixing, all the while looking for missing original WWII parts. I purchased three other WWII Jeeps plus traded for a WWII original canvas top. Parts were also used off of other Willys Jeeps I already owned to get the Willys MB Jeep restored.
Two months of spare time were used welding on the frame alone. Three more months were spent welding on the body before the body work could begin. After much intensive labor it started coming together. Each piece seemed to take several hours to prepare before it became functional. She was named “Cactus Rose” for the cholla cactus that bloomed rosie red around the jeep during restoration. Most of the restoration was done during three of the years my wife and I lived on our Lazy Tree cattle ranch.
It was a big day when it was finally driven down to the creek behind our new house, two weeks before the parade. Two transmissions were fixed and moved back and forth into the jeep three days before the parade to make sure it would not get stuck between gears!
She was good girl and functioned flawlessly for the Parade with Veterans of the First Cavalry group marching beside and behind it. Cactus Rose is not quite finished yet. Here is Cactus Rose with a Navy Jeep that my husband helped a man restore. That is another story just waiting to be told.
If you would like to share your Willys Jeep Story please send us a line. We ‘d love to meet your Jeep.
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Thanks for saving the old Jeep. I bet it was worth less than $50 as scrap?
Nice work, thanks for sharing. The stories the old Veterans have about Jeeps in the service are great to hear.
Peirce
Thanks for saving the old Jeep. I bet it was worth less than $50 as scrap?
Nice work, thanks for sharing. The stories the old Veterans have about Jeeps in the service are great to hear.
Peirce
Trusty Jeeps (and dogs) deserved to be rescued and given another chance. Nice work!
Trusty Jeeps (and dogs) deserved to be rescued and given another chance. Nice work!
I had a MB years ago that had the ype of grill yours has. This is the first picture I ever saw of this grill type – I always wondered if mine was a “custom” or factory install. Thanks for the pictures – it looks good!
I had a MB years ago that had the ype of grill yours has. This is the first picture I ever saw of this grill type – I always wondered if mine was a “custom” or factory install. Thanks for the pictures – it looks good!
nice job
got two just like yours was in the beginning waiting for me to start there restoration
hope to start soon
nice job
got two just like yours was in the beginning waiting for me to start there restoration
hope to start soon
Nice work. Thank you especially for saving it from the crusher.
Nice work. Thank you especially for saving it from the crusher.
I got one just like it. A 41 MB. Use it to plow my drive way.
Got to learn how to put a picture on here some day.
Ron
I got one just like it. A 41 MB. Use it to plow my drive way.
Got to learn how to put a picture on here some day.
Ron
Nice, work, thank you for saving it.
Nice, work, thank you for saving it.
Woohoo!! Another old veteran saved from an ignominious fate! Great job on the restoration!
Woohoo!! Another old veteran saved from an ignominious fate! Great job on the restoration!
Great job in restoring Cactus Rose. We can never do enough for our veterans. I think it’s great that you helped restore the Navy Jeep, too!
Great job in restoring Cactus Rose. We can never do enough for our veterans. I think it’s great that you helped restore the Navy Jeep, too!
Thanks for saving another lost bit of history.
Thanks for saving another lost bit of history.
I’m a Vietnam veteran who owns a M38A1. The jeep to the infantryman is what the horse was to the cavalry. Beautiful job on the slat grill and the navy jeep.
I’m a Vietnam veteran who owns a M38A1. The jeep to the infantryman is what the horse was to the cavalry. Beautiful job on the slat grill and the navy jeep.
What luck for both the Jeep and the new owner! Proud for you, Sir!!
Mac
What luck for both the Jeep and the new owner! Proud for you, Sir!!
Mac
Like your Jeep. You really did a serious job.
I found mine -49 CJ2 in the mountain high, far up.
I know it is not a quick fix. My restoration locked me up for 2 years.
Good driving !
Like your Jeep. You really did a serious job.
I found mine -49 CJ2 in the mountain high, far up.
I know it is not a quick fix. My restoration locked me up for 2 years.
Good driving !
Very nice job. Glad to see another jeep has been brought back to life. I found my 43 GPW beside a barn in 1992. She was pretty sad looking but I felt she needed a better home than this. Bought her for $320. Now that she has been restored, she never sees rain or snow, and in the winter, she is parked inside covered up with a parachute. I swear sometimes I can see her smile.
Very nice job. Glad to see another jeep has been brought back to life. I found my 43 GPW beside a barn in 1992. She was pretty sad looking but I felt she needed a better home than this. Bought her for $320. Now that she has been restored, she never sees rain or snow, and in the winter, she is parked inside covered up with a parachute. I swear sometimes I can see her smile.
muy buen trabajo felicitaciones por la perseverancia y dedicacion que le pusiste
muy buen trabajo felicitaciones por la perseverancia y dedicacion que le pusiste
Thanks for all the fun responses. Speaking of veterans stories I have heard many interesting ones over the years as we took jeeps on display from Colorado to the Normandy Beach reenactment on Chicago Beach. One that comes to mind was the vet who told me he was sitting in the drivers seat when the gas tank was blown up and he was ejected into the sky. I am thankful he lived to tell the story and I think I have his name written somewhere and hope to connect it with the story some day. I understand it happened to many who bravely sat on top of the gas tank positioned under the drivers seat of these old Willys Jeep.
Just the frame for an old jeep is worth more than fifty dollars not scrapped. We just sold one that was just partly there. As part of an eBay auction we had offers from Ireland and England and about 400 people checking it out and some asking if we would deliver it . The guy from Ireland wanted the frame cut in four parts so he could have it shipped and said he would have re-weldedd it. Must have been a good welder with lots of money for shipping. We refused the offer and sold it to a local buyer who took it in one piece.
Can any one intepret the post that looks complimentary but is in another language? Thanks to all of you.
Thanks for all the fun responses. Speaking of veterans stories I have heard many interesting ones over the years as we took jeeps on display from Colorado to the Normandy Beach reenactment on Chicago Beach. One that comes to mind was the vet who told me he was sitting in the drivers seat when the gas tank was blown up and he was ejected into the sky. I am thankful he lived to tell the story and I think I have his name written somewhere and hope to connect it with the story some day. I understand it happened to many who bravely sat on top of the gas tank positioned under the drivers seat of these old Willys Jeep.
Just the frame for an old jeep is worth more than fifty dollars not scrapped. We just sold one that was just partly there. As part of an eBay auction we had offers from Ireland and England and about 400 people checking it out and some asking if we would deliver it . The guy from Ireland wanted the frame cut in four parts so he could have it shipped and said he would have re-weldedd it. Must have been a good welder with lots of money for shipping. We refused the offer and sold it to a local buyer who took it in one piece.
Can any one intepret the post that looks complimentary but is in another language? Thanks to all of you.
The translation reads: very good job congratulations on your perseverance and dedication that you put you
The translation reads: very good job congratulations on your perseverance and dedication that you put you
Thanks Billy for the translation!
Thanks Billy for the translation!
Thank you for saving a history ; There don’t make like that anymore great job like your collection
Thank you for saving a history ; There don’t make like that anymore great job like your collection
what a great pleasure to see her back from the edge
great job
what a great pleasure to see her back from the edge
great job
Nice job. I have my Dads 1941 slatgrill. He owned it since 1945. Just fully restored. Up until five years ago it was all original. Its a member of our family!
Nice job. I have my Dads 1941 slatgrill. He owned it since 1945. Just fully restored. Up until five years ago it was all original. Its a member of our family!
Kaiser Willys published our rescue and restoration of our M38 a few years back so we know something of your satisfaction. Great job and many thanks!
Kaiser Willys published our rescue and restoration of our M38 a few years back so we know something of your satisfaction. Great job and many thanks!
Buen trabajo Felictaciones ,,, Aqui en Montevideo, Uruguay Un amigo Nito, que tiene un local de mecanica ,reconstruccion y venta de jeep y partes; tiene 4 MB apilados a la espera que yo junte algun dinero y le compre alguno…
Buen trabajo Felictaciones ,,, Aqui en Montevideo, Uruguay Un amigo Nito, que tiene un local de mecanica ,reconstruccion y venta de jeep y partes; tiene 4 MB apilados a la espera que yo junte algun dinero y le compre alguno…
Seldom seen a slat grill so nice restored !! Congrats !!
Seldom seen a slat grill so nice restored !! Congrats !!
Thank you for saving a piece of history and good job! It is so worthwhile to restore vintage jeeps! We have two new Wranglers, a JL Unlimited Sport S and Gladiator Rubicon because they are the only vehicles on the road with such a proud patriotic history. It would be nice to have one of these old historic originals just to drive around town, a rolling monument of the price paid for America’s freedom.
Thank you for saving a piece of history and good job! It is so worthwhile to restore vintage jeeps! We have two new Wranglers, a JL Unlimited Sport S and Gladiator Rubicon because they are the only vehicles on the road with such a proud patriotic history. It would be nice to have one of these old historic originals just to drive around town, a rolling monument of the price paid for America’s freedom.
That is so awesome that you saved it in the nick of time! Well done
That is so awesome that you saved it in the nick of time! Well done
Awesome restoration…keeping history alive and well. To all Vietnam Veterans….”Welcome Home” brothers. I served in Nam 70-71 at An Loc with the Army EOD Team. I am the owner of JEEP 1 (CJ2A) on Guam. Shout out to Kaiser Willys for super customer service.
Joe Blas, Guam
Awesome restoration…keeping history alive and well. To all Vietnam Veterans….”Welcome Home” brothers. I served in Nam 70-71 at An Loc with the Army EOD Team. I am the owner of JEEP 1 (CJ2A) on Guam. Shout out to Kaiser Willys for super customer service.
Joe Blas, Guam