This is my 1946 Willys, we were able to use all running gear all original to the Jeep the only thing that we replaced was the tub. We have over 100 signatures of our nations heroes from WWII to the present including two navy seals from seal team six which captured Bin Laden. Along with Car Fix host Lou Santiago. Lou was on the seal team six support in the eighths. The Jeep has won several shows and came out of the Buffalo Master Avenue Armory. We have donated the use of the Jeep to the veterans of Alden most of the Alden veterans are navy. We were at a cruise night in Lancaster, about twenty people were around the jeep and I asked if any of the vets would like to sign it, a few men wanted to. As one of the men signed it he noticed the signature of a man he had been on the same sub with. These two men have not seen one another since 1952, one lived in the south, the second man moved to Buffalo. As luck would have it I went over to the first man who signed the Jeep and brought him back over to the Jeep to see the man that he served with on the sub. Both men lived in Lancaster not 15 miles from one another. What a reunion!
Kaiser Willys Jeep Blog Story – James Cooper
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Nice job on the Willy’s..!!
Especially the signatures…awesome.!
I am a retired Navy O6 (35 years) and also have a Navy Shore Patrol Jeep (’48 CJ2). I would like to share some photos and show you my Shore Patrol Jeep. I am particularly interested in seeing your interior.
Thanks Gary
What a great story about the reunion! That’s a special Jeep!
She’s a Beaut! Congratulations on a job well done! I’m currently restoring a 1942 Gpw,1952 Willys M-38 and a 1952 M-38A1 We show ours to the Veterans during Armed Forces Weekend in May at Findlay, Ohio! The Men and Women Vets are some of the finest people to Walk the Earth in my estimation! Makes us restorers happy to see the smile on their faces when they enjoy seeing these buggy restored in their honor! Hope you have many more years of fun with such a wonderfully restored jeep! Thanks for letting us know your story!
It is registered as a 46 due to the paperwork that came with it. The original frame tags date it to November 1944. It has all I the correct cross members including machine gun plate. The Jeep came from the Niagara Air base and was surplused when they swapped to the Hummers. We love the Jeep. Thank you for your comments.
Great story and a very awesome tribute!
Anthony Fernando
USN Ret, CTMC(SS), 1982-2003
Heart warming story. I am very confident there are many more out there like that. Wonderful how our old Willys bring back great memories of a better time in our lives. I taught my now 21 year old granddaughter to drive my CJ2A, and am now teaching my 15 year old granddaughter. Giving them memories of Willys for their future
A really grand effort and thanks to all who participated.
I am also fortunate in finding my old 1942 Ford GPW and dressing ‘SASSY’ as in 1945 complete with .30 Browning.
Good luck to all.
Peter Mason.
Nice Jeep! You say it’s a 46? You must’ve bought an MB tub and modified it to fit the CJ chassis? Because the body and grille are for the WWII MB. What mods did you have to do to it?
What a great Jeep. What a great story. Thanks for sharing. Robert Lewis USN MCB-10 D CO 66-69.