Hopefully I have posted this on the correct forum.
Before I dive into my narrative, I must say that when I first bought GPW 45633 I was robbed. I tried to be as careful as I possibly could, given my limited knowledge, but despite this I was the victim of a fraud perpetrated by the agent selling the vehicle. I learned many hard lessons whilst making my purchase and I detail them here in order that those of you reading this in the UK will be very careful if you ever come across the same dealer, who I discover has a history of such fraud.
Back in August 2012 I decided that I would like to own a Willy’s MB/Ford GPW. I have a friend who has restored/built at least 2 of them and having been out for a spin in the one he currently owns, I made the decision to commence my search. I wasn’t at all familiar with the vehicle, there seemed to be so many for sale, at varying price ranges. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted a mint vehicle, as an investment and the odd summer drive, or a jeep that needed some restoration. I found out fairly early in my search that there were many jeeps out there that were not what they were advertised to be! Another decision I reached is that I wanted a jeep that had at the very least a genuine WWII chassis and if possible, many original parts. After some considerable searching I thought that I had found the jeep for me. It was advertised on Milweb as a 1942 Ford GPW, a ground up rebuild with every major part replaced with new. The jeep was advertised as a vehicle that had been brought up to show standards that included new brakes, new tyres, new engine and new body tub. It was advertised as an excellent jeep and the image published appeared to reflect all of this. I arranged to travel the 280 miles to view the GPW but on the day was unable to do so due to ill health. Telephone conversations revealed that an agent, Peter Feneley, had placed the advertisement on behalf of the owner. The owner had given Peter Feneley the original jeep, a vehicle that had been on the family farm for over 26 years to restore. Peter Feneley was also the supposed restorer: he ran a company called NJS Vehicles/NJS Vehicle Restoration in the UK and over a period of roughly a year had been given approximately £13,000 by the owner for work that he claimed to have carried out on GPW 45633. I asked as many questions as I could. Peter Feneley emailed me photographs detailing the restoration and re-spray of the chassis. He claimed to have many hundreds of images detailing the restoration. Foolishly I allowed myself to be pressured into buying the jeep based on the information given to me by both Peter Feneley and the jeeps owner. They claimed that others were very interested in purchasing the vehicle and that in order to reserve it for me, I would need to transfer the complete purchase price to the owners bank account. I managed to negotiate a discount and stupidly transferred the money.
Ten days and 280 miles later and I was in Gainsborough, with 2 friends, both engineers, one who has many years experience restoring WWII and classic vehicles. When Peter Feneley showed us the GPW it was clearly not the vehicle that was advertised. The paintwork was well worn, the engine did not run very well at all and there were various other problems and failures that were immediately apparent. He had stripped the M1 carbine holder from the vehicle, this despite that it was clearly detailed on the advertisement image. It was clear that the vehicle had been used and abused since it’s re-spray. It was also very clear that the photographs Peter Feneley had sent to me were of another vehicles restoration. I had to make a decision: I could have rejected the vehicle there and then and left it where it was. However, 16 years experience working within the Justice Community that more often than not, fraudsters ‘run’ and you can easily end up with no money and no goods. So I made the decision to load the GPW onto the trailer and take appropriate legal action against both Peter Feneley and the individual who I paid the money to.
Once home, the following problems with GPW 45633 became evident as soon as I carried out a better inspection:
Gearbox - oil leaks and gear selection/jumping out of gear.
Carburettor - needed a full rebuild and tune. The float was dislodged, the result being that neat fuel was spilling over onto the hot exhaust inlet and manifold.
Flywheel appears to be 60 degrees out on the crank.
Clutch not operating correctly
Gearbox 'bash plate' shield missing
Engine Timing incorrect and had a misfire
Drivers seat frame broken
Handbrake U/S
Fuel tank filler tube/filter missing.
The Wiring was a bit of a mess and modern, wires hanging down, modern 'chocolate box' connectors on the bulkhead and modern plastic stick on cable retainers around the engine bay.
Amp Meter incorrectly wired and operates in reverse
Headlamp switch wired incorrectly and had no side lamps
Modern £2.50 Halfords Horn fitted.
Fuel pipes were not original metal ones: instead a cheap rubber pipe had been cable tied to the bottom of the chassis with a modern filter between the fuel tank and the carburetor. The original bulkhead mounted filter was missing. In effect, someone had attempted to install a modern day fuel system in the vehicle and had made a very bad job of it.
Spare wheel was a Hotchkiss rim not a GPW/MB Combat rim
The front bumper was for an MB not a GPW.
The rear axle pinion seal was leaking badly
Engine oil was leaking from the Oil Pressure outlet on the engine.
Brakes failed completely after half an hours running. Master cylinder and rear wheel cylinders leaking and U/S
The bonnet mounted wooden blocks which stop the windscreen hitting the bonnet are missing the rubber inserts which means the wipers hit the bonnet when the windscreen is folded down. Bonnet was subsequently damaged
Windscreen frame shot blasted to death
Front Grill badly bent
Front fender badly bent and fender wood missing
Upper Gussets badly damaged and twisted
Rear Seat Frame U/S
All seat canvas in very poor state of repair
Very poor and substandard paint job. Entire jeep needed re-spraying.
Vehicle was marked up with British Highland Regiment insignia, but had been sprayed the wrong colour for a British jeep.
This was just my initial assessment. As I started to deal with all these issues, it became clear that there was even more wrong with it. The gearbox and transfer box were completely U/S: the transfer casing had a fracture in it and was leaking like a sieve. Many of the holes drilled in the tub for fittings needed jig welding as Peter Feleney had drilled them in the wrong place! I also found that many parts had simply not been fitted and nuts and bolts used throughout the vehicle were in a terrible state
Worst of all..........he didn't put any guns on it! Sacrilege.
There was much good news though. Anxious to avoid Court Action, the owner agreed to refund £4,000 of the purchase price. To me, settling out of Court in such a manner was a far more expedient way of doing things. I did feel somewhat sorry for the previous owner, as he had clearly paid Peter Feleney for parts that had not been put on the GPW and for work that was not done to any kind of standard. I reported Peter Feleneys fraud and false advertising to both the Police as a crime and to Trading Standards. Sadly, I and the previous owner of the GPW are not the first people to have been the victim of Peter Feleney’s dishonest business practices. No doubt we will not be the last.
So, onto the restoration and how GPW 45633 looks today. I have spent many months stripping it right down to the chassis. I have been very lucky and had much assistance on one type or another. A friend is kindly letting me restore the GPW in his workshop – he is also an engineer who restores WWII vehicles himself and has been able give me much advice. Amanda and Graham at ‘Jeep Parts’ in the UK have been fantastic with regard to supplying the parts that I need. The component parts of the GPW went off for spraying at the beginning of December last year. I decided that I would have all parts sprayed individually before reassembling my jeep. I have also opted for different paint methods on different areas on the jeep. The chassis and running gear have been sprayed using an industrial ‘tractor paint’. This will ensure that the 1942 chassis is well protected for the next 20 plus years. The tub and other major parts have been sprayed with a two-pack system. Many of the moving fitments, the combat rims and some of the under bonnet fittings have been powder coated, in order that they will also pass the test of time. Whilst of course the original GPW’s were simply sprayed over, I wanted to ensure that my jeep stayed as pristine as possible in the long term. The body shop that I has done the work has been extremely careful and ensured that the paint on every part matches up perfectly to BS 298 – Dark Olive Drab. The parts have now started to come back to me and they look great.
The gearbox and transfer boxes have been completely stripped and rebuilt. The first and third gears were completely U/S and had been reassembled by someone who had no idea of what they were doing and who had actually left bits out of it!! The transfer case had to be replaced as the one I bought with the GPW had a fracture in it. These have now also been re-sprayed.
I’ve stripped the engine down and found several problems. Valve number 4 was sticking in the guide and along with valve number 8, was badly pitted. It was clear that the head gasket had failed some time ago – so much for the engine being new! I am just waiting for the new valves to arrive I intend to replace all of them rather than just numbers 4 and 8. It turns out that my engine is a later model, having timing gears rather than a timing chain. Once it's fully rebuilt, I will static time it before replacing the cylinder head and then send it off to be sprayed in Ford Truck Grey.
Once GPW 45633 is all mechanically sound and back together, I will have it liveried as a Headquarters vehicle of 7 Para, 6th Airborne Division. I have chosen this insignia as I was an Airborne Soldier for many years and I live in Somerset: it just so happens that the Somerset Light Infantry re-rolled during WWII and became 7 Para. Thus I get a link to my previous military service and my local wartime regiment.
The final job will be to kit it out with the right Ordnance - Bren guns I suspect - and maybe the odd box of grenades. While I'm there I may as well source a WWII airborne jump helmet and para smock - I mean, I need wear something appropriate while I'm driving it through the village.
I have attached some images of my progress to date. I will post more and update this restoration blog as the work continues.
Restoration of GPW 45633
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- G-Corporal
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Restoration of GPW 45633
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- G-Civilian
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Re: Restoration of GPW 45633
Hi Big Dog,
Many years since you posted your review of purchase and restoration of GPW 45633.
I also bought a GPW from mr Feneley, maybe you would like to compare notes!
Old Seadog.
Many years since you posted your review of purchase and restoration of GPW 45633.
I also bought a GPW from mr Feneley, maybe you would like to compare notes!
Old Seadog.
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