1944 Navy MB Project

Create a thread to track the progress of you MB/GPW restoration progress. Previously a General Discussion board.
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genethejeep
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1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Tue Nov 24, 2020 4:30 am

Jeep Friends, I just started a full restoration on my ex US Navy June 1944 MB. I bought this jeep 10 years ago from a gent in upstate New York where it lived its entire life after discharge from the US Naval shipyard, Brookyn in 1953. The jeep was intact, complete with the original Navy Bill of Sale. It was running when he brought it to me on the way to Bike week in Florida and I've kept it running well as a daily driver for 10 years. The salt air here in coastal Georgia is taking its toll on the frame and underside of the body tub and it has some cosmetic issues, especially the floor and left step area. I'm convinced for a number of reasons the body has never been off the frame so it is definitely time for a refresh.

Although the jeeps lineage to the Navy is without question, so far I've found no evidence of navy gray anywhere on the tub. I checked the ACM2 tub serial number 79203 against the database and it appears in the correct range for a June 44 MB and has the 6 holes for the gas decontamination kit which was a June addition. I've found Red oxide and OD under the current topcoat of faded coat of forest green, the underside still has what appears to be factory OD over red oxide in protected areas. It had no markings at all when I got it so thinking the previous owner might have been a Marine vet or he tried to match what was on it previously?. I've seen photos of Navy Jeeps wearing factory OD and I've also seen gray jeeps, I presume they also painted Marine Jeeps forest green? Could a Navy jeep have been operated by the Marines in a shipyard?

Somehow I want to recognize its navy history but I also want to restore it to honor my father who was a WWII US Army veteran of the Africa and Italy campaigns. He loved driving jeeps and I have 2 prized photos of him in the drivers seat of a GPW in 1942 as a private and again in 1947 in a MB as a tech sergeant. I've named the Jeep "Gene" in his honor and it's a tradition among friends and family to ask how "Gene" is doing.

Would love to hear from the history buffs here on how I might do justice to both services.

John C
Savannah GA
WIllys MB SN 345964 June 24, 1944
Tub ACM2 SN 79203
Gene the Jeep
1944 Willys MB 345964
Ex New York Naval Shipyard
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by sjalbert » Tue Nov 24, 2020 5:41 am

Marine Jeeps were Forest Green. Many of the Jeeps that the Navy procured were for the Marine's and painted Forest Green. I don't know if the Brooklyn Navy Yard had a marine detachment during WWII, but many of the bases when I was in (early 80's) had marine detachments.
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by armyairforce » Wed Dec 02, 2020 9:34 am

Looking forwards to seeing some pictures of the progress. If you want the option of recognising two different histories with the Jeep, you could finish it in a standard O/D finish and use magnetic plastic markings to switch between markings for Southern Europe and homeland USA. OK, so perhaps it should be forest green for a navy ship yard, but O/D and magnetic markings will open up more options for different looks and allows a cheap change for a special event.

I've been using them since 2018, allowing my Jeeps to represent USAAF, RAF, Medical and Ordnance vehicles. The markings are changed depending on what is most appropriate for the event I'm attending. I bought a 2mtr x 615mm roll of 0.8mm motorway grade white plastic from Ebay, costing only £16.00, so it wasn't an expensive way to give the Jeeps multiple personalities. The surface was keyed with some fine wet & dry and then painted up with the base colour of the Jeep and model paints for the other markings.

Here's four different looks for the same Jeep.

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genethejeep
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Fri Dec 04, 2020 5:33 am

what a brilliant idea! Should have thought of that since that is exactly what we do with the B17 at the Eighth Airforce museum here in savannah. They change the tail markings with vinyl for every bomb group reunion.
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Fri Jan 01, 2021 8:51 am

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OK finally figured out how to post photos so here is a before picture of Gene in action on coastal Tybee Island. Also as it appears today
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Gene the Jeep
1944 Willys MB 345964
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Sun Jun 06, 2021 4:17 am

Update to the 1944 project. Blasting of the Tub and Frame is complete and both have been given a couple of coats of PPG Epoxy Primer and Gillespie OD top coat. More work to be done on the tub but mostly cosmetic, seal and fill the repairs, etc. The Frame is done and ready to begin assembly.

Both axles were restored with all new bearings, seals and pinion yokes. Both got new brake pads and brake cylinders and the front got a new set of king pins and a set of NOS Rzeppa axles. Hope to have it back as a rolling frame this summer.

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[img]http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/44 ... /rotor.jpg[/img
Gene the Jeep
1944 Willys MB 345964
Ex New York Naval Shipyard
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Sun Jun 06, 2021 4:37 am

Axle Assemblies
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Gene the Jeep
1944 Willys MB 345964
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by Mark Tombleson » Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:36 am

Very cool! 8) 8)

I see no Navy features, anything weird you have not mentioned?

So have you determined how you will mark this MB?
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by 70th Division » Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:13 pm

Hello,

What a great project, it is looking really nice !!!!


Keep us posted,


Ray

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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Sat Jun 12, 2021 7:53 am

Mark,

I have found very little physically to tie this jeep to the Navy. Only trace amounts of gray overspray on the front axle.
What I have is the original Navy Bill of Sale from the New York naval shipyard dated 1953 that gives me the Navy number. At this point my plan is to paint it all over OD as it left Toledo with the blue hood numbers. I've read that the Navy sometimes just left them green, adding US Navy and the number on each side by the grab handles in Chrome yellow but I am open to ideas from the experts.

What I've found so far is the axle tubes and ring gears are all dated 1944, the ring gears both have June 9 44 stamped on them. The body tub and transfer case serial numbers are in the correct range for a June 44 Jeep. Other than a little road rash and rust it's in really good condition. I did nothing on the frame except blast, prime and paint. Made a few repairs on the tub ,mainly on the left side due to damage and corrosion. mainly bubba damage, i.e. someone punched a bunch of holes in the floor with screw driver and it had two 45 caliber bullet holes in the floor, presumably for drainage. Someone also punched some huge holes on both sides of the transmission, presumably to access the bell housing bolts.
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1944 Willys MB 345964
Ex New York Naval Shipyard
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Thu Feb 16, 2023 2:23 am

Quick update on my 44 MB Navy Jeep. Finally got a rolling frame last summer and rigged up a makeshift wooden seat to drive it around the neighborhood. Everything seems to be working fine. The only squawk is a leaking steering box. Body work was finished by a friend with a lot more patience and skill than I have. He contracted a body shop friend to shoot it with my paint a few weeks ago. Started final assembly of the tub last week with the goal of having Gene back on the road this summer.

I’ve settled on finishing the jeep just as it would have looked just after the Navy acquired it from the Army and had it shipped to the Brooklyn Navy Yard from Toledo in the summer of 1944, still wearing factory applied OD and subdued hood markings. A 2” tall stencil with “USN” and Navy number “294031” had been applied by the motor pool above and below the grab handles in chrome yellow or white. Perhaps a USN on the bumperette the only evidence she was now in the Navy.

The USS Missouri had just been launched there in January and the USS Kearsarge (CV-33) was on the ways. While the war raged on in France and the Pacific that summer, 75,000 people reported to work at the Brooklyn Navy yard every day so I can imagine the motor pool was a busy place. My jeep would have been one of dozens of jeeps and official vehicles running errands for the Navy around that huge complex that summer.
Gene the Jeep
1944 Willys MB 345964
Ex New York Naval Shipyard
Georgia MVPA

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genethejeep
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Thu Feb 16, 2023 2:24 am

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Gene the Jeep
1944 Willys MB 345964
Ex New York Naval Shipyard
Georgia MVPA

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genethejeep
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Thu Feb 16, 2023 2:25 am

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cant drive a jeep without a hula girl, at least on my island
Gene the Jeep
1944 Willys MB 345964
Ex New York Naval Shipyard
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genethejeep
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by genethejeep » Thu Feb 16, 2023 2:26 am

Image
in the paint booth
Gene the Jeep
1944 Willys MB 345964
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Re: 1944 Navy MB Project

Post by 70th Division » Thu Feb 16, 2023 7:16 am

genethejeep wrote:
Thu Feb 16, 2023 2:26 am
Image
in the paint booth
Hello,

She is looking great, beautiful work !
That is a great history on your jeep, a rare discovery, that few jeep owners can claim !!
I like the hula girl, reminds us of Pearl Harbor as well :D .

Keep us posted !!

Best Regards,
Ray


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