Painting Marine Corps jeep

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gpwmke
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Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by gpwmke » Mon Nov 01, 2021 5:45 pm

Doing a tribute jeep for uncle who served in Marine Corps. Using a late 42 gpw. Would it be correct to paint the body tub in and out as well as exposed surfaces of fenders and hood Marine green but leave engine compartment and chassis as OD. Basically an in the field paint job?


pgcf
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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by pgcf » Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:26 pm

Yes, that's what they would have done.

Semper Fi,
Peter
Last edited by pgcf on Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

gpwmke
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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by gpwmke » Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:30 pm

Thanks.

pgcf
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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by pgcf » Mon Nov 01, 2021 8:03 pm

An added note, the USMC number would have been yellow and 6 digits, there are samples from Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Not sure where your uncle served.

Also, they would have probably only painted the front side of the wheels except the spare. This would have gotten both sides since they had to remove it to paint the jeep.

Same goes for the seats, etc. They would paint around the cushions and not the undersides, same goes for the data plates, etc.

Just put yourself in the mind of the war time Marine that is painting 100 pieces of rolling stock for the next operation. There is not one answer so make it to your standards and enjoy.

Good luck on your tribute.

Peter

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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by The Fireman » Tue Nov 02, 2021 5:20 am

gpwmike,

When I restored the matching numbers 43 GPW Ambulance Jeep, body on restoration. I shot the exterior of the body, the interior of the body, seat frames, the exterior of the frame, the windshield, the superstructure, the spare tire bracket, the combat tire rims and the top and maybe the underside of the hood USMC Forest Green.
In other words, if the spray gun could reach it, I shot the paint on it.

However, the original TAC markings on the front grill were masked over and not repainted. The original USMC registration numbers were repainted in their original locations as well as the original TAC markings on the front of the windshield panel.

The ambulance jeep restoration can be viewed at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Triangle Virginia. Also if you do a search you may see some photos of the jeep as well on the internet or pick up an old copy of Army Motors #127 in which the Ambulance Jeep was featured on the cover with the restoration story within the magazine.

That is what I remember, but there maybe some things I missed in my statements.

Hope helps,

The Fireman
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pgcf
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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by pgcf » Thu Nov 04, 2021 6:14 am

Frank did an awesome job with his very original GPW ambulance and did it justice. His point of spraying everything that showed is spot on. The Marines would not have taken it apart to paint it.

I've seen Frank's jeep when he still owned it as well as at the Marine Corps Museum, it is a fantastic jeep.

Semper Fi,
Peter

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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by Mark Tombleson » Thu Nov 04, 2021 11:41 am

I remember my father stating lots of Army jeeps were painted USMC green with a brush!
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pgcf
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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by pgcf » Fri Nov 05, 2021 4:41 am

We did the same thing in the 80's and that's how I applied the camouflage to my NOM Contract that I just showed at the 2021 Convention.

Semper Fi,
Peter

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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by The Fireman » Mon Nov 08, 2021 11:23 am

Peter,

Thank you for the kind words about the restoration of the original USMC ambulance jeep. It was both labor of love with some frustration mixed in to stir the pot.

Mark T also did a fabulous job on his original USMC radio jeep restoration. I remember when we were at the Convention in Portland back in 2008. We both did well in our showing.

Semper Fi,

Frank
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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by Frank USMC » Tue Nov 09, 2021 12:49 pm

I am with the Fireman on this if it is going to be a Marine jeep from the factory, everything is painted Marine green. Someone back in the 1980s wrote in one of the magazines that they found NOS combat rims that were painted Marine Green, and they had a different stock number than a regular combat rim.
A few hours early, but a Happy 246th Birthday to all my Marine brothers out there.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

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Re: Painting Marine Corps jeep

Post by pgcf » Wed Nov 10, 2021 5:23 am

As Mark T has stated numerous times, if the whole part is Forest Green it is part of a Marine Contract. If only part of it is painted over OD then it was acquired by, or reissued to, the Marines.

Forest Green was always a different part number than OD in the Willys inventory.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEVIL DOGS!
Peter


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