A woman who’s motored into a man’s world to make cars her passion is parting with a prized wartime Jeep – and it could make £30,000 at auction.
Lyn, 62, a retired motor auction manager from Stoke, is selling a classic military vehicle built during the Second World War – a 1942 Willys Jeep 4 x 4. And it will be hard to say goodbye because she bought it ‘for the sheer love of driving it’ – plus it turns heads!
“One man asked permission to photograph it while I was loading it up with my shopping at Tesco,” said Lyn. “It’s been much admired by people of all ages and all walks of life. It’s visited the beaches of Normandy in France, attended charity events, car shows, car cruises and car meets, and it’s been used to visit family or for trips to eat out.”
Lyn’s Jeep will go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on June 30 together with spares, receipts, war department, technical and WW2 manuals and a new black period steering wheel. Thanks to its excellent restored condition, the vehicle has a guide price of £25,000-£30,000.
Anyone keen to bid can rest assured it’s been in the best possible hands because not only has Lyn got knowledge worthy of a Wheeler Dealers TV presenter, she’s a dab hand with a set of spanners and can weld.
“I can service cars and do most jobs,” said Lyn, whose everyday run-around is an orange Ford Ranger. “I’ve done the suspension on a Ford Capri and changed shock absorbers, brake pads and tyres. I passed my driving test at 17 and my first car was a Mini van. In our family, if you had a nice car you had to learn how to look after it.
“I worked in the motor trade for nearly 30 years starting in 1984. In 1999 I took over as manager of a family firm, Newcastle Motor Auctions in Newcastle under Lyme. I’ve always been a woman in a man’s world.
“I bought the Jeep in 2015 because I’d always liked them. It took me many months and miles to find it. The previous owner, a joiner by trade, had carried out a ground-up restoration which was completed in 2009. He’d previously restored two other Jeeps. This was his third and funds were needed to complete the final restoration of number four.
“I was told the engine has been rebuilt by a gentleman who’d worked on Spitfire engines and that, during the rebuild, he lightened and balanced the engine. I had no reason to doubt this due to the way it ran, the colour of the oil and primarily because my husband had spent many years as an engineer rebuilding and re-engineering motor vehicle engines.
“There was no history of the restoration available. We visited JEEPARTS UK LTD, based in Shrewsbury at the time, for parts and to find out if they knew about this particular Jeep. They did. They told us the previous owner, who had been active in the Military Vehicle Trust, would either leave receipts behind or throw them away as he left. However, they also confirmed that expense had not been an issue for him and each restoration had been carefully and thoroughly completed.
“I’ve had great fun driving the Jeep for the last seven years. I am only parting with it because it’s time for something new. I wouldn’t hesitate to turn the key, start it up and set off on a journey in it, regardless of distance. I hope its news owner gets as much enjoyment out of it as I have.”
Steve Fulford, valuer at Hansons Auctioneers, said: “The exceptional condition of this Jeep makes it a rare find. It’s 80 years old and still going strong. Any buyer can rest assured that the car has been cared for by a family with immense vehicle knowledge. It’s ready for its next journey and would be a great investment for any collector.”
Historical importance of Willys Jeep
The Willys MB and the Ford GPW, commonly known as Willys Jeep, was the world’s first mass-produced light four-wheel drive car.
The highly successful American off-road light military utility vehicle was built in large numbers for the United States and Allied forces in the Second World War from 1941 to 1945.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe in WW2, said most senior officers regarded it as one of the five pieces of equipment most vital to success in Africa and Europe. General George Marshall, Chief of Staff of the US Army during the war, said the vehicle was ‘America’s greatest contribution to modern warfare’.
In 1991, the MB Jeep was designated an ‘International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark’ by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
The 1942 Willys Jeep 4 x 4 will be offered in Hansons Auctioneers’ Fine Art Auction on June 30. It is available to view ahead of the auction at Geoff Cox, 122 Derby Road, Denby Village, near Ripley, Derbyshire. To book an appointment or find out more, email Steve Fulford: [email protected] or [email protected]. Alternatively, call 01283 733988.
To browse the June 30 Fine Art Auction catalogue (due live June 23), please visit catalogue/bidding platform www.hansonslive.co.uk. You can also bid and browse at www.the-saleroom.com
