Restored Ford Jeep used by King George VI could sell at auction for £45k
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Next month, a 1942 Ford Jeep with royal connections will go under the hammer.
The vehicle was used by King George VI on a visit to RAF Chelveston in Northamptonshire during World War II.
After being painstakingly restored, the vehicle will be offered to the highest bidder, and experts predicted it could sell for up to £45,000 when it goes to the block in February.
From morale booster to money maker, this 1942 Ford Jeep was used by King George VI on a visit to an RAF base during WWII. Now restored, it will be sold at auction for around £45,000
The military off-roader will be on display at Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro Classic Car sale in Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on February 25.
The Ford GPW Jeep used by the US military was the sister vehicle to the Willys MB Jeep and the machines had interchangeable parts. The ‘W’ in the GPW name is a reference to the licensed ‘Willys’ design.
Ford produced some 277,878 units during World War II, slightly less than the Willys version (348,849) between 1941 and 1945.
Equipped with a four-cylinder petrol engine and a three-speed manual gearbox, the Jeep was not what you would call fast, but the ideal lightweight all-terrain vehicle for transporting troops through difficult landscapes.
Still, this has a somewhat famous history, as it was used to transport His Majesty King George VI and US General Carl A. Spaatz, Commander of the Strategic Air Forces in Europe, for a visit to RAF Chelveston on 14 November 1942.
During the visit, His Majesty spoke to the Liberators and Forts crews and inspected the aircraft.
The military off-roader will be on display at Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro Classic Car sale in Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on February 25
The Ford GPW Jeep, used by the US military, was the sister vehicle to the Willys MB Jeep. The two had interchangeable parts
Photographs and certificates sold with the vehicle show it was used by His Majesty King George VI and US General Carl A. Spaatz at RAF Chelveston on 14 November 1942
The image shows King George VI getting out of the Ford Jeep during the visit to Northamptonshire Air Force Base, which was used by the US Air Force to store its bombers
The airfield was used by the 301st and then the 305th Bombardment Groups flying the four-engined Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber.
Chelveston Aerodrome was originally opened in August 1941 by the Air Ministry for use as a wartime RAF base.
The site was large enough to accommodate three airstrips, which were laid out in the then standard RAF triangular format.
However, RAF Chelveston, known as Station 105, was used by the United States Air Force (USAAF) from 6 December 1942 to 25 July 1945 for bomber operations over German-occupied Europe.
According to a registered certificate, the Jeep retains its matching engine and chassis numbers with many other components confirmed by the seller as original equipment
It even comes with period features including a heavy rope, ax and shovel, as well as a bow-mounted fire extinguisher
It is expected to be sold at the classic car auction in Warwickshire next month for a price between £35,000 and £45,000
The Jeep now carries US serial number 20118614 and UK registration number PXS 475
The ‘remarkably well restored’ vehicle has chassis number 45259 and was shipped in crates to Bristol in the summer of 1942.
According to a certificate on file, it shows that today the Jeep retains its matching engine and chassis numbers with many other components confirmed by the seller as original equipment.
In addition, it has covered only 18,550 miles in its 80-year life.
The historic military vehicle has been subject to a thorough, detailed and documented thorough restoration to a simply sublime standard and bears US serial number 20118614 and UK registration number PXS 475.
It even comes with period features, including a heavy rope, ax and shovel, as well as a bow-mounted fire extinguisher.
It is expected to sell for the auction next month for a winning bid in the region of £35,000 to £45,000.
Equipped with a four-cylinder petrol engine and a three-speed manual gearbox, the Jeep was not what you would call fast, but the ideal lightweight all-terrain vehicle for transporting troops through difficult landscapes
Every detail of the vehicle has been restored to how it originally would have been
As the odometer shows, the vehicle has covered only 18,550 miles in its 80-year life
Silverstone Auctions said: ‘Accompanying the Jeep is the aforementioned history file with fascinating documentation outlining the provenance of this historic Jeep, including current V5C registration papers ready for transfer or export, photographic evidence of the Jeep used during the royal visit , a Norfolk Military Vehicle Group inspection report, detailed receipts for restoration work, various transfer receipts, and written records of the vehicle’s history.
In summary, this is a great opportunity to own a fine example of an iconic military jeep with a rather interesting history.
“Definitely on-the-button, 20118614 would be great fun to use, a fantastic addition to any collection and well received at any classic car or military vehicle event.”
The Jeep will be auctioned alongside another classic off-roader with royal connections.
Also available at the same event is a 1953 Series I 4X4 originally delivered to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral that year.
It was recently restored – with some help from King Charles – before being used to lead a Land Rover parade at its anniversary celebrations last year.
While the pre-sale estimate predicts a winning bid in the region of £100,000 to £150,000, recent sales of royal-owned cars suggest it could go for much more.
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