Ever since going with my dad to military events and seeing them, I have always wanted to have a military jeep and restore it. Our family has long line of military service.
My grandpa used to build B17 propellers in Arden Hills during WWII. My other grandpa served in WWII in the navy. My dad would service 33 years in the National Guard. I would serve 6. My brother is a graduate of West Point, currently serving. My uncle who served in National Guard as well. I have several cousins who have served and are serving.
I would like to preserve the military service of all by having the ability to restore a Jeep where people can get up and personal, climb, sit, and ride on. Often times I see these at shows and people are not allowed to touch. I get that, but I want mine to be an actual item people can touch and tell me stories of themselves or their family members about what the Jeep did for them.
These are time pieces that people can see and be u p close and personal to those that have served in our military. Veteran's can tell there stories of what they say and did in the service, but without the equipment they used, it would be really difficult to be where we are today.
In the future all we will have to remember people who served is the memories of the Veteran's from recordings and films. While vehicles is properly maintained and operated can keep there stories told for generations to come.
After doing some research and talking to several military jeep restoration folks, I have settled on the M38A1. This will help me keep the cost down as they are not as popular as the flat fenders.
My plan is not to have a "museum piece" but be able drive it around, and show people this is what our service members drove to get the job done.
I want to be able to take people out on rides on roads and offloads like they did when it was a service vehicles. I want to be able to show people what the jeep was capable of back in the day before we had all the fancy equipment vehicles now have.
Simpler times to fix and maintain, while at the same time the ruggedness, and the fact it last 50+ years later. Still being used and remembering those before me you have used it to defend our Freedom.
The jeeps are longest serving vehicle from WWII to Vietnam. As time passes finding one is hard, and becomes more and more expensive to get one every year.
My goal is to work with a local vender who has three for sale currently on his site. This company is known world wide for vehicle restoration. I would like to buy a jeep from him, cost for the jeep is $4,000. The problem is I don't have a welder or room to remove the tub to replace metal and paint. This will be an expense I'm trying to fund for as well.
As time goes on, finding vehicles to restore is harder and harder to come by. Like our veterans who have served, if we don't preserve what is left with the stories they can tell, we may loose them over time never to be told.
I want to keep the story of the Jeep alive, and to hear the stories from those who drove them and what the Jeep did for them while in service. The M38A1 is the shortest lifespan of all the Jeeps used, but they were used heavily in Korea and the start of Vietnam.
Please help me support my cause of owning a piece of history to remember our past, and for all of those who have served, and enjoy of being a proud Willys Jeep owner. Thank you.
My goal would to be have this done this spring or summer, but the reality is with our economic situation on all people, I want to run my funding page for as long as possible. If I get want I need earlier, I will end my fundrazr.
Along with the funding, if you have stories, I would love to hear them. Thank you again for all those who have served, currently serving, and who have helped fund this project.
