What did the military pay for Jeeps?

53Jeep · Post by **53Jeep** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:11 pm

Anyone have any information on what the military paid for Jeeps during the various years? And for the different models (MB, GPW, M38, M38A1, etc.).

I found one web site that said "In 1941 the Army paid $740 each for the first Jeeps".

Also what did the military sell Jeeps for at surplus auctions? I've heard of someone's father buying a railroad boxcar of new Jeeps for $5000 back in 1946.

PeteL · Post by **PeteL** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:33 am

Wow - here we go! Everyone has heard of the $50 Jeeps, still packed in Cosmoline, or the warehouses full of them discovered in Guam, etc.

I have a lot of fun when people ask me about my '53 M38A1C, saying I answered one of those "surplus" ads in the back of Popular Mechanics and all I had to do was wipe the cosmoline off and put air in the tires... Everyone wants a military Jeep, but somehow they rapidly lose interest when I disclose they are widely available for half the price of an ATV.

Anyway, at the risk of starting a bull session, here is a true story...

In 1945/46 my father was an officer on a LSM (landing ship,medium) in Japan. I have pictures of him and his Jeep in the ruins of Hiroshima.

One of their jobs during the Occupation, after Japan's surrender, was dumping excess Jeeps into the ocean, by the shipload.

He took one back to San Francisco, then when discharged from the Navy began driving it home to the East Coast. Somewhere around about Chicago he was challenged, and lost the Jeep and was nearly court-martialed. Trying to explain that the Navy was throwing them away probably didn't help much.

It was over twenty years later before he managed to buy a worn-out CJ5, and he was still upset about losing the first one. I was sixteeen, and I've been driving Jeeps ever since. My Dad had a Jeep YJ when he died this year.

I think many surplus vehicles were sold or given to foreign governments. In this country some surplus Jeeps were "loaned" to Fire Departments, Civil Air Patrol, etc. I bought mine from a CAP auction for $1300 in 1986.

Pete

Post by **wesk** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 9:07 am

the number I recall for the M38 was around $2400.

easters17 · Post by **easters17** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 3:11 pm

I dont know the price of Jeeps originally but have a look at this link and you can see what it cost us over here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4970720.stm

Now that is what I call a debt well worth having

Powermwt · Post by **Powermwt** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:47 am

I have an invoice from the Navy (Disposal Branch) out of Port Hueneme, California dated 9-21-53 for three jeeps sold as surplus.

Willys, 1942, MB $429.01
Willys, 1944, MB $325.91
Ford, 1943, GPW $375.91

There is also a letter from the Navy to the new owner replying to the concerns on the registration fees needed paying based on the on the price paid, not the year or condition… basically saying he needed to take the issue up with the DMV.

As far as new GPWs, there is a whole article in AAW #1 that goes into detail on how much the GP and GPW cost the Government... varied from around $1000 down to $ 815 less $50 if payment was made within 30 days.