Dj wrote:
>.....Interested in your blue paint idea. Was this done at the factory?
The Blue Drab US registration numbers were applied at the factory. In
the case of the Ford GPW's, the numbers were allotted by the contracts and
great care was taken to insure the numbers applied were checked and double
checked so that no number was used twice. (This did happen at least once.
USA # 20599619 was applied to GPW # 252284 and 252227 in 1945. This mistake
was caught and GPW # 252227 was given USA # 20380065.).
Some units were produced that did not have numbers such as units taken
from production for the Navy. When this happened the numbers that would
have been applied to these jeeps were sent back to the Accounting Dept. for
reuse at a later time.
> Was this
>discontinued before we went over seas?
I do not have hard data on when/if the change to white came about at
the factories. It would have been much later in the war.
>The reason I ask, is from the many photos I have reviewed from European
>theater
>the vehicles appear to have white reg numbers.
It must be remembered that many jeeps (and other MV's) were repainted
within a year or so of their date of delivery. The Lusterless Olive Drab
paint used by the military had a life span of about a year when outside.
The vehicles were usually re-painted when the paint would become faded or
became shiny. Photos that show numbers having web "breaks" or spaces in
them are not factory applied ones.
> Also, my 42 has 4 inch white reg
>numbers on the hood, invasions stare in the hood complete with orange chemical
>detection paint, and a bar code on the driver's side rear corner.
When new this GPW had Blue Drab numbers. By the time of the invasion
it most likely had been repainted at least once before the stars were
applied. When numbers are found on hoods it must be remembered that the
hood may have been replaced sometime in the vehicle's life and the number
may not be the original one. Also, the hood may have been replaced with a
new one during a repair or rebuild and may have a correct number but in a
non factory color or style. On early production GPW and MB's (and
GP/MA/BRC) there was a third USA number (in Blue Drab) on the back panel
above the "script" that, if found, will verify the originality of the hood
number.
Also, if the hood numbers are not "solid" and has spaces it was not the
original numbers applied.
The color of your chemical detection paint is interesting. I have
observed color photos of this paint and compared them to the original can
of this paint I have and the color is a "pinkish".
If I haven't already told you the factory that built this GPW I can do
so if you send me the vehicle number and the USA number.
Jim
NOTE NEW ADDRESS----NOTE NEW ADDRESS---NOTE NEW ADDRESS------AS OF
JANUARY 4, 2001---------
Jim Gilmore
13 Broadway 3rd floor
Jim Thorpe, PA. 18229
570-325-5216 phone
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