In anticipation of the United States providing backing and military supplies to allied forces engaged in World War II, automotive manufacturers Ford, Willys-Overland, and Bantam all submitted designs for a light and sturdy four-wheel-drive reconnaissance vehicle in 1940. Surprisingly, the Bantam version was best received; however, the United States Army Quartermasters could see that Bantam did not have the financial strength or manufacturing capacity to produce the quantities demanded by the military. An initial order for 1,500 from each manufacturer quickly followed and, after further evaluation, the Willys product was selected. The Army, however, proposed awarding the contract to Ford based upon its much larger production capacity.

The Army felt the Jeep showed capabilities and adaptability much greater than its original concept as a reconnaissance car and would be needed in far greater quantities than the few thousand originally contemplated. It was only due to the intervention of former GM Manufacturing Chief Lieutenant General William S. Knudsen, in his role as Head of War Production, that the Willys version was chosen and the first production contract granted. Still, Ford received a massive 277,896-unit order. The resulting Ford-built Jeeps were designated GPW for “General Purpose Willys”.

The example offered here will no doubt appeal to military collectors and enthusiasts. Finished in army green with appropriate livery, the Ford GPW is accompanied by many relevant military accessories including axes, hard cases, shovel, tow rope, and a turret machine. The 4x4 is known to have been registered in the Netherlands in 1996, and soon after joined the Den Hartogh Ford Museum—at that point one of the largest Ford collections in the world. Acquired by The Dean Kronsbein Collection (alongside its accompanying matching-colour trailer) when the museum disbanded in 2018, the Ford was proudly kept alongside other period 4x4s in the consignor’s carefully curated garage. A symbol of American ingenuity and war spirit prosperity, the Ford GPW would be an asset to any other grouping of similar cars.