Nigel Hay’s round-up of the military vehicle market
Jeep sales calmed in June, which could be due to the fact that owners are actually out enjoying them in the sunnier weather. The exception was a GPW that fetched a staggering €62,000 (including fees) at an auction in Normandy during D-Day week. We had seen the asking price of Jeeps fall slightly to around £26,000 for a really nice one, so this came up as a huge surprise. However, there has been movement in the market elsewhere, with plenty coming up for sale. At €39,000, an early World War Two Opel Blitz 1.5- tonne Mannschaftswagen was offered. This contrasts with a pair of 1958 Borgward B2000’s at £12,500, ideal for re-enactments and TV work.
Military Classic Vehicles offered an “easy” Priest M7 project at €180,000. If that sounds like a lot, bear in mind that there are very few Priests in private hands and all of the hard work has already been done before. A pair of Acmats for restoration at €10,000 seemed realistic and they are nice looking vehicles.
They are a mix of an M715 Kaiser Jeep and the Dodge 37. Fairly rare in the UK, these French made vehicles were also used by the Irish Army. The highest priced Ferret this season came in at £25,000. It’s a MK2/3 model and is fully equipped with working radios. It is way too good to be bought for use in Ukraine for the war. Ex-military Harley Davidson WLAs consistently fetch good money and we had had four for sale between £21,000 and £26,000, the most expensive being a high end restoration that “just needs finishing”.
