Nigel Hay’s round-up of the military vehicle market
Just when we thought Jeep prices were back to being affordable, a Ford GPW was offered in Poland at an optimistic €48,000, drawing many comments and much debate online. It is a very nice example, but at nearly double the asking price of many ready-to-rally wartime Jeeps, it’s hard to see where the extra value lies. Milweb had a couple of wartime Jeeps at less than £18,000 this month, offering an entry level for potential collectors. What we are suddenly seeing is some later Jeep models coming up for sale at higher prices – an M151 A2 Mutt at £28,000 balanced by a couple of M38A1s at £13,500 each.
But the real Jeep news this month is the offering by Canada-based Willys Acres of a 1953 M38A1 CDN with royal provenance. It was specially built for the Canadian Centennial held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, for Queen Elizabeth’s inspection of the troops on July 5, 1967. With an asking price of $20,000, it is a very interesting and unique example. Vehicles with irrefutable royal provenance certainly have an appeal and this one could be a good investment. Perhaps it will be restored to its ceremonial splendour and end up in a museum?
