Rally with Firepower

At first glance, the little olive drab box on wheels looks like the thousands of General Purpose small trucks — aka Jeeps — could have carried GI Joe in World War II almost 70 years ago.

Sure, the iconic seven-slat grille is absent, and canvas covers its door holes. The hood isn't as tall as the classic World War II Jeeps that scooted around battlefield in Europe and Asia. And the canvas top is just that — a sheet hooked to the top of the windshield and squared-off back, with no rear window at all.

Bob Davis' 1941 GP, delivered in January of that year by Ford, is the sixth-to-last prototype built before the U.S. Army standardized its and the Willy's version into the one we best remember. It has rounded front fenders, a shallow hood, and a simple steel fence-like grille shield up front. And it garnered tons of interest parked among dozens of its WWII-era brethren at last weekend's Military Vehicle Preservation Association Fall Rally at the Military Museum of Northeast Florida in Green Cove Springs.

"They used a Ford tractor motor and modified the distributor because it was on the front of the engine. They made put it up on a stalk," Davis said. "The only time I have ever seen pictures of them in the hands of the GIs was when they were in the Flying Tigers in China."

Quick Jeep history: In the late 1930s, the Army Quartermaster Corp. sought out bids from Ford, Willy's and Bantam for a little all-wheel-drive scout car. By 1941, there was the Ford GP, Bantam BRC and Willy’s MA, basically limited-production “prototypes” that battled it out to be the one chosen as war clouds formed overseas. The Willy's became the chosen one, with Ford brought in to build the Jeeps as well.

Davis' prototype has a period Ford truck gauge package, while its single windshield wiper on driver's side was hand-operated. There's new, old-style canvas covered front seats and a single rear seat.

Davis had some newer WWII Jeeps and decided to look for a prototype. He found one in Racine, Wisconsin, that was mostly a parts donor, then another in Conyers, Georgia, that was a bit better.

"I put both of them away for 44 years until I found somebody of doing the job of restoration, and here we are," he said.

It wasn't just Jeeps at the fall rally. Hundreds got up close to 1940s halftracks and Sherman tanks; 1990' HUMVEES and German Army Kubelwagens; a British scout car; and even a bright red 1956 Dodge M-56 Rescue Truck.

Then there were the four tanks, plus a 155-mm "Long Tom" field gun, and a tank destroyer taking to the field in a mock battle against a "German" bunker on a hill? Here's a taste of the 20-minute battle, with some major firepower in action as seen on video at youtu.be/FMtnlSnIiJQ.

When the battle was over, the "Germans" surrendered, and dozens of children (and some adults) hit the "battle" field to gather up spent brass shells.

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Dan Scanlan: (904) 359-4549