Restoration Blog Posts, 1944 GPW #208102 Jeep Restoration

Please note, I am currently copying over posts from the Facebook page: https://facebook.com/1944gpw. It’s a long slow process and seeing as there are hundreds of updates, it’s going to take a while. I’m going in order from latest posts to older posts, so as of March 2021 all of 2020-2022 are currently copied over along with 75% of 2019.

D-DAY 80th | NORMANDY 2024 – Part 3 – June 6th – Utah Beach and Sainte Marie Du Mont
July 19, 2024
D-DAY 80th | NORMANDY 2024 – Part 3 June 6th – Utah Beach and Sainte Marie Du Mont The next part of my 80th Anniversary of D-Day adventures in Normandy! This update covers the first half of the actual 80th anniversary on June 6th with the morning celebrations at Utah Beach. Then a trip over to Sainte Marie Du Mont to check out another large vehicle and reenactor encampment.…
D-DAY 80th | NORMANDY 2024 – Part 2 – Overlord Museum & Sainte-Mère-Eglise
July 07, 2024
D-DAY 80th | NORMANDY 2024 – Part 2 Overlord Museum, Sainte-Mère-Eglise, & Camp Geronimo The next part of my 80th Anniversary of D-Day adventures in Normandy! Picking up where the last update left off, we jump back into the Overlord Museum. These posts are going to be filled with lots of images and captions, so click through the photos to read the story! I plan for several weeks of these updates, so keep checking back for more.…
Happy 80th Birthday to the Jeep!
June 26, 2024
Happy 80th Birthday to the Jeep! Another major milestone was reached as the Jeep turns 80 years old, following just 20 days after the D-Day 80th anniversary!…
D-DAY 80th | NORMANDY 2024 – Part 1 – Disneyland Paris, Bayeux, & Overlord Museum
June 24, 2024
D-DAY 80th | NORMANDY 2024 – Part 1 Disneyland Paris, Normandy Arrival, & Overlord Museum I’m kicking off my multi-part series of blog updates about my adventures in Normandy, France, two weeks ago during the 80th Anniversary of D-Day! These posts are going to be filled with lots of images and captions, so click through the photos to read the story! I plan for several weeks of these updates, so keep checking back for more.…
Wings, Tracks, and Wheels 2024
June 18, 2024
Wings, Tracks, and Wheels 2024 It’s been a while since the last update, and it’s time for a long overdue BIG one! This update covers two of the largest updates for the Jeep in 2024… the Wings, Tracks, and Wheels event at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in May, and a whole bunch of issues with the Jeep that I had to overcome! This update is so large in fact, that due to Facebook’s limit on photos per post, this will be a two-part update.…
Happy Halloween 2023!
November 01, 2023
Happy Halloween! I hope everyone had a great Halloween! While there hasn’t been anything to update with the Jeep lately, I was able to pull it out and set it up for Halloween yesterday guarding my neighbor’s crashed UFO. The unfortunate Civil Defense soldier manning the crash sight seems to have gotten on the bad side of the aliens. The Ammo Crate Radio on the hood was pumping out classic 1950s Sci-Fi movie themes during the evening. Even the new 1940 Ford Deluxe project got in on the Halloween spirit with another unfortunate victim of the aliens!…
Tackling the overheating Jeep – Part 3
September 21, 2023
Tackling the overheating Jeep – Part 3 Another long gap between updates, but this is a big one and also explains the long gaps between these overheating parts! This update includes custom radiator rubber tubes, fixing the thermostat elbow corrosion, some neat GPW finds, another fire extinguisher, and taking on a huge project!…
Tackling the overheating Jeep – Part 2
August 21, 2023
Tackling the overheating Jeep – Part 2 It’s been a few weeks, but a lot has happened over that time! Here I continue the quest to fix the overheating engine with a special surprise help from a friend. Follow along as I continue to troubleshoot this ongoing issue!…
Tackling the overheating Jeep – Part 1
July 14, 2023
Tackling the overheating Jeep – Part 1 After struggling with overheating issues last week, this week I dove into trying to diagnose what the issue might be, the thermostat, the coolant, the radiator, etc. Plus taking some temperature readings and a test run without a thermostat.…
4th of July Parade and Overheating Issues
July 07, 2023
4th of July Parade and Overheating Issues For the second year in a row, I was able to participate in the Corona, CA 4th of July Parade… and this time I got to tow a WW2 Jeep Trailer (first time)! But, as I drove home, the Jeep started to overheat, so I do some digging into the issue.…
79th Birthday – June 26, 1944
June 26, 2023
HAPPY 79th BIRTHDAY TO GPW #208102! Celebrating 79 years today, having a Date of Delivery on June 26, 1944. Almost an 80-year-old gal, but she still looks pretty young!…
USAF concert and a look at Jeep books
May 27, 2023
USAF concert and a look at Jeep books I was invited to bring my Jeep to a USAF concert earlier this week in Irvine, CA. This update has a full recap of the event, plus a look at the essential ‘Jeep’ books a Jeep owner should have!…
Special Event – Wheels, Tracks, and Wings 2023
May 12, 2023
Special Event – Wheels, Tracks, and Wings 2023 After a successful event last year, I helped put on another ‘Wheels, Tracks, and Wings’ event at the Planes of Fame Air Museum! This time, we made the event much bigger, we added another day, more vehicles, more reenactors, a reenactor camp, a Sherman Tank demo, presentations all day long, and more!…
Studio Shoots & Military Show Finds
April 28, 2023
Studio Shoots & Military Show Finds A small update this month, I take a look at how I shot the studio-looking photos of the Jeep without it being in an actual studio! Then I showcase some finds at a local militaria show including another TM manual, a WW2 Jeep toy, and some wartime jeep photos!…
Latest Updates & Small Projects
March 17, 2023
Latest Updates & Small Projects A quick update for this St Patrick’s Day with the latest on the Jeep and a few small projects over the last few weeks including a fix in the engine bay, a pinup photo on the dash, and a cool find on eBay!…
Preventative Maintenance: Part 2 and more
February 10, 2023
Preventative Maintenance: Part 2 and more Here’s part 2 of preventative maintenance on a Jeep including checking fluid levels and common areas to check elsewhere on the Jeep. Also, a quick replacement of the Axe clamp turns into a huge project. Finally, a look at a recent Air Museum event, a special license plate project, and more!…
Preventative Maintenance: Part 1
January 16, 2023
Preventative Maintenance: Part 1 One thing often overlooked by Jeep owners is maintenance on their Jeeps! Here’s part 1 of preventative maintenance on a Jeep including greasing up the various spots on a Jeep and changing oil!…
Military Vehicle Event and Tire Gauge!
November 11, 2022
Military Vehicle Event and Tire Gauge! A few weekends ago Lyon Air Museum hosted their second Military Vehicle event and I took the Jeep out to the event! A full recap of the event is included in this update. And then a look at a wartime Jeep Tire Pressure Gauge with a comparison to another wartime tire gauge.…
A solution to night driving in a WW2 Jeep – Part 2
August 19, 2022
A solution to night driving in a WW2 Jeep – Part 2 Continuing the update from last week as I finish the trailer plug stop brake light! I finally finish the project… mostly, with one hiccup! Then, I acquired an actual WW2 Jeep jack (finally!) at a flea market, so I get to work restoring it and comparing it to a post-war jack.…
A solution to night driving in a WW2 Jeep – Part 1
August 12, 2022
A solution to night driving in a WW2 Jeep – Part 1 For the past few weeks I’ve been devising a quick and easy way to enhance my Jeep, in a correct one brake light configuration, with a trailer socket plug in stop light that is easy to put on and remove without changing any existing wiring on the Jeep!…
Special Update – 12 ‘O Clock High at Chino Airport
July 15, 2022
Special Update – 12 ‘O Clock High at Chino Airport In this week’s update, the Jeep visits the 918th Bomb Group at Archbury… a fun look at the shooting location for the 1964-67 TV show “12 ‘O Clock High” filmed at Chino Airport, California. I took the Jeep over to the shooting locations and documented what things look like today!…
Planes of Fame Event, Night Stop Light, & 1940s California License Plates
June 24, 2022
Planes of Fame Event, Night Stop Light, & 1940s California License Plates In this week’s update, I took the Jeep out to an event I helped put on at the Planes of Fame Air Museum which had TEN Jeeps! After a recap of the entire event, I show a new idea for safety in night-time driving. Finally, for those in California, I discuss license plates from 1940-1945 and how they changed each year.…
Grand Encampment Event, Fire Extinguisher Polishing, & updates!
June 10, 2022
Grand Encampment Event, Fire Extinguisher Polishing, & updates! In this week’s update, I took the Jeep out to The Grand Encampment held last weekend at Flabob Airport to have on display with good company of other jeeps, aircraft, and a tank! I also started work on the restoration of the early fire extinguisher including a really nice polishing, and some updates on various projects!…
Air Cleaner, Fuel Gauge Calibration, Early Fire Extinguisher, & More!
June 03, 2022
Air Cleaner Restoration, Fuel Gauge Calibration, Early Fire Extinguisher, & More! This week’s update is full of some great goodies. First, I continue work on a friend’s post-war air cleaner restoration for his Jeep. Then I get to work getting the fuel gauge to read the right fuel level. I stumbled across a nice flea market find (early Fire Extinguisher for Jeeps), and a look at some projects/events in the works for the Jeep!…
Lyon Event, Fuel Filter, Air Cleaner, & More
May 06, 2022
Lyon Event, Fuel Filter, Air Cleaner, & More This week’s update includes a trip to Lyon Air Museum with the Jeep for an event and then a photoshoot around Old Town Orange! I continue work on a friend’s Fuel Filter and start work on his Air Cleaner for a full restoration. Finally, a look at a ‘smaller’ Jeep project I’ve continued.…
TBM Avenger, Fuel Sender, & restoring a Fuel Strainer
April 15, 2022
TBM Avenger, Fuel Sender, & restoring a Fuel Strainer This week’s update includes a trip to the Planes of Fame Air Museum to see a TBM Avenger, more updates on my Fuel Sender float, some mail call items, and a complete look at how a Fuel Strainer works and restoration!…
WW2 Jack, March Field Museum, & Extras!
April 08, 2022
WW2 Jack, March Field Museum, & Extras! A new flea market find, while not a WW2 Jeep jack, it’s pretty much the same with a slightly different design! I take a look at how it works and the full restoration. I then shift focus to an ongoing Fuel Sender issue. Also, I went to the March Field Museum in Riverside and took a look at the Jeeps there.…
Fender Project complete!
March 14, 2022
Fender Project complete! It’s been nearly two months’ worth of weekend work, but the whole ordeal with replacing the repro fender with the repaired original GPW fender is complete, including having to deal with a total realignment of the body tub! This update includes a recent update on the Jeep restoration as a whole, and getting an original push/pull switch tag!…
Fender vs Body Tub
March 04, 2022
Fender vs Body Tub Last month I started the process of repairing my original GPW passenger fender to replace the temporary reproduction fender. With the welding and overall repairing done, it was time to swap the fenders… but things didn’t go as planned making what should have been a small project into a two-month project requiring a complete realignment of the body tub!…
Fender Work Begins, Jeep History, and more!
January 28, 2022
Fender Work Begins, Jeep History, and more! Now that the holidays have passed, I have been able to get a start on my next big project which is repairing the original passenger fender! This is part one of what will be several parts during the repair and install. I also found some new history on my Jeep! Plus I started a new side project!…