WW2 jeeps in civilian use and other vehicles on British roads 1950's

[Royal42]

I hope the title says it all as I am looking for details of any jeeps that might have found their way into civilian use, especially to be seen on British roads.  Can anyone provide details and images please?  I would like to add a civilian painted one to a diorama setting.

cheers,
Mike

 

Edit:  the header has been changed to include other road vehicles that can be found on British roads mid to late 1950's.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Royal42

[PhilJ W]

Back in the mid/late 50's our window cleaner ran two wartime jeeps. One was fitted with a crude 'home made' woody estate car body with hardboard panels painted white with the external wood frame picked out in black. The other was as 'demobbed' only painted in a red oxide colour. This he used in the summer months with the windscreen folded flat and his ladders on the passenger (RH) side.

[Mike Harvey]

I had a beaten up old pedal car jeep in the early1950s. My Dad gave it a snazzy maroon paint job. Never saw a real one locally. The pedal car was passed along to subsequent generations but eventually went to the scrap yard.

[Royal42]

I wonder if he painted it up to match an actual version he had seen?  I have a jeep model and I really would like to add it to my diorama, mid-1950's, but I've never seen a picture of a civilian one in other than the green/olive drab.

 

Mike

[PhilJ W]

There was a book on the Jeep published by Warnes in the 1970,s that covered post war conversions. That included extended wheelbase conversions (often to fit an Austin A40 pick-up body) and a forward control version. Copies are available, from about £3 for the softback version. (so ignore the £109:50 price).

 https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780723212645/Jeep-Olyslager-Auto-Library-0723212643/plp

 

[kitpw]

Try Googling "willys jeep 1960":  there are dozens of images of original service jeeps and various conversions.  There was also the Austin Champ which was bigger and heavier with a RR motor and an exotic gear arrangement - I think it was 6 forward and a separate forward/reverse gearbox, so 6 in reverse as well and 2 or 4 wheel drive.  I think there was a Long Range Desert Group model that included a Willys jeep - I don't recall the scale but on here somebody will!

[PhilJ W]

12 minutes ago, kitpw said:

Try Googling "willys jeep 1960":  there are dozens of images of original service jeeps and various conversions.  There was also the Austin Champ which was bigger and heavier with a RR motor and an exotic gear arrangement - I think it was 6 forward and a separate forward/reverse gearbox, so 6 in reverse as well and 2 or 4 wheel drive.  I think there was a Long Range Desert Group model that included a Willys jeep - I don't recall the scale but on here somebody will!

The long range desert group kit was from Matchbox and to 1/76 (00) scale but is of a much modified version so not suitable for post war civvy use. Matchbox did produce another jeep with a Morris truck and anti-tank gun. Airfix also produced a jeep kit but like Matchbox came with another larger model in this case a Buffalo landing craft. Fujimi made a jeep kit in 1/76 scale and in various combinations of other vehicles. The one to watch out for is the one with the cargo trailer and Indian motorbike. The Fujimi model also has an opening hood (bonnet) and detailed engine. The best one is the Fujimi version, its not fiddly to build despite the opening bonnet as the chassis, engine and axles are moulded in one piece which actually makes it easier to build. 

[JZ]

FWIW, there was one that was regularly parked in the station car park at Keynsham before this present situation. Pretty sure the owner used it as his/her day car when the weather permitted. It was in US Army colours.

[kitpw]

I just remebered this RMweb thread from Wenlock which shows the building of a Tamiya 1:35 scale willys jeep (with SAS crew) - it's the one I was thinking of as my son built one years ago.

 

[JZ]

Jeeps were produced by both Willys and Ford using the same drawings. The easy way to spot the difference is the grill. Willys have 7 slots, something that continues with todays Jeep brand and the Fords had 9. Production was about 55/45 in favour of Willys.

 

While on the subject.

Edited June 12, 2021 by JZ

[phil_sutters]

All the ones I can find in my files are in military colours. I did find a bright pink one in the U.S.of A. online line, but I guess that's not what you want!

[Royal42]

Thanks all.  I do have a model already.  I am looking for an image of a jeep in civvy colours out and about on the streets of Britain in the 1950's.  I realise that there weren't many colour photo's around in those days so black & white images would do, if you come across any.  If not, then I shall probably paint mine either in light green or light blue although I think those were seen in the U.S.

 

cheers,
Mike

[nick_bastable]

Callam  drove one in the later series of All Creatures  I assume it was fairly authentic from memory army olive 

 

 

Nick B

[PhilJ W]

I doubt that they would have still carried the pick and shovel or the jerrycan after demob.

[phil_sutters]

Here's a red one  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284320317150?hash=item4232cfbede:g:hSsAAOSwnNFgnhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284320317150?hash=item4232cfbede:g:hSsAAOSwnNFgnYrOYrO

and a yellow one

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/classifieds/cars-vans-for-sale/sap/8YzZpS6mqiO1N8NsyYDv5Q?slot=1

found trawling through military surplus sales.

Edited June 12, 2021 by phil_sutters

[PhilJ W]

Thats very similar to the colour of the one I mentioned earlier used by the window cleaner.

[Royal42]

1 hour ago, phil_sutters said:

Here's a red one  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284320317150?hash=item4232cfbede:g:hSsAAOSwnNFgnhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284320317150?hash=item4232cfbede:g:hSsAAOSwnNFgnYrOYrO

and a yellow one

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/classifieds/cars-vans-for-sale/sap/8YzZpS6mqiO1N8NsyYDv5Q?slot=1

found trawling through military surplus sales.

The yellow one doesn't look very 1950's at all but that red would looks as if it wouldn't look out of place then.  I think I shall go for that colour, thanks.

 

Mike

Edited June 12, 2021 by Royal42

[PhilJ W]

The yellow one is a post-war Jeep CJ with a one piece windscreen.

 

[PatB]

I suspect that, in austerity, post-war Britain, most demobbed military vehicles would remain in their original colours with any insignia removed or painted out. Any that did get a coat of civilian paint would likely be either whatever could be had surplus (so still military/naval colours), or something from Woolworths' range of gloss. So black, white, forest green, bright red or royal blue, basically. 

[fodenway]

The AA had quite a few of them, also modelled in 1/76 by Oxford Diecast. Watch the film "Helldrivers", one was used by the fictional firm Hawletts. Farmers were keen to get hold of them, as were small garage owners, particularly in remote rural areas. My uncle had one as his garage runabout on the North York Moors in the early fifties and always said it was the best £15 he'd ever spent.

[Royal42]

I agree on lots of people wanting ex-WD stock and by the mid-1950's people were coming out of the austere period.  This photo, which is the time frame and place my dio is based on, was taken in 1955 and most of the cars parked in the street are not austere types.  As such, I would expect some owners, or their sons, would want to give their aging jeep a fresh look.

 

 

Incidently, I would be grateful if anyone could tell me the make and version of those vehicles in view please.

 

Mike

Edited June 13, 2021 by Royal42

[Fat Controller]

2 hours ago, fodenway said:

The AA had quite a few of them, also modelled in 1/76 by Oxford Diecast. Watch the film "Helldrivers", one was used by the fictional firm Hawletts. Farmers were keen to get hold of them, as were small garage owners, particularly in remote rural areas. My uncle had one as his garage runabout on the North York Moors in the early fifties and always said it was the best £15 he'd ever spent.

As late as the mid/late 1960s, I knew someone who used one at Port Eynon, on the Gower, as a run-about, and to move boats about. It was easy to identify, as it came with an attendant horde of 10 year old would-be David Stirlings. 

 

[PhilJ W]

8 hours ago, PatB said:

I suspect that, in austerity, post-war Britain, most demobbed military vehicles would remain in their original colours with any insignia removed or painted out. Any that did get a coat of civilian paint would likely be either whatever could be had surplus (so still military/naval colours), or something from Woolworths' range of gloss. So black, white, forest green, bright red or royal blue, basically. 

Anyone got a Valspar colour chart?

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Royal42 said:

I agree on lots of people wanting ex-WD stock and by the mid-1950's people were coming out of the austere period.  This photo, which is the time frame and place my dio is based on, was taken in 1955 and most of the cars parked in the street are not austere types.  As such, I would expect some owners, or their sons, would want to give their aging jeep a fresh look.

 

 

Incidently, I would be grateful if anyone could tell me the make and version of those vehicles in view please.

 

Mike

Nearest is an Austin Atlantic, then what I think is a Wolsely, Austin 8 or 10, Riley Pathfinder?, Hillman Minx, Jag Mk. VII. Metropolitan, FordsonE83W van, unidentifiable, Ford Zephyr Mk. II, another Fordson E83W.

[Allegheny1600]

Hi,

My parents lived in central Derbyshire from the mid to late fifties, just outside a small village called Windley.
They, later, we lived up a farm track between two farms, right in the middle of nowhere really and the farmer at the end of our track had such a Jeep.

 I always remember my dad telling the story of when this farmer got his tractor and trailer stuck in a muddy field - he simply went and got the Jeep and it pulled the lot free. They were very capable little things, apparently.