Willys MB goes for $10,000 at Shannons MotorEx auction

Nicely restored, this C1942 example was originally sourced out of Clark AFB, the massive US Air Force base in the Philippines, and was shipped to Australia in 2007. Already partly refurbished before shipping, the restoration was completed here. As part of the restoration process new wheels, tyres, brakes and a new-old stock interior were fitted.

The Willys came with some receipts and NSW registration until May 2012. Offered at no reserve, the relative bargain price of $10,000 for a genuine WWII Jeep was explained by the fact the Jeep had a damaged engine, identified by the vendor as having water in the #1 cylinder.

The Willys sale came on the back of a pair of military offroaders, in the form of a Ferret reconnaissance vehicle and Saracen APC, being consigned for Shannons Melbourne Motor Show auction in July. At that auction, the ex-British Army Ferret sold for $45,000, while the Saracen, also ex-British Army, was passed in.