Myth...

[Geonovast]

I heard this from a guy at work who heard from a WWII veteran.

 

Apparently, back in 1942, they use to pack WWII Jeeps in 55 gallon drums, part by part, sealed in a thick grease. They'd ship them overseas, and the G.I.s would put them together on downtime. He also said that you can still purchase these trucks, still packed in grease, for somewhere between $50 and $200, plus shipping.

 

Has anyone heard of this? The only website I've seen with any info on it said it was a Myth.

 

If it's true, it would be a fun project to put together.

[Confedneck]

don't know about that, but a couple years back you could order XJs RHD in crates to assemble, had to buy all the rubber seperate though

[LocoJeeper]

I've heard the "crate" story a bunch of times, but for the the most parts it's a myth (apparently once every couple of years someone will come across a crated WWII jeep ready to assemble).

 

never heard the "barrel" story though.

[CEThomas]

Everything I have ever seen in photos or war footage showes Jeeps leaving the factory assembled and loaded on ships RTD or with the tires packed on top in a open crate the Jeep was in. :???:

[Wildman]

The story I heard back in '76 was the Jeeps packed in grease, in a crate, some where in PA, and the guy was selling them for $75, So my friend and I ordered 20 of them, you had to buy at least 10 I think, and we waited, and waited, and still waiting for the order to be delivered :cry:

 

We had the truck all lined up, and had the cash to buy them. But the order never came thru. Now this was long before this crazy computer thing, so what do you think.........

 

Yea, big myth.

 

But, here's a page you might be able to find them on ;)

 

http://www.govliquidation.com/index.html

 

Note: this is putting Charles meter to the test :D

[a1awind]

the story i heard was,

 

Shortly after the surplus jeeps were sold off, scam artist would appear (mostly near shipping depots) and spread word that the jeeps would be sold at the depot on this day (for $50- $75 depending on who is telling it)

the scam artisit would have crates stacked up and a helper planted in the crowd. while running his game the helper would act as a heckler. the helper would yell "how do we know there are jeeps in those crates?" and the scammer would invite the helper to pick a crate to be opened. Of course the helper would pick the one and only crate with a jeep in it. the rest of the people would then be sold a crate of scrap metal for their hard earned cash.

[MiNi Beast]

the story i heard was,

 

Shortly after the surplus jeeps were sold off, scam artist would appear (mostly near shipping depots) and spread word that the jeeps would be sold at the depot on this day (for $50- $75 depending on who is telling it)

the scam artisit would have crates stacked up and a helper planted in the crowd. while running his game the helper would act as a heckler. the helper would yell "how do we know there are jeeps in those crates?" and the scammer would invite the helper to pick a crate to be opened. Of course the helper would pick the one and only crate with a jeep in it. the rest of the people would then be sold a crate of scrap metal for their hard earned cash.

 

 

:rotfl2: Reminds me of the news around christmas people selling flat screens TV in the unopened boxs on the street and the people took them home to find that the TV was really a oven door that the guy had stolen from some apts. :nuts: Buy something on the street and not look at what it is? NO way.

[Car RamRod]

that has to be one of the silliest idea's I've ever heard.

 

Maybe he didn't mean GP's, but those mini-motorcycles that they chuted in?

[a1awind]

ohhh you mean an Indian papoose. i know where you can find one....its not for sale but its there for all to see.

[JeeperjohnfromPA]

I looked into buying an unassembled jeep from government surplus back in the 70s.

It's a Bunch of Hype, never happend, least nothing you would realy want to buy.

Army Jeeps were never shipped in crates or 55gal drums.

As far as the government selling surplus jeeps for $50-75, this did happen, (according to my father), but what you got was an old USED military jeep that had been partialy stripped, and then cut up, (with a torch), crated and sold as scrap, (least thats what he told me).

 

Most of the Jeeps that the government sold off as surplus, never made it to civilian hands, least not the ones that worked.

Most were sold to state, and local governments, then fire departments and non-profit agencies.

The BoyScouts actualy got there hands on quite a few old Millitary vehicles.

The counsel I was in had a 3/4ton, couple Deuce-and-a-halfs and Jeeps, that they kept at the summer camps.

Most old Jeeps that are owned by civilians today were most likely bought from one of those non-profit organizations.