The Willy Jeep was the workhorse of World War II. The rugged transporter saw action in every theater of the war in the early 1940s and would continue to serve in armies around the world for many years. One pristine example is heading to auction next month with a unique provenance.
The 1944 Willys Jeep comes from TLO Film Services, which has supplied vehicles for movie and TV productions since 1962. TLO’s records indicate the Jeep has been used in Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Pennyworth, and other productions.
TLO purchased the Willys in January 1996, and the listing says it had three former registered owners before that. It was first registered in the UK in 1977. The Jeep received a complete rebuild of its original engine in February 2023 and has 25,975 miles on the odometer. That’s not bad for the 80-year-old, left-hand-drive military vehicle finished in Olive Drab paint.
Many movie cars have ended up in the hands of private collectors. Wayne’s World’s 1976 AMC Pacer was auctioned in January 2022. The only surviving W Motors Lykan HyperSport stunt car from Furious 7 rolled across the auction block in 2021.
Before Hollywood CGI’d everything, movies used real props, real people, and real locations. Films have helped elevate certain makes and models to true stardom, while unique creations like the Batmobile, the Mystery Machine, and the Ectomobile continue to inspire countless homemade creations.
The live auction for the 1944 Willy Jeep will take place during the NEC Classic Motor Show Sale 2023 in England on Sunday, November 11. That’s Veterans Day in the US and Remembrance Day in the UK and other nations that observe the end of the First World War. The guide lists it as selling for 18,000 to 22,000 pounds ($21,900 to $26,785 at today’s exchange rate), which is cheaper than the 2024 Jeep Wrangler, but with a lot fewer features, too.
Check out the full listing at the source link below, including a full gallery.
