Unfurling the Myth of the $50 ‘Jeep-in-a-Box:’ Throwback Thursday Presented by the All-New Nitto Recon Grappler™ A/T
But How Many $50 Jeep-in-Box Remain in the US?
Furthermore, while complete Jeeps were often crated for shipment to Britain and the Soviet Union for WWII duty, it was not common practice to crate them. Simply because doing so was a costly and time-consuming exercise, so crating was only done when necessary. Which also makes it doubtful that many crated Jeeps remained in the United States to be sold to civilians after the war.
ALSO SEE: Six-Figure Price Tag Gladiator Rubicon Hellcat: Too Much or Just Right?
Jeeps have of course become ever more popular with civilians for both work and recreational use. But it was not army Jeeps that answered that growing demand. It was rather Jeeps custom designed for civilian use. In fact, the first Civilian Jeep CJ2A was already available in 1941. Since when all CJs have become popular as family transport the world over.
Which makes one wonder who’d actually want a military Jeep in a Box in 1946 anyway. Even for fifty bucks? Hard, slow and uncomfortable, the army Jeeps only carried a ¼ ton. And then how they would send a city or suburban civilian a Jeep in a box? That’s all why the clever money sits on those ads simply being a scam to relieve magazine readers of their money.
‘They’re Sitting on the Bottom of the Ocean’
Of course military surplus is nothing new. You can pick up 2½-ton US military ‘deuce’ trucks for a couple of grand today. Some auction houses have drivable M939 5-ton 6×6 cargo truck for a snip at $10,800, considering that the US government paid more than $80,000 a pop for those new in ’85. There’s plenty more to choose from too, just scratch a little. Someone recently unearthed a few crates of or WWI and WWII T-Handle shovels.
But $50 WWII Jeeps in a Box? As Military Trader’s John Adams-Graf suggests, “If WWII jeeps are still in the crate, they’re sitting on the bottom of the Atlantic or Pacific!”
Photos: Jeep, Popular Science
Presented by the All-New Nitto Recon Grappler™ A/T
The Recon Grappler™ A/T combines versatility and distinctive design into an all-terrain tire that stands out from the crowd. Learn more here.