Throwback Thursday: 1941 Ford GP Found Rotting on Its Side in a Junkyard
An original 1941 Ford GP was thrown in a burn pit and left to rot until a Jeep enthusiast found it and rescued it before it was too late.
For this Throwback Thursday we are throwing it back as far as we can. We are going all the way back to the start of it all in 1941. If you have a modern Jeep with the ‘Since 1941’ badge on it then this is the exact vehicle that badge is referring to. What you see before you is a genuine 1941 Ford GP. At least what is left of it. To say this little Ford GP, lead a tough life is an understatement. After likely seeing duty in World War II this became a civilian vehicle for a number of years. Then at some point it was pushed on its side, thrown into a burn pit, and left to rot. You won’t find many vehicles in rougher shape than this. But how often do you see a 1941 Ford GP in ANY condition? This is history.
This week’s “Throwback Thursday” is all about this 1941 Ford GP. It was built for war and has been to hell and back. It certainly deserves a better fate than being set on fire and rotting in a field in Michigan. And now hopefully it has a chance at that better fate. A video was recently posted on the Turn N Burn YouTube channel that gives a walkaround of this historic find. Also included in the video is a description of how these early vehicles came to be. What we are most thankful for is that this Ford GP now is in the hands of someone that can truly appreciate it for what it is.
That Will Buff Out
The good news is that this historic Ford GP was rescued. The bad news is that we have not seen a vehicle in worse shape in a long time. Not only has a significant portion of it rusted away to nothing. But the poor thing was also set on fire. The pistons melted right out of the engine. The leaf springs have warped due to the heat. If you are looking at a project Jeep right now, we can almost guarantee that whatever it is that you are looking at that it is in better shape that this 1941 Ford GP.
Amazing Save
Yes, this vehicle is in terrible shape, but it HAD to be saved. We applaud the new owner for stepping up and saving this historic vehicle. No matter the condition, this thing is history. Not saving it would be like finding an original copy of the Declaration of Independence but throwing it away because it has a tear in it. This Ford GP represents an important moment in the history of this country. It is not just a vehicle. We are happy someone realized that and knew it had to be pulled from the field.
Now What?
It is out of the field which is great. But now what happens? The historical significance of this 1941 Ford GP means that it does have some monetary value for sure. But it is not something that you can sink six figures into and expect to make your money back on. And it is clear that even to get this thing running again will take significant effort and cash. We don’t need or expect to see a full nut and bolt restoration on something like this. But it would be nice to at least preserve it and maybe put the effort in to get it running. That remains to be seen. But what we know right now is that a national treasure has been saved.
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