Another Hotchkiss Willys M201 Jeep!... there breeding...

 

Friend Chris bought a Jeep and had it delivered last week, so I popped round for a look at it and we went out a short drive...

It is a 1955 Hotchkiss Willys M201 -French manufactured under licence, the same as my Jeep and like my M201 it has also had the WW2 Band Of Brothers theme finish, unlike my 1965 Jeep that seems to have not seen any Military service which usually results in a factory overhaul afterwards this one seems to have been in for an overhaul in 1970 as has the overhaul plate...

The Jeep is in very good condition with clean engine and original 24 volt twin battery electrics, underneath the chassis is clean with no oil drips from running gear, and the tub shows no signs of welding repairs...

Mph speedo has been fitted along with WW2 era steel steering wheel, canvas seat covers and hand operated windscreen wipers...

We went out a short drive and the engine runs real good - as it should having been through a well known UK  Jeep specialist who gave it a once over...

Sun was out between heavy showers which was why I had come over the hills in my van and not my own Jeep - it was also freezing!, -2 Celsius with the windchill!...

Chris`s Jeep drives nice with only a little play in the steering compared to mine and has a slacker gearbox, but my Jeep had new steering and gearbox top lid before I bought it, this one has though has a really really smooth engine...

It has been a long decision by Chris to buy a Hotchkiss or a 1944 Ford GPW that was also for sale - he did previously own a Ford GPW for over 10 years, but wisely decided he wanted a more reliable user friendly Jeep he will use and not be scared to drive off-road - patina and scratches are how these Jeeps should really look, not polished museum pieces trailered to car shows...

Wee film...

Despite horrendous freezing wet weather the next day I got across to Chris`s farm with my Jeep and parked up in an open front barn we compared the Jeeps side by side drinking cups of hot coffee and engines running heated our hands on the bonnets, two engines on idle together sound amazing!...

Another film... the sound of victory!

There was a break in the rain after a couple of hours so I made a break for it back to town as it got dark - glad to have had my lights sorted on my Jeep with recent wiring work  done by an electrician friend - that's for another post when you will see the true horror story he uncovered that we were both scratching our heads how on earth my Jeep has not burst into flames in the last year - 2500 miles I drove it!

More soon!