Here it is! This is my newly-acquired 1943 Willys MB! The restoration now begins...

(click on photos for a larger view)

The story goes that this jeep was purchased as surplus shortly after the end of WWII by Carl Nelson (you can see his name painted in yellow on the side of the jeep body) who was a Danish emigrant who settled in Cache Valley Utah. Interestingly, he was in occupied Denmark during the war and even participated in resistance actions against the occupying Germans. Mr. Nelson painted the jeep red (you can see the original olive-drab paint where the red has flaked off) and cut-off the back end of the jeep and put on a new one with a tailgate. This was done to make it easier to transport large milk containers that he delivered. 

I was lucky enough to pick up four original combat wheels (2 on the front, the 2 others are in the garage) with the jeep. We'll see if they are any good in the days to come. I also hope to find the original US military registration numbers on the hood hidden by the red paint! No data plates, but the original Willys serial number tag is still intact on the frame: #202900. 

I will post updates and pictures as I make progress!