Jeep’s reputation was forged in the crucible of the
Second World War, taking beachheads and liberating Europe from the specter of
Nazi rule. But the Willys weren’t the only off-roaders the American military
used. Ford built a great deal of these general-purpose vehicles as well. And so
did Dodge. But Dodge’s were bigger.
Known as the WC series, the trucks were big. They came in half-ton, 3/4-ton, and 1 1/2-ton specs. And Dodge built them
in a number of configurations straight from the factory. After the war, Dodge
kept building them in civilian form under the Power Wagon name, which it more
recently revived for rough-and-tumble versions of the Ram 2500. But even with
nearly a third of a million of them made, those originals are still highly
sought after. And RM Sotheby’s has two coming up for auction – in full military
trim, no less.
One was made in Command Vehicle spec, ready to
transport officers and senior NCOs to the front lines to guide their troops.
The other was outfitted as a radio vehicle to enable communications between
combat battalions and their headquarters. Both look like veritable beasts and
certifiable icons of their time. Right up their with the Willys and Ford jeeps
– making them look like toys by comparison, we’d say.
The command vehicle built in 1942 will hit the
auction block in Auburn, Indiana, next month. The radio truck is part of the
Dingman Collection that will be auctioned off in New Hampshire late in June. RM
Sotheby’s hasn’t issued an estimated value on the latter, but the former is
expected to sell for about US$ 70,000 (give or take US$ 10k). That much tells you
something about the desirability of these war machines, especially when you
consider that a new Ram 2500 Power Wagon starts at about $52k and a Jeep
Wrangler at about US$ 27,500.
