A Rare Jeep makes it’s second public appearance at the 2006  War & Peace Show – its now fully restored!    

Written by By Mark Askew.

The Ford Pygmy & Budd/Ford ¼ ton 4x4, 23rd November 1940

From 2005  some of you may recall the Budd/Ford Jeep in it’s un-restored condition, on show at the Jeep Books Ltd stand at last years War and Peace Show. Well the owner Fred Smith has managed to restore her back to her former glory and this year she is back. Now fully restored and can be viewed by one and all!

The Ford Pygmy still survives today, it lived in the Ford Museum until the early 1980’s and was then sold. Randy Withrow bought it and in fact it is still in remarkable condition and now lives in the Alabama Centre for Military History, USA. The Budd version however was lost in time and was thought to be one of those myths that would never be found. But back in 1998 Jeff Polidoro (USA) managed one of the most spectacular finds in Jeepdom, when he turned up the Budd-bodied Ford prototype. How this rare Jeep found its way into the California desert is a mystery, but Jeff was in the right place at the right time to bring this one-of-a-kind home. It was found in great shape and almost 90 percent complete. Jeff had plans to restore her, but as we all know this things take a lot of time and a lot of money. But by late winter 2004, Jeff decided to put her on the open market – ebay, and then tried to sell her on to a good home. The reserve was not met and it looked like Jeff was going to keep her.

Then Fred Smith the owner of the Willys T-28 Half-Track, Willys 6x6 Tug and many other very rare Jeeps, stepped in. A deal was struck between Jeff and Fred and the Budd Jeep was on its way to the UK in early May’05. Fred Smith is regarded as one of the world’s greatest collectors of rare WW2 Jeeps, in fact he has that many rare and wonderful Jeeps it’s a question of what hasn’t he got, rather than what has he got!

After last years show and once the Budd was returned to Fred, he began to strip her down to start the restoration. The body and chassis was sent to William Galliers Sports Cars for them to work there magic, while Fred began to rebuild the engine, axles and gear box etc. Lots of old photos where obtained to start researching what was missing and what was needed. With a lot of help from Lex Schmidt and Jaap Reitveld in locating many hard to find parts, the Budd began to take shape.

Cutting it fine, Fred has managed to get her finished just in time for this years show. So its with great joy, that Fred has allowed us (at Jeep Books Ltd) to have on display at this years War & Peace Show. So if anyone would like to come and see this rare and wonderful Jeep, then feel free to come and visit the Jeep Books stand (Row A, stand number 4) at this years show – open 9am to 9 pm. Or in the meantime visit www.jeepworld.co.uk