It's tough finding fully restored or well-maintained examples of Willy's Jeep from the World War II era. The vehicles are synonymous with the period and played an important role in the mobility of troops the world over. However, for mothers and fathers looking to acquaint their children with the era gone by, you could opt for this one-off miniature World War II Jeep that's currently on auction at RM Sotheby's in the US.
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The one-off fully-function miniature Jeep has been built by East Coast Mini Classics in the US
The US Army Jeep children's car isn't another pedal-powered example that replicates the original. This one actually is a downsized version of the original complete with authentic accessories and even a Honda-derived engine under the little bonnet. This particular model has been built by East Coast Mini Classics of Sanford, Maine, in the US.
The US Army Jeep takes inspiration from the Jeeps that served during the 1941-19445 Military MB/GPW. The model comes with an all-steel welded body with a welded tube frame. It also gets padded bench seats, and authentic military surplus accessories including a jerry can, canteens, and storage pouches.
The miniature Jeep gets an emergency park brake, rack-and-pinion steering, all-wheel suspension, and a full-floating rear axle
Here comes the interesting part though. This miniature Jeep is powered by a 13 bhp Honda engine with an electric start and hydrostatic drive with reverse. The listing does not mention the performance numbers but we do hope the power-to-weight does not make it too fast in the interest of the children's safety.
The model also comes with dual hydraulic disc brakes with an emergency park brake, a rack-and-pinion steering, all-wheel suspension, and a full-floating rear axle with an aluminium differential. It also gets a stainless steel exhaust and a heavy-duty oil cooling system.
That's not all. The scaled-down Jeep gets a functional Warn winch, optional spare tyre, one-inch trailer hitch receive and a functional lighting system with a 20-amp alternator. The model is powered by a maintenance-free battery.
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The miniature Jeep draws power from a 13 bhp motor sourced from Honda
With respect to the price, this one-off miniature Jeep can actually put some hatchbacks to shame. The model has received 20 bids so far with the current value at $11,000 (around Rs. 8 lakh), while the asking bid is $11,500 (around Rs. 8.44 lakh). The bidding process closes in two days.
