NOTHING BUT THE JEEP

Hawkesbury Royal Canadian Legion member Jack Hume restores Korean War-era jeep with help from community.

JEEP THERAPY

The Hawkesbury Legion’s Korean War-era Jeep gets a makeover

BY MADDY KYLIE

The 1953 Korean War-era jeep prior to restoration.

(Below) The brass plaque the Hawkesbury Royal Canadian Legion made to thank those who contributed in the ‘Save the Jeep” restoration project.

The Hawkesbury Royal Canadian Legion’s Korean War-era Jeep got some much-needed TLC this summer and is now rocking its fresh new look on the Legion’s front lawn.

After sitting outside of the Legion for more than a decade, the 1953 Jeep was beginning to deteriorate from exposure to the elements. So, long-time Legion member and experienced antique vehicle restorer Jack Hume decided he would take the matter into his own hands and fix the Jeep himself.

Hume got started on the project by creating a “Save the Jeep” ad, requesting help from community members—and the response was overwhelming. Five local businesses provided free parts and supplies to help make the restoration possible.

“It was really a community effort,” said Hume. “Without their support, I’m not sure that I would have been able to do it.”

After more than 200 hours of Hume’s free labour, the newly restored Jeep was put back in its rightful place on August 13 and was a mustsee when the Legion reopened on September 9.

“Had the Jeep sat there another couple of years we would have had to take it to the junkyard,” said Hume.

Hume decided to restore the Jeep mainly because of its rapid degradation, but also because of his tremendous respect for Canadian war veterans.

“I have a soft spot in my heart for those who served, and several of our veterans at the Legion served in Korea. So, I know it means a lot to them to see it sitting there.”

The work that was done to the jeep was exclusively done to the body, although Hume is both an experienced mechanic and machinist, he decided to leave the motor as is.

“The motor is still fixable, but people have stolen a lot of parts off it over the years. The generator was stolen, the master cylinder was taken, numerous, numerous parts, and the Legion doesn’t have the money to restore the motor. So, it is primarily just an attraction in front of our legion.”

The Hawkesbury Legion made a brass plaque to honour those who helped make the “Save the Jeep Project” possible. The plaque lists Hume, Michel Lamoureux, who assisted with the bodywork, and Michel Lenoir who donated the Jeep, as well as the project’s sponsors, Bertrand Paint and Welding Supplies, Sylmar Auto Ville, Vitrie Gauthier Glass, Willy’s Acres, and the Design Workshop.