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Real
Early "Real" Jeeps
History
- From the prototypes to the first orders placed by the U.S. Army
L-Head
engine - 1941 to 1953
Hurricane
engine, 80" wheelbase - 1950 to 1964
81"
rounded fenders - 1951 to 1972
Mighty
Mite - 1960 to 1969
M
151 Military - 1962 to late 70's
The
Walker Jeep Shed - a CJ2 project
Those specifications are given below:
 What is an MC-38 or M38? An M38 is was the replacement for the GPW's and the MB's made both by Ford and Willys. The prototype was based on a CJ-3 with a full floating rear axle and 4.88:1 gearing, later changed to the standard military 5.38:1 gearing. The prototype model had some small variances between the CJ-3A and itself it that the motor was slightly modified to accommodate a full submersion capability, the electrical system was converted from the 12v system to a 24v system, a second battery compartment was made to accommodate the second battery on the main cowl of the body just in front of where the windshield would sit on the passenger side; this caused the problem of no longer being able to place the stock heater unit under the dash because the tray sits and covers most of its location. A final variance between the CJ and the prototype was that everything underneath had skid plates or protection everything from the diffs to the tranny including the drive shafts. Now on to the actual production model M38. The average M38 came with an L-134ci 4 cylinder engine, with a single bore Carter downdraft carb, a spicer T-90 3 speed cane transmission, the model 18 transfer case, 16" rims allowing for the 7.00-16's on all four corners. Some M38's had the combat rims which facilitated the changing of tires by falling into 3 different pieces, some had the winter kit which including such items as a full or half cab made of aluminum (and the full cab will support the weight of 3 people) a water type heater (takes heat from engine) or a gas powered heater (killed your mileage ~17mpg to 9 or 10 mpg when running) a heater core for the engine, and a heater core for the batteries, some had a full submersion ability of 72" or 6' underwater when equipped with the air and exhaust snorkel (they were known to be able to start underwater as long as the system remained pressurized and all ports (including clutch drain) were sealed). The rare few had a PTO winches, for the '52's that would be 1 in 100 got them, and some may have had other PTO operated equipment. There some arguments have occurred about what was the original manufacturer of winch used but in fact, many were used, but only the ramsey model 50(?) is demonstrated in the manuals and is rated for either 1 ton or 4 ton, depending on the model. The M38A1 came with the 4 ton model if so equipped. The M38 are distinguished by the fact that they had the parking brake handle on the left side of the steering wheel beside the light switch. the dash was centered but the instrument cluster could be removed simply be removing four screws and disconnecting the wires leading to the instruments where the CJ's are part of the dash . Some of the city used M38's had a signal system like the old VW bugs a little arm that stuck out in the direction you wanted to turn. The Prototypes:
Bantam 40 BRC
speed syncromesh Warner T84 gearbox with floor mounted shift lever. A total of 2675 units was built in 1941. Ford GP 45 hp Owen Fergusson Dearborn
engine, weight 2150 lbs.,
Willys MA 60 hp. "Go Devil" engine,
weight 2450 lbs., wheelbase 80 in., 3
The Case of the Signature Jeep Grill John
North Willys was the founder of the Willys-Overland Corporation,
The Overland company was near bankruptcy in 1907, but by 1918 this salesman supreme had turned Willys-Overland around, and they garnered the second highest sales in the United States. The Army set forth a list of requirements for a military vehicle and solicited manufacturers to produce a prototype that met these requirements. Willys and Ford, following an extensive road test, both on the highway and off road, were awarded the contract to produce the vehicles for the Army. Willys, however, had to modify its design to meet the Army's spec.'s for vehicle weight, needing to pare off 263 pounds, off of an already bare-bones vehicle. And, they had to do this with no sacrifice of either the strength or power. An engineer, Delmar B. "Barney" Roos, had worked on the Jeep project and with his patience, determination, and resourcefulness, disassembled the vehicle. Every bolt, every bracket was analyzed. Surplus material was cut away wherever possible. Studs, screws, even cotter pins were shortened. The sizes of clamps, nuts, and washers were reduced. The heavy carbon steel frame was replaced by one made of lighter alloy. Lighter steel was employed for the body and fenders. Finally, the task came down to weighing the paint. It was determined that one coat would have to suffice, for a second would have meant exceeding the weight limit. The final product did meet the Army's specified figure--2160 pounds--with just several ounces to spare. By October 1941, it was apparent that the Jeep's versatility and usefulness would far exceed the Army's original expectations. A second source was sought, partly to increase the supply, but apparently also largely to insure against the possibility of sabotage at the Willys plant. Quartermaster General E.B. Gregory sought out Edsel Ford with the unprecedented request that his company manufacture jeeps according to the Willys design-- including the Barney Roos "Go-Devil" engine. All parts, Edsel was told, were to be interchangeable between the Willys vehicles and their Ford-built clones. Incidentally, despite its similarity to the Willys MB, the Ford-built GPW is readily distinguished by its inverted U-shaped front frame cross member. The Willys version uses a tubular brace. The facts of this particular case began as far back as 1940 (while World War II war was breaking out in various parts of the world). The U.S. Government requested that a whole bunch of different automobile manufacturers bid on the development of a powerful but small and lightweight vehicle for reconnaissance and transportation purposes (The beginning of the jeep). The three companies that ultimately succeeded in getting contracts for this vehicle were BANTAM, WILLYS-OVERLAND, AND FORD MOTOR CO. WILLYS-OVERLAND was the predecessor to the Jeep Corporation, who was the predecessor to Chrysler Corporation at least with regards to the current Jeep vehicles (American Motors and Kaiser fit in there somewhere). The important point to this story is that Willys and Jeep are all predecessors in interest to Chrysler Corp. which is now running the show. BANTAM (the smallest and hungriest of the three) received the first contract (for a prototype vehicle) and produced the very first jeep vehicle - This vehicle met the basic expectations of the Army, and after testing, the Army decided to make some changes and issue production contracts. In the mean time Willys and Ford decided to provide prototypes of their own (at their own expense) so that they could keep their foot in the door. WILLYS-OVERLAND (Chryslers predecessor) received the first production model contract based on its more powerful engine and lower overall cost - and proceeded to produce the jeep vehicle while incorporating changes that were directed by the Quartermaster Corps. One of these directed changes was to incorporate a grill design similar to the one FORD had used on their earlier prototype. This early grill design was a fabricated grill of welded iron bars - similar in construction to a heavy duty Bar-B-Que grill. This is ironic that the company that later claims to have been all-knowing all-seeing with regards to the jeep was directed to use the Ford style grill and to dump their own design. FORD MOTOR CO. was then offered a contract for a similar number of jeeps (comparable to the Willys-Overland contract) providing that Ford would agree to build them in such a way that all parts were interchangeable with the Willys-Overland model.- FORD agreed and immediately began tooling up for production. This contract was issued because the Army didn't have the confidence that Willys could keep up with the demand. One of the first things that FORD did after they received the contract (in October 1941 shortly before Pearl Harbor) was to re-design the front grill so that it could be "Stamped or Pressed" out in large quantities and still be interchangeable with the heavier grill that Willys was using on the MB. The advantages of this grill over the Bar-B-Que style grill that Willys was using was that it was interchangeable with, easier to produce, cost less ($8.00 vs. $26.00), weighed less and provided the same degree of protection to the front of the vehicle - It was commonly referred to as a "Radiator Guard" since that was its primary function. Again, Ford takes the lead in the design of one of the jeeps most recognizable features, and Willys just sits there and brings up the rear. WILLYS-OVERLAND continued to produce the welded bar grille design until approximately April 1942 - at which time they changed over to exactly the same pressed steel grill design that FORD had originated. This must have been hard to swallow for them at first - but then considered the bottom line. There is no indication that Willys was forced to change to this new design; therefor they must have felt that it was far more suited for its intended use than the Bar-B-Que style that they were building. The relevancy of these facts will become more clear when we discuss the underhanded methods that would later be used to obtain a trademark on the front grill of the jeep by the Jeep Corporation (Willys successor - and Chrysler's predecessor). FORD and WILLYS-OVERLAND continued to build the military jeeps (both using exactly the same grill design) for the remainder of the War and for a period of time after. FORD had built close to 280,000 jeeps when their contract was over. Willys-Overland built a similar number - maybe more. WILLYS-OVERLAND started on a long campaign to con the American public into a false belief that it was their brilliance and theirs alone that developed the jeep vehicle - This con continues today with Chrysler Corp. continuing to maintain that they or their predecessor created the jeep vehicle (which is not true - and they know it is not true). The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stepped in, in 1943, and filed suit against WILLYS-OVERLAND with the result being that in 1948, WILLYS- OVERLAND was issued a Court Order To Cease and Desist from: "Representing, directly or by implication, that respondent Willys-Overland Motors, Inc., either acting alone or in cooperation or collaboration with the United States Army or with any other agency or party, created or designed the automotive vehicle known as the Jeep; provided, however, that this order shall not prohibit respondents from representing that said respondent participated in and contributed to the development and perfecting of said vehicle." The fact that this suit was brought at all is amazing since it is hard to get the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to move on anything - perhaps Ford must have had some influence in getting them to move on it. Ultimately, Willys and Ford both submitted prototypes using Bantam plans (supplied by the Army) and adding their own changes. With Bantams shaky manufacturing and financial position, the contract was awarded to Willys, with Ford building vehicles to Willys specifications as a second source. This was the end for Bantam, but without them and a man named Karl Probst, the Jeep as we know it today would not be. In 1963 Kaiser took over Willys Overland and continued making Jeeps to his own specifications. Later in 1970 American Motor Company (AMC) took over Kaiser Jeep. But ever since 1987 Chrysler has owned the Jeep.
Types of Jeeps
They built many types of
Jeeps for many different purposes. For Military
CJ - (Civilian
Jeeps)
For civilian purposes they made the CJ (Civilian Jeep). They made the first CJ in 1945 which was the CJ2A and was produced until 1949. In 1948 -1964 they made the CJ3A CJ3B which was basically un-changed from the CJ2A but offered a few variations, such as a higher hood and a larger engine. In 1955 CJ-5A and the CJ-5B were produced which were much different body-styles from the CJ2 and CJ3, they offered rounded fenders, instead of the flat fenders like the CJ2 and CJ3. The CJ-5 also offered a larger wheel base than the CJ2 or the CJ3. In 1955 they also made a CJ-6, it was even a larger wheel base than the CJ-5. The CJ-6 was just like the CJ-5 except for it's length, and due to this the CJ-6 was never a hot selling Jeep. In 1969 AMC (American Motor Company) took over Kaiser Jeep Co. and started making the CJ-7. Lengthwise the CJ-7was in between the CJ-5 and the CJ-6.
Full Size Jeeps
When the liberating heroes came home in 1945 they needed an all-terrain vehicle like the original Jeep CJ for adventure and family. Willys-Overland answered the call with the first all-steel station wagon. Introduced a year after the first civilian Jeep vehicle, the Jeep CJ-2A, the Willys-Overland all-steel station wagon was an auto industry first. The new wagon provided all the capability and ruggedness of the original four-wheel-drive Jeep CJ with the practicality and increased passenger and cargo space of a station wagon. Jeeps Today
Today more and more people are going four wheeling to the places hard to reach by car, they can with these new models made by Jeep: the Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep Cherokee . Back in 1940, when the U.S. Army decided on a new, half-ton, 4x4 reconnaissance vehicle from Willys-Overland, who would have thought a legend was being born. When it came time to update the most famous vehicle in the Jeep family, Chrysler took care to survey past and present owners. Their response: “Improve it - but don’t mess it up!” Above all, it must be true to the original concept. So it’s back to round headlights instead of the YJ’s previous square ones and a quantum leap forward by ditching the prehistoric leaf springs for sophisticated coils. The Quadra-Coil system - pioneered on the Grand Cherokee - cures bounce, takes up less space, allows for larger tires, provides more vertical wheel travel for a smoother ride and increases the angle of approach and ramp break-over. The drivetrain is virtually unchanged but both the 4- and 6-cylinder engines are quieter and smoother. In the case of the 4-cylinder; horsepower is down three, to 120 at 5400 rpm while torque is up one, to 140 lb.-ft at 3500. The 6-cylinder does better with a one horsepower increase to 181 at 4600 rpm and a torque improvement of two - 222 lb.-ft at 2800 rpm. Part-time 4WD Command-Trac is the only 4WD system offered. With Normal and Rear Trac-Lock, which provides the added traction of a rear limited-slip differential. The Jeep TJ remains, the best no-nonsense, compact sport/utility on the market. Future Jeeps on the board include the 'Icon" and the "Dakar" towards the year 2005. The Jeep of the 21st century . . . imagine that!! We think, however, that the "classic Jeep " will never leave us, or go out of style. These Jeeps fit with anybody's lifestyle and offer a great chance see the world . . . once again . . . Untouched . . . Unpaved and Unharmed for Our Future Generations.
Questions Answered by My Readers: Thanks to Paul Weitlap from Off-Road.com: What about the MB/GPW? That's
the Jeep that really started it all. (Of
The M-151 is the Mutt. The M-715 series 5/4 Ton
trucks of the late '60's might deserve mention,
IMHO, the Mutts and Hummers
are jeeps, not Jeeps.
The CJ-2A had a predecessor...
the Agri-Jeep. 12 of these were built in
Incidentally, CJ does not
"officially" stand for Civilian Jeep. It's
The CJ-3A & CJ-3B are
two entirely different vehicles. The 3A is
The CJ-5 was introduced in
1955, its wheelbase was only 1" longer than
Incidentally, Kaiser-Frazer
and Willys-Overland merged on April 28, 1953
The Model 463 Jeep Station
Wagon, introduced in July, 1946 was
Going four wheeling in a
DJ? That's the 2WD Dispatch versions of the CJ
It's interesting to note
the 4.0L engine in the Wrangler is detuned 10
You've also got a big blank
space when you don't include anything on the
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