DIGITAL MAGAZINE 7 Jeep, the Jeep grille and related logos, vehicle model names and trade dress are trademarks of FCA US LLC and used under license by Premium & Collectibles Trading Co ltd. ©2021 FCA US LLC. CONTENTS THE JEEP® STORY 1 THE FIRST ORDER THE JEEP® Brand 6 THE SUCCESS OF THE CJ-5 © 2021 YOUR COLLECTION Editorial Manager: Phil Hunt Eaglemoss Inc. Build the WIllys MB Jeep® Design Manager: Caroline Grimshaw 315 West 36th Street is available by monthly subscription. 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THE JEEP® STORY THE FIRST ORDER THE FIRST ORDER ▲ A formation of Willys MAs parade The first pre-series vehicles were delivered along San Francisco Bay in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, opened despite a number of initial problems. just a few years before. he first 1,500 new quarter-ton vehicles until March. They then produced vehicles at from Bantam, Ford, and Willys, ordered a rate of 20 per day for a short while, before Taround the middle of December 1940, eventually ramping up to full capacity with were due to be delivered by the spring 65 BRCs per day coming off the production of 1941. Ford was the first of the three car line. Willys, who much like Ford and Bantam producers to deliver vehicles to the US Army, was having to deal with strike-induced delays, despite union unrest and strikes by suppliers was also busy trying to get the weight of their and employees (at the time the US still wasn’t model (now called the “MA”) down to within at war, so union activities continued as usual). the limits set by the army. They completed their first delivery of GPs as The weight issue was very important – not early as February 1941. Bantam didn’t manage solving it would surely have resulted in them to deliver their first consignment of vehicles not winning the contract. Indeed, although 1 THE JEEP® STORY THE FIRST ORDER A Willys MA being used during an exercise at the Desert Training Center in Indio, California. the limit was gradually increased from the and the 9N on Ford’s GP, and therefore right initial – and near-impossible – 1,200 lb from the outset the entire structure of the MA (544 kg) to a more achievable 2,160 lb had to be sized accordingly. (980 kg), it still represented a significant Whilst prior to producing the 1,500 challenge for Willys. This was particularly vehicles Ford and Bantam only had to so since the engine of the future Jeep® , contend with modifying a number of details the excellent “Go to bring their 4x4s into Devil” with its 2.2-liter line with the military’s cubic capacity and The excellent “Go Devil” requirements, Willys had cast-iron structure, weighed a good 100 lb (45 kg) to fight all the way down weighed a good 100 lb to the very last gram to (45 kg) more than its more than its competitors. bring the weight under competitors – the entire the stipulated limits. vehicle weighed in at 500 lb (227 kg) over the Screws were shortened, bolts were made stipulated limit. Clearly the “Go Devil” was lighter, and they even decided to use only one more powerful and boasted more engine coat of paint, but despite all this, the weight torque than both Bantam’s Continental BY112 of the MA was so borderline with respect to 2 THE JEEP® STORY THE FIRST ORDER the specifications that it gave rise to a number in at 2,026 lb (919 kg) and with its 45 bhp of amusing anecdotes. For example, it was Continental engine, couldn’t go any faster rumored that Willys asked the US Army to than 64 mph (103 km/h) and took 16 seconds weigh the MAs as soon as they received them to reach 48 mph (77 km/h) from a standing – they were worried start. Despite sorting that, if a few hours were the engine problems allowed to pass, dust The MA could reach that beset the Pygmy might collect on the a maximum speed of about prototypes, the Ford vehicle and risk sending GP was even slower. It it over the maximum 74 mph (119 km/h). weighed 2,150 lb (975 kg), stipulated weight of just a little less than the 2,160 lb (980 kg). MA, but with its 46 bhp it could only reach In any case, deliveries of the initial Jeep® 59 mph (95 km/h), and needed 19 seconds MAs, weighing in at 2,160 lb (980 kg), started to hit 48 mph (77 km/h). arriving with the US Army from the end of June Each of the 1,500 pre-series vehicles 1941. The Bantam BRCs and Ford GPs weren’t underwent further technical trials, while also that far away from the maximum weight limit being used in the field by the units they were themselves, but their engines were in the order of 15 bhp and 20 lb/ft of engine torque inferior with respect to that of the Toledo vehicle. This meant that the MA could reach a maximum speed of about 74 mph (119 km/h) and was able to hit 48 mph (77 km/h) in just over 14 seconds. In comparison, the Bantam BRC, weighing ▶ Of the three pre-series models presented by Bantam, Ford, and Willys, it was the Willys MA that came out on top. 3 THE JEEP® STORY THE FIRST ORDER assigned to. The result was that, not even a vehicles. However, production of vehicles month after the first Willys were delivered from the other car manufacturers continued, to the US Army, the Toledo producer was with 4,458 Ford GPs and 2,605 Bantam BRCs officially requested to produce 16,000 of a being produced to satisfy orders from abroad. further improved model, which was to be Furthermore, many Ford GPs and Bantam called the “MB”. Willys chose MA to mean BRCs that were in service were withdrawn “model A” of the “Military” contract, so its and made available to allies of the US. Many evolution could be nothing other than the also remained in service with the units until it “model B”, hence the was possible to replace Jeep® MB. them with Jeep® MBs, Since Willys delivered Its evolution could be nothing at which point they were their MAs later than other than the “model B”, withdrawn and sold as their two rivals, many surplus. of them were still hence the Jeep® MB. Returning to the order virtually new at the end for 16,000 quarter-ton, of October 1941. This 4x4 trucks – which was was when the Lend-Lease Act agreements submitted to the Toledo (Ohio) car manufacturer started coming into force, for which President by the US War Department on July 23rd, 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt had obtained approval – it undoubtedly caused a lot of upset and from Congress on March 11th, 1941. For this animosity at Bantam and Ford. However, given reason, many of the 1,500 MAs that were the circumstances, a close analysis of the facts supplied as part of the US Army contract were from a purely technical standpoint would also given to Great Britain or the USSR, meaning suggest that the chosen solution was the best production of the MAs could stop at 1,550 one available. Despite the fact that the weight of the vehicles was almost double the original stipulation, their technical qualities and agility were still remarkable (as demonstrated in this photo by a Jeep® MB). 4 THE JEEP® STORY THE FIRST ORDER ◀ The body of the Ford GP was the one that most closely aligned with the US Army’s stipulations. both the Willys and the Bantam vehicles. But the agility of the GP didn’t match that of its rivals, and bringing it up to the required standard would have required an engine of the power, torque, and weight From a military perspective, none of comparable to that used in the MA. It would the three was perfect. The BRCs were have meant an extensive redesign of the the closest to fully meeting the Army’s vehicle and subsequent retesting, a process stipulated requirements, and due to their which would have required many months. lower weight they were also the most agile; The Willys MA, on the other hand, however, their power left a bit to be desired. required no work on the engine or chassis. In addition, given the expected necessary Implementing a few necessary modifications production levels, Bantam was a relatively to its body, and adding a number of small manufacturer. Even the possibility of characteristics to incorporate the best features a partnership with Checker from Kalamazoo offered by its rivals, needed just a short (Michigan) would have period of time, with called for significant no retooling and only investment in equipment The agility of the GP minimal effort required.