Want proof the Willys Jeep -- the original military-spec off-roader -- was a work of engineering genius? Watch six soldiers drive up, hop out, tear one apart, put it back together and drive away in four minutes." Happened in Halifax , Canada . Click Here: Willys Jeep
Canuck That has to be the definitive demonstration of how easy it was to strip a Willys Jeep down to it's basics. Many thanks for the link, I did enjoy it ! Looking around the various threads on this forum, I see that I have made a few postings concerning the Jeep and I repeat below the most appropriate: I've written before about my brief love affair with the Willys Jeep but another strong memory comes to mind about the Jeep's value to various Armies, during and after WW2. My last year overseas was spent at Opicina near Trieste and right on the Jugoslav border. In the evenings, if we didn’t want to go into Trieste itself ,we would use one of the local bars which had a mixed clientele of civilians and British servicemen. One night I was in the bar with a few friends and got drawn into a conversation between them and two civilians who were sharing our table, during which it became fairly obvious we were being propositioned as to our willingness to sell any Army goods. To my annoyance, someone revealed to the civvies that I was a Tech Corporal of a Tank Squadron and, as such, was involved in the control of vehicles and spares. The attention of the civvies immediately switched to me and I was bluntly asked if I could supply any vehicle parts and particularly Jeep parts. I was happy to point out that I was a devout coward who valued my Army position far too much to be involved in any such shenanigans and, even more importantly for me, was just about to go home after nearly four years overseas service. I was, however, sufficiently intrigued to want to know who these gentlemen were and in minutes they openly admitted that they were with the Jugoslav Forces and were desperately looking for Jeep parts, as the British had stopped supplying them. When one of them said they were in the market for an actual working Jeep I openly laughed and said "Even if someone was prepared to sell you a Jeep you would never be able to get it over the border because of all the road blocks" He laughed back at me and said " The Jeep would be driven just round the corner, stripped down to its smallest parts and literally carried over the hill to the other side where it would be re-assembled and driven away!" The pic below was taken on a visit to the Imperial War Museum
The one in the video is a M38A1. While it is still made by Willy's; it's not a Willy's MB which is comonly refered to as a "Willy's" even though Ford made both in addition to those produced by Willy's. Thanks for making that clear........... I think Ron
Although this webpage about model, it shows what a Post-War Canadian M38A1 looks like. M38 Jeep A real one. Same as in Canuck's video. I supose you could call it the 'son of a Willy's Jeep' The Willy's/Ford M38 was the first post WWII vehicle built to replace the legendary Willy's/Ford MB/GPW Jeep. The original M38 was a virtual clone of the vehicle it was replacing. In the early 50's the M38A1 was introduced. It had a new overhead value, 4-cylinder engine that required a higher more streamlined hood. This vehicle still remains in service today with many armed forces around the world. In the 1980's it also spawned the civilian Jeep CJ that is still in production.
Ron, If you really want to get very confused over Jeep development read this. M38A1.COM - Military Jeep History... From Bantam Pilot (BRC-60) to Ford-American General M151
Owen And here was I thinking Willy's Jeep.......dead simple..... everyone knows what we're talking about, when all these afficianados out there were getting most concerned concerning the correct appellation. After seeing the posted comparison photos I was just beginning to understand the difference when they were sadly whipped away before I could really study them. Perhaps the poster thought he was casting pearls before swine ? Having said that, thanks Owen for now making it quite clear Ron
Owen ...Perhaps the poster thought he was casting pearls before swine ? ..... Ron Pearls and swine, neither were intended offense and it was in attempt to avoid such offense that I deleted my posts.
Formerjughead I always understood that you intended no offense, so, perhaps you could re-post the comparison photos ? Thanks Ron
Formerjughead I always understood that you intended no offense, so, perhaps you could re-post the comparison photos ? Thanks Ron M38A1: Willy's MB and Ford GPW:
Thanks. I can see now that the Willys MB was truly my old chariot. The M38A1 had none of it's predecessor's appearance or charisma. even if it was a more advanced vehicle. The video showing the strip down & re-assembly of a "Jeep", despite it's wrong attribution, remains a super piece and I'm sure we are all much obliged to Canuck for the link. Ron
The Willys Jeep has long been my 'dream car'. I am not quite sure why I want one so badly, but I will have to learn how to drive Manual long before I purchase one. Of course, being my dream car, I'll never get the pleasure of being able to drive one!
My good friend Doc Hughes told me about this.....worth a look at..... About 8 soldiers pull up on a main street in Halifax , Nova Scotia. They're in a standard issue WWII type Willys Jeep. In the span of about 4 minutes they completely disassemble the vehicle and reassemble it and drive off in it fully operable! The idea being to show the genius that went into the making of the jeep and its basic simplicity. Fantastic. Click below. Willy's Jeep
I saw this video today and thought that some here might like it; it is a couple of years old. YouTube - The "Jiffy" Crew The soldiers take apart and rebuild a jeep in 3 minutes! Roxy
Jeep collectors converge on Tarana 07 Apr, 2011 04:00 AM ONE of history’s famous vehicles, the World War 2 Jeep, is turning 70 this year and an association of owners who have their headquarters based in the Cullen Bullen area plan to celebrate this and their own 20th anniversary at Tarana on Saturday.In 1940, the Jeep concept was conceived by the US military prior the advent of World War Two. The Jeep design, as we know it, was a mixture of three prototypes submitted by Bantam, Willys Overland and Ford Motor Company, with the Willys design eventually being adopted with a few ideas taken from the others. In late 1941, with the European war underway and things not looking so well in the Pacific, the US Government asked the might of the Ford Motor Company to also make Jeeps. At wars end, nearly 700,000 Jeeps had been manufactured by Willys and Ford and sent to all corners of the earth. Naturally, many made their way to Australia and eventually into the hands of the nation’s farmers at surplus military sales as they proved to be a very versatile vehicle. When these vehicles had served out their second lives, lots have found their way into the hands of collectors, many who grew up in the 1950s and ’60s on TV diets of ‘Combat’ and the myriad World War Two movies that had since been made. WW2 Jeeps NSW was formed 20 years ago as an alternative group, who not only like to show off their pride and joys, but also like to get out there and get them dirty. They plan to have 20 odd examples at Tarana between 11 am and 2 pm and invite the public who maybe interested in such history to come out and have a look. If you cannot make that event, it is hoped that a number will be on display at Lithgow’s very own Ironfest, being held in the showgrounds in mid May. Jeep collectors converge on Tarana - Local News - News - General - Lithgow Mercury
Saw this old Willys Jeep the other day (not WWII vintage though), right-hand drive (they call it right for a reason)
