Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs Research Archives

Prior to the finalization of the MB Jeep, The American Bantam, Ford, and Willys all created pilot and prototype jeeps in an attempt to win Army contracts. Bantam built the very first jeep, the Bantam BRC. They also built the BRC-60 and BRC-40. Ford built the Pygmy, the Budd, and the GP. Willys built the Willys Quad and the Willys MA. Checker appears to have built one based on Bantam parts. Finally, are rumors of a jeep by York-Hoover, but I’ve never nailed down actual pictures. See this post: http://www.ewillys.com/2010/03/14/york-hoover-all-terrain-prototype/

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“Phantom Automobiles” Fort Devens, MA, Postcard

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

These looks mostly like Ford GPs, but the base of the windshield looks a little low.

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ford-gps-postcard-fort-devans-ma-lores

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Bantam BRC-40 in Service

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I found some Australian pictures at “The Brigade” that included three Bantam BRC-40 photos. There is a Ford GP photo as well.  See all  the vintage pictures here: http://thebrigade.thechive.com/2011/05/30/the-jeep-worked-hard-in-wwii-33-photos/

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Bantam BRC-60ish Postcard on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Is this postcard based on art by any particular artist that anyone recognizes?

“BLACK AND WHITE PRINTED ERA POSTCARD
Published by Artway Cards.
CONDITION: Some corner wear. Upper right corner more severely damaged and lightly crumpled. Thin postcard stock. Postally unused.”

View all the information on eBay

bantam-brc60-postcard1

 
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1941 Ford GP **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: I received confirmation that this was sold and is in a restorer’s possession.

Scott spotted this at Ford GP #9512 at the corvette forum.  We suspect it sold, but no one at the forum has confirmed it.

1941-gp-corvetteforum1

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August 1941 The Ford Dealer News Issue on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Magazine This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

The August 1941 issue of The Ford Dealer News includes this image of a Ford Pygmy. There are a variety of articles and other photos also.

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MA Jeeps Book from Wings and Wheels

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Books, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Roberto forwarded a link about a book published by Wings and Wheels out of the Czech Republic called “MA Jeeps in Detail”.  It looks like a good book.  496 Czech Korunas is approx $25 US.

Learn more about the book here: http://wwpbooks.com/product.php?id_product=223

You can find more jeep books here:   http://wwpbooks.com/search.php?tag=Jeep

 
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The Blitz Buggy by Joseph W. Frazer

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Magazine This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

As promised, I’ve scanned and posted a 1943.  I have updated the earlier post with the scans.

I received the June 19, 1943, issue of Liberty Magazine today.  The magazine was published in Toronto, Canada from 1924 – 1950.  My issue includes an article written by Willys Overland’s President at the time Joseph W. Frazer  and titled “The Amazing Blitz Buggy”.

Having read the article, I’m still surprised he claimed the official name of the vehicle was “General Purpose Car”.  You can see that claim in the highlighted portion of the article.  That explain why the term “General Purpose” has been used in numerous historical descriptions about the jeep.

Click on the images below to get larger, readable versions of each page.

 
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Bantam BRC-40 Camp Polk postcard on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a nice shot of a Bantam BRC-40 at Camp Polk, LA, Circa 1942.  The caption reads, “Meet the Jeep – The U.S. Army Blitzbuggy — Camp Polk, LA.

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Photograph with a Couple Willys MAs

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Pictured here are a couple Willys MAs.  I spotted the pictured at http://med-dept.com/testimonies/harold_okeefe.php

 
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Smithsonian Museum Bantam Postcard

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Museums, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: This post card was for sale on eBay in 2012.

Even the Smithsonian didn’t get the ‘original jeep’ correct as evidenced by the postcard below.  To their credit, this Bantam BRC-60 just might be the next best thing.  I compare all three Bantams here.

For comparision, here’s another good shot of a BRC-60:

And this is the original Bantam BRC — Jeep #1.  The round fenders and scalloped side are two of the biggest differences:

 
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Postcard with a Bantam BRC-60 on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

The jeep on the far right has a grille that looks like a BRC-60 to me.  In the foreground is a jeep that looks like a BRC-40.

View all the information on eBay

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The Four Wheel Steer Bantam in Pop Mechanics

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Magazine • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I spotted this brief note about the four-wheel-steer Bantam BRC-40 on page 167 of the May 1946 issue of Popular Mechanics.  Why it appeared five years after it was built seems a little strange.  I can’t imagine the army keeping this model top secret for any reason.  Maybe they needed some filler for the issue?

Here is a link to the Google page that shows the whole article

 
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Willys MA Postcard from Camp Picket on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Artists/Drawings, Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is rare.

” Vintage Postcard Jeep in Action Camp Pickett Va , PC is used Postmarked Camp PIckett 1943 Free”

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1941 Ford GP at Photobucket

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I ran across these images of ‘swedeherbie’s’ 1941 Ford GP project.  He has posted over one hundred pictures.

View all the images at Photobucket

 
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Ford GP Model in Box on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, toys This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a neat old Model.

“U.S.ARMY FORD GP 1/4 TON JEEP W/FIGURES MINT IN BOX RARE 1/32 KIT-MAX”

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Ford GP Grille Poughkeepsie, NY eBay

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a rare grille.

“From a recent find of parts hidden away many years, This is a used and abused original front grille from a Ford GP as pictured. It’s used, it’s been repainted many times. His minor dings, see photos, will clean up for a beautiful front grille.”

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Ford GP in Mechanix Magazine

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a photograph from a December 1941 issue of Mechanix Magazine that shows a Ford GP participating in war games at the dawn of the US’s official entry into WWII.

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/news-of-war-and-defense/

 
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Part II of the Don Prine Story

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Magazine This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Part II of the Don Prine ‘Old Man’ Story can be read in the September issue of JP Magazine. It has also been published online at this address:  http://www.jpmagazine.com/featuredvehicles/154_1209_the_old_man_and_the_jeep_part_2/

Here’s a picture Marty took during the interview.  Don Prine is on the left, Christain Hazel in the middle, and Herm Tilford (Herm the Overdrive Guy) on the right.

View more pictures of the meeting here:  http://www.pnw4wda.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2630

You can view Part 1 of the Don Prine Story at JP Magazine

 

 
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1941 Article from Field Ford on the Ford Pygmy on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Magazine This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

From the Magazine “Field Ford” comes a rare article about the Ford Pygmy Prototype.  The article projects that 30,000 of these 4-4s might be used eventually.

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1942 W.S. America At War Card No 548 on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a prototypeish jeep depicted amidst a battle with Japanese soldiers.  I looked for other jeep related cards among the series, but I could only find a handful of other cards.

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“THE JEEP” in Life Magazine July 20, 1942

• CATEGORIES: Artists/Drawings, Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Magazine, Old Images • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Kurtis spotted this article from the July 20th, 1942, issue of Life Magazine.  Some of the pictures are familiar, but this is the first time I’ve seen this entire article.  The article extends 7 pages and can be viewed in its entirety online.

http://books.google.com/books?id=6k0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA65#v=onepage&q&f=false

Here are the first and last pages:

 
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Just Married . . .

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

It is 6pm Pacific Standard Time, which means Ann and I should be married by now.  As dedicated as I am, I’m not running to my computer to upload pictures of our brief ceremony.  So, these couple of shots will have to do.

Here’s a Willys MA all decked out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arts_enthusiast/5118197610/

Here’s a couple in the back of a WW2 jeep from Flickr:

And thanks to John for sending this picture 🙂

 
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YEEP! YEEP! AMERIKANSK YEEP! from Life Magazine

• CATEGORIES: Artists/Drawings, Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Magazine, Women & Jeeps • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

The July 23, 1945, issue of Life Magazine has a three page article by Joe Weston that describes a jeep trip through Sweden in what I would guess was May or June of 1945.  Based on the three cartoons (show below) they were driving a Willys MA.

The article describes crowds of people gawking at the jeep wherever they went.  In Stockholm people started removing parts off of it.  The article was a funny read.

Read the entire article within Google Books or

Buy the magazine on eBay

Below are the three cartoons:

 
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1941 Ford GP Quitman, TX **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE:  This was listed at $500.  **SOLD**

“1941 Ford Jeep Serial No. 9270. Number 746 of 4, 458 built. Date of manufacture is on nomenclature plate on dash, 4/28.41. Tub has some rusted out areas but is basically solid. Tailgate is not original equipment but is Willys and professionally installed. Front part of floor is galv. plate which was cut to fit a 350 Chevy engine. Motor mounts on chassis are for that engine. Steering gear is not original. Flat iron grille is believed to be original, however I could not determine for certain it came on Ford jeeps, as Ford did design the pressed sheet metal grille on all future jeeps, Ford and Willys. Chassis is jeep, year of orgin unknown. Does have tapered rear axle which turns freely. Front differential housing is intact but shaft is missing and possibly some gears. Best part of jeep is the dash which is straight and untouched. All three plates are original and securely rivited to dash. The book, Hail to the Jeep has a picture of this model jeep being driven up Washington Capitol steps by Edsel Ford. ”

 

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Don Prine in the August 2012 issue of JP Magazine

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Magazine, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Link to Part 1: http://www.fourwheeler.com/project-vehicles/154-1208-the-old-man-and-the-jeep-part-1/

Link to Part 2: http://www.fourwheeler.com/project-vehicles/154-1209-the-old-man-and-the-jeep-part-2/

You’ll definitely want to pick up the August 2012 issue of JP Magazine, along with the subsequent issue, if you like jeep history (I have yet to see the story online). It features 94 year old Don Prine, who has been driving jeeps since the very beginning of the jeep.  Don Prine was a test driver of the prototype Willys, Ford and Bantam jeeps. Seventy-Two years later he is still involved with jeeps and, at age 94, still goes into his shop daily in Lakewood, Wa.

According to the article, a recording of Don describing the day pictured in the photo below in early 1941 at the US Capital is supposed to be here:  http://www.jpmagazine.com/prine, but I couldn’t make the link work.  Also, according to the article in JP, he was driving up the steps in the below picture.  However, according to this link, it is Senator Meade of NY driving the jeep and Representative Thomas, of NJ, in the passenger seat at the time of this photo.  I can only guess that in the photo Don is seated in the rear?

Don has long been a fixture in jeeping and racing in the Northwest.   In 2008 I called Don and had a very nice conversation with him, which you can read about here, about Stainless Steel Parts.  For those that belong to the PNW4WDA, Marty has posted a few pics of the visit with Don, Herm Tilford, and Christian at their forum.