7 Comments on “1961 Billion Mile Jeep Family Brochure”

1. SE Pennsylvania Steve January 5, 2017 at 7:12 am

   David, why did they stop calling the L-head engine the Go-Devil and start calling it the Lightning Four? Was that a copyright issue going from Willys to Kaiser?

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2. Colin Peabody January 5, 2017 at 8:14 am

   I suspect it was a 1961 marketing ploy! I’m not sure when that name change took place. Probably after the CJ3A production ended and somewhere in the DJ3A production I will have to say that “Lightning” may have been a misnomer, although when that engine is in a DJ3A, it is somewhat peppy up to a point!. Installing a Hickey or Chuchua aluminum high compression cylinder head, dual carburetors, electronic ignition and some exhaust work does improve its performance, but not as fast as Lightning! LOL!!!

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3. David Eilers Post authorJanuary 5, 2017 at 9:45 am

   That’s a good catch Steve. I did some searching, but they proved fruitless.

   Here’s a possibility. Perhaps marketing a devil branded engine internationally didn’t translate well and was considered a risk, so they altered the branding for the international market sometime during the 1950s?

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4. Don's auto and farm service January 5, 2017 at 11:01 am

   How come the engines are named after disasters? Lightning, hurricane,tornado,go devil?

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5. David Eilers Post authorJanuary 5, 2017 at 1:00 pm

   Hmmm ….. Maybe someone on the marketing team was an amateur meteorologist???

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6. Barry West January 5, 2017 at 5:38 pm

   Has anyone actually seen the Perkins diesel from the factory in a Willy’s? Sounds like a good match. I have a Fordson tractor (58-60) with the 4cyl Perkins. It definitely has the torque.

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7. David Eilers Post authorJanuary 5, 2017 at 6:01 pm

   Barry,

   Yep. Mitch Carter rescued a CJ-6 with a perkins in it and got it running. He jeeped it through Washington, Utah, and Colorado. He seemed to enjoy using it (lots of low end torque).

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