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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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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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.”

View all the information on eBay

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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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“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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