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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1941 Photo of a Ford GP in the Dirt

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

UPDATE: Joshua notes this is a Ford GP.

The photo was published in the June 12, 1941, issue of the Madera Tribune.

U. S. Army’s celebrated little “jeep” or “blitz buggy* technique, as shown here. Camouflage removed to into a hole under camouflage to provide new fightin ” which seems to go everywhere these days, now goes take picture, during maneuvers at California’s Ft. Ord. Captain William A. Dodds designed mount for .50-caliber gun.

1941-06-12-madera-tribune-jeep-gopher

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1941 Photo of Bantam BRC-40 in Longview, WA **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Good photo of a Bantam BRC-40 laying in wait during some war games in Longview, Washington.

“This is an original press photo. Trucks – United States. One of the army’s newest and most lethal weapon carriers is this tiny “jeep” or 1/4 ton truck, mounting a machine gun. Behind the gun is Private Earl Bever and at the wheel is Corporal Anton Stefanski, of the 32nd Infantry of Fort Ord’s 7th Division, now engaged with the defending/Blue forces in resisting the “Red” attack in southwestern Washington. Longview. Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches. Photo is dated 8-21-1941.”

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Historic Registry For Vehicles?

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

There’s a proposal to create a national registry for unique or historically significant vehicles (and boats and planes) with documented stories. Importantly, such a registry would not keep the owners of such vehicles from being sold, driven or even modified. The Library of Congress would be the keeper of the documents, specs, photos, and other information.

If the national registry becomes a law, twenty-six vehicles already listed by the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) would be the first vehicles added to the registry. Two of the vehicles are jeeps: The Ford Pygmy (currently at the U.S. Veteran’s Museum in Huntsville, Alabama) and Ronald Reagan’s 1962 CJ-6 (along with one of my personal favorites, the Tucker prototype).

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2 Year? 1941? Truth or Consequences, NM $800

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, GPW (Ford MB), MB This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Most likely not ’41s. No pics provided.

https://lascruces.craigslist.org/pts/d/williamsburg-two-1941-willys-jeeps/7009212962.html

“two 1941 willy’s jeeps. one has a lot of rust the other is fair. both have original engine and drivetrain. 800$ will consider reasonable offers.”

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1942 Photo of Ford GP in London on eBay

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

UPDATE: Still Available. The caption and date are slightly different between this current pic on eBay and its predecessor from 2013 (at bottom).

View all the information on eBay

“1942 Press Photo U.S. Army Soldiers ride down London street in Military Jeep. .This is an original press photo. Four American doughboys ride down a London street in a peculiarly American vehicle, one of Uncle Sammy’s jeeps. Note how they are overshadowed by the familiar London double-deck bus. U.S. Army in London Photo measures 6.25 x 9.5 inches. Photo is dated 03-15-1942.”

1942-03-15-ford-gp-london1 1942-03-15-ford-gp-london2

This version of the photo was auctioned in 2013 on eBay. It has the date of March 13, 1942. The caption includes the verbiage, “A ‘Jeep’ comes to London Town”.

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Photos of the Willys Quad

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

Over the past ten years a number of photos of the Willys Quad (the first ‘jeep’ produced by Willys-Overland) have emerged from dusty files, library depositories, and photo archives. Assembled below are the photos that have been published on eWillys, as well as some others that help tell the Quad story.

I’ve seen it mentioned in a couple places that five Willys Quads were manufactured. While I haven’t seen any specific evidence to back that claim, we do know that two prototype Quads were delivered to Holabird: one was 2-wheel-steer and one was a 4-wheel-steer. I *think* the one with the “3211” license plate on the front was the two-wheel-steer model, while the one marked “USA QMC 1/4 4×4” on the bumper was the four-wheel-steer (but I could be wrong).

Later, circa 1943, one of the Quads was rebuilt with an MB windshield (was this an early Holabird test model or what that didn’t go to Holabird?) and appeared in a few photos.  What happened to the rebuilt Quad and the remaining four Quads (if there were really that many)? No one seems to know.

1 (From July 18, 2019): Mario Maipid shared this great photo taken on the steps of the DeKalb Post Office. According to him the sign reads,

THE WILLYS OVERLAND
GO-DEVIL QUAD;
U. S. Army Mobile Machine Gun West;
Same Motor as WILLYS Americar

1941-willys-quad-steps

2. (From May 20, 2019): This press photo was produced in 1990 (mostly likely from an original negative) probably for the 50th anniversary of the Quad. It was featured for auction on eBay.

“This is an original press photo. 1940 Jeep Willys Quad – The original Willys-Overland pilot model delivered to the US Army on November 11, 1940 Photo measures 10 x 8 inches. Photo is dated 10-08-1990.”

1990-10-08-willys-quad-press-photo1 1990-10-08-willys-quad-press-photo2

Here’s another version without the lettering:

1940_willys_quad_proto_2

3. (July 17, 2018): This photo was auctioned on eBay.

“1941- U.S. Troops Testing Willys Quad Prototype Jeep on Rough Terrain. Photo measures approx. 6 1/2″ x 8 1/2”
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There was a crisper, cropped version of this photo used as part of a 2011 Toledo Blade article.

willys-quad-1941-testing-3-men

4. (Feb 28, 2017): This was auctioned on eBay: “1941- Sen. James Mead driving Willys Quad prototype jeep up the U.S. Capitol steps in Washington, DC. Photo measures approx. 6 1/2″ x 8 1/2”

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1941-quad-us-capitol2

And, a slightly different, smaller version that doesn’t show the senator twisting his head:

1940_willys_quad_proto_4

And, from what I believe is the same event, but from a different angle, we have this photo.

willys-quad-steps

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VIDEO: Ford Reconnissance Cars Join The Army

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

I’ve posted something similar to this video, but not this specific one (at least that I can find). This early 1941 film reel is narrated and shares the news that Ford’s Reconnissance Cars would be joining the Army. The video is located at the National Archives.

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