1944 Willys MB 🇮🇹

The Willys MB was the original Jeep made famous in World War II and used for decades by militaries all over the world. Willys can take credit for the final form of the vehicle but they are not the inventor, that honor falls to American Bantam.

This Willys MB  joined The NB Center Collection in February, 2006. It was immediately given a professional restoration by the Italian specialist Antonino Conticello, and was back on the road in 2007. The Willys accurately represents Jeeps of the late war period in Italy. A major part of the restoration was correctly recreating the  US army lettering of the era. 

Company
Willys Overland Motors

Make
Willys

Model
MB

Body Style
Open “Jeep”, 1-4 passenger with gun mounts

Body Manufacture
ACM - American Central Manufacturing, formerly Auburn

Model year
1942

Wheelbase
80 inches

Length
132

Engine
inline-four, L-head, 134 cid

Horsepower
60 hp

Transmission
3-speed manual w/ x2 transfer case

Original Base Price
$649

Brand Production
N/A

This Car Production
359,489

No vehicle from World War II was more iconic, successful or critical to the war effort than the Jeep. The ruggedness of the little utility vehicles was legendary and their versatility allowed them to fill many roles. The soldiers loved them and depended on them nearly as much as their rifles. General Dwight D. Eisenhower  identified it as,  "one of three decisive weapons the U.S. had during WWII.

Beginning with World War I,  the United States military forces used a hodgepodge of vehicles for transporting personnel and equipment. In the build-up to World War II the Army understood the importance of a flexible vehicle for use in the field, but one that is standardized so they could be easily maintained and repaired. 

On July 11, 1940, the US Army approached 135 U.S. automotive manufacturers inviting them to submit designs for a standardized general purpose vehicle. The companies' bids were to be received just eleven days later, then they had 49 days to submit their first prototype and 75 days for completion of 70 required test vehicles. Just 130 days in total  to design and deliver the vehicles.

The Army's specifications were demanding, a general purpose personnel or cargo carrier adaptable for reconnaissance or command. A 1/4-ton , four-wheel drive, truck, capable of carrying a crew of three, wheelbase of no more than 75 inches, track no more than 47 inches, 660 lb payload, and powered by an engine capable of 85 ft-lb (115 Nm) of torque. The most daunting demand, however, was that it have an empty weight of no more than 1,300 lbs (590 kg).

Only three companies accepted the challenge,  American Bantam Car Company, Willys-Overland Motors, and the Ford Motor Company. Though Willys-Overland was the low bidder, Bantam received the bid, being the only company committing to deliver a pilot model in 49 days and production examples in 75 days.

American Bantam was a very small company located in Butler, Pennsylvania. It  did not have the production capacity to deliver on the scale needed by the War Department. The  two losing bidders, Ford and Willys, were encouraged to complete their own pilot models for testing. As testing of the Bantam prototype took place, Ford and Willys technical representatives were given ample opportunity to study the vehicle's performance. Moreover, the War Department forwarded the Bantam blueprints to Ford and Willys, claiming the government owned the design.

By November 1940, Ford and Willys each submitted prototypes to compete with Bantam. The two pilot models, the Willys Quad and the Ford Pygmy, turned out to be very similar to each other and were joined in testing by Bantam's entry, now called the Bantam Reconnaissance Car 60 (BRC 60). It was also acknowledged at this time the original weight limit, which Bantam had ignored, was unrealistic, and it was raised to 2,160 lbs (980 kg). Also, the wheelbase was extended to 80 inches.

US armed forces were under pressure to prepare for war, all three cars were declared acceptable and orders for 1,500 units per company were given.

For these respective initial production runs, each vehicle received revisions and a new name. Bantam's became the BRC 40, this would become the last vehicle ever produced by American Bantam. The Willys' shed 240 lbs and became the “MA" for "Military” model “A”. The Fords were designated “GP”,  “G” for "Government” and “P” was Ford's code for passenger cars with 80-inch wheelbases.

By July 1941, the War Department wanted to standardize, and selected a single manufacturer to supply them with the next order for another 16,000 vehicles. Willys won the contract, mostly due to its more powerful “Go Devil” engine and lower cost. The best design features of the Bantam and Ford entries were incorporated into the Willys.  The “A” model designation became “B” and thus the vehicles were tagged “MB”.  With Willys and Ford now manufacturing the bulk of Jeeps, Bantam turned to the manufacturing of utility trailers to be pulled by the Jeep.

Produced in quantity by both Willys and Ford, the G-503 as the Military knew it, was formally called the, “U.S. Army Truck 1/4 -ton, 4x4, Command Reconnaissance”. The name was a mouthful and it was widely dubbed the Jeep. The origins of the Jeep name are clouded by the passing of time but there is evidence it was used in early reference to the vehicle, even before the declaration of war. It is possible it was the phonetic of “GP” or general purpose vehicle as designated in the original request for proposals. Another  theory is that the name originated from the popular Popeye cartoon strip, Popeye’s speedy and resourceful companion pet “Eugene the Jeep”. No one is certain.

Eventually all branches of the military adopted the Jeep. It was also widely exported to allies such as Great Britain and even Russia. 647,925 Jeeps from all manufacturers were produced for the war effort.

The military Jeep remained in production in varying forms into the 1980’s.