Copying WW11 Jeep

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Hi,
I once owned a WW11 Willys Overland Jeep and have been very fond of them ever since,Would go anywhere so long as the driver had guts to hang on and stay seated,In my personal opinion there is only 0ne true 4 x 4 and thats the american Jeep,Look at any early
Land rover and you will see mechanicaly its a Jeep,Just different body and engine,They just copied it as did many others,Most owe there existance to this one make, though the modern vehicles are now much more sofisticated.
Anyway i now own a 2.8 TDX Independent Fourtrak and love it,Bit exspensive on fual but very reliable and tows great.
Phil.

agree 100%

great little things

Full of ideas but no time to do them!!

www.bloodredoffroad.com
www.milneroffroad.com
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youtube: Redfourtrack

We do have a lot to thank

We do have a lot to thank the Jeep for. Why did it have to be American... Smile

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

2nd WW/ Mass production

The basic spec for what became known as the Jeep was drawn up in request from the US Army in the early months of 1940, (May 27th 1940) designed by Karl Probst and his team at the American Bantam Company, at the final selection stage two manufactures were left, the other ,the Willys Overland. The mighty Ford contender (Pgymy) was out of the running. The Bantam model was designed and a prototype constructed in 71 days, built from bought in components, as they were a small company. The contract was won by the American Bantam Company, but as they could not deliver the quantity, after much infighting the the design was given to The Ford Motor Company by the US Govement. Ford then took the design and adapted it to the mass production facilities they had, and production was farmed out to other manufactures including the Willys Overland who absorbed American Bantam Company, and after the 2nd WW had a fight to claim the ownership of the truck/name/design from the Ford Motor Company.

A book worth reading is "The Jeep" written by Jean Gabriel Jeudy and Marc Tararine, published by HAYNES, ISBN 0 85429 584 4. This gives the history of light 4x4's from manufacturers from Europe and the US, a most fasinating book, give much insight into the development of the what became known as the Jeep and it derivatives. Intrestingly the combat life of the jeep was calculated in days,not even weeks, hence the massive production.

After the war (1947) , Maurice Wilks of the Rover Company, had a farm on Anglesey, North Wales and was using ex WD Jeeps , the story goes that in conversation with his brother, Spencer asked what he would do when it wore out, the answer was to buy another, said Maurice "their isn't anything else". so a Jeep was proccured for the Rover Company and dissasenbled and Rover components substituted and the Rover design team engaged , lots of Birmabright aircraft alloy available for simple bodywork and the need for the UK to earn money from exports to developing countries, ect. So was born a icon, a truck built with care and so well made it is belive at least a third of these early models are still in use.

May I say I took my driving test in a 1948 S1 Landrover, 80 inch wb, !(ex Ministry of Supply ). This was a model which was fulltime 4WD, with only two gear gearsticks ?? rather than three ( most had a third stick which you pushed down,) and a pull chain for engaging 4WD in reverse, the gearbox was fitted with a over-run rachet/device in the gearbox to prevent transmition wind up, ???? ( A long time ago !!!). The first car/truck I bought for £75 and have owned a number since, ( girls/ ex wife, did not understand what this truck does to me, but I now have a partner of many years standing who apreciates this truck) and we would really love to have another , and we will!!!!. And she loves the old Fourtrak, as she understand simplicity.

Janis Joplin in her song/ advert many years ago asks for a Mercedes, all I wish for is a MK1 Land Rover.

Sorry folks. I think a 1948/50's MK1 80/"86"L/R is the the holy grail, but I own/drive a '92 leaf sprung Foutrak 2.8 TDX, and she takes some beating in the modern world of 4x4's. just love low tech!!!!.

Any thoughts that Diahatsu may have tried to copy the MK2/3 L/R with this truck ?????. Or at least try to capture some of the market, in the third world, and the UK of a truck which at the time was the best available.

Edward (ews)

Edward (ews) '92 Fourtrak 2.8 TDX

4x4 / All Wheel Drive

Proir to the 2nd W W, in th UK, virtualy all Offroad design was for heavy commercial/millitary trucks , mainly for use in developing countries, especialy those that could be used oilfield/exploration work, the exeption was the German armed forces!!!!!, who understood battlefield mobility,and were working on an incredible range of light trucks, with new chassis ,suspension and drive line designs. Many British designers were ingnored by the MOD of the time , especialy as in the case of one designer,as he was of Hungarian birth. Though work had taken place with stripped down car chassis's, 2 WD only, with oversize tyres and the addition of a machine gun, rather like a skeleton dune buggy, similar to what has been used recently in desert warfare, with the special forces.

Edward (ews) '92 Fourtrak 2.8 TDX

WW11 4 X 4 Vehicles

Hi,
On the subject of Wartime 4 x 4 vehicles the Russian army had a
GAZ - 67B 4 x 4 which was very similiar to the wartime jeep,Though crude in design and featuring model A parts it was said to be very rugged and with a good off - road performance.
Germany had a small tracked motorbike made by NSU called the Kettenkraftad Sd. KfZ.2 which was a revolusionary design which could carry 3 people and tow in most terrains.After WW11 Japan came along with the Nissan Patrol 4W66 and the very much liked Toyota Landcruiser FJ25 and FJ40 both 1/4 Ton 4 x 4 Vehicles' while allso using Mitsubishi / Willys jeeps made under licence.
America now had the Kaiser,Ford XM151,M38,CJ3B,and the amazing M274
1/2 Ton Willys Mechanical Mule.
Phil.