1940-1949
Born in the heat of battle, the Go Anywhere. Do Anything.® Jeep® Brand 4x4 emerged a hero to thousands of Allied soldiers around the world. The equally heroic civilian Jeep vehicles of the 1940s firmly established the Jeep Brand as the undisputed leader in 4x4 technology.
A HERITAGE OF HEROES
The iconic Jeep® Brand is recognized the world over—forever tied to freedom, capability and adventure. Every Jeep Brand vehicle has a unique story to tell, with a rich heritage that links back to the original Willys MB. Our story is your story. Jeep vehicle owners have long known that Go Anywhere. Do Anything.® is a way of life—not just a campaign slogan. Explore our legendary lineup, then create your own timeless story in a Jeep Brand 4x4.
THE BIRTH OF AN ICON
1940 WILLYS QUAD
THE FIRST JEEP® BRAND 4x4
1941 WILLYS MA
THE LEND-LEASE JEEP® BRAND 4x4
The Willys MA featured a gearshift on the steering column, low side body cutouts, two circular instrument clusters on the dashboard, and a hand brake on the left side. Willys struggled to reduce the weight to the new Army specification of 2,160 pounds. Nuts and bolts were shortened along with lighter panels in order to produce a lighter version of the Quad. Items removed in order for the MA to reach that goal were reinstalled on the next-generation MB resulting in a final weight of approximately just 400 pounds above the specifications.
1941-1945 WILLYS MB
FORGED IN BATTLE
It's the stuff of legend; the U.S. Army requested a vehicle—and drove off in a hero. The Willys MB, its spirit forged by the fire of combat and honed in the heat of battle, seared its way into the hearts of warriors fighting for freedom. Fierce emotional bonds often developed between a soldier and his "jeep" 4x4. The faithful MB earned a place in every GI's heart, in every area of combat, in every conceivable role.
The tough, simple, Jeep® Brand 4x4 became the GI's best friend—second only to his rifle. One MB was even awarded a Purple Heart and sent home. General George C. Marshall, US Army Chief of Staff during World War II, and later U.S. Secretary of State, described the Jeep® Brand 4x4 as "America's greatest contribution to modern warfare". Scripps Howard WWII Reporter Ernie Pyle once said, "It did everything. It went everywhere. Was a faithful as a dog, as strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat. It constantly carried twice what it was designed for and still kept going."
The MB started a revolution in the use of small military motor vehicles in the U.S. Army. Horses along with motorcycles, solo and side car, were rendered obsolete almost immediately. The all-purpose MB was amazingly versatile. They could be fitted with .30 or .50 caliber machine guns for combat. They were also widely modified for long-range desert patrol, snow plowing, telephone cable laying, saw milling, as fire-fighting pumpers, field ambulances, tractors and, with suitable wheels, would even run on railway tracks.
1945-1949 JEEP® CJ-2A
THE FIRST CIVILIAN JEEP® BRAND VEHICLE (CJ)
A much-modified version of the MB, the 1945 CJ-2A (MSRP: $1,090) had "Willys" embossed on the hood sides and windshield frame. It was offered to the public with better shock absorbers, springs and more comfortable seats for added comfort, revised transmission and transfer case gear ratios allowing low-speed hauling and highway speeds as high as 60 mph, beefier clutch, better cooling, a tailgate, side-mounted spare tire, larger 7-inch headlights, an external fuel cap, a reinforced frame for greater rigidity, and an automatic windshield wiper on the driver's side.
1946-1965 WILLYS WAGON
AMERICA’S FIRST ALL-STEEL STATION WAGON
America's first all-steel station wagon debuted in July 1946 as the model 463 Jeep® Station Wagon and featured a three-tone paintwork that simulated the "woodie" look. The no-maintenance all-steel utility vehicle was not prone to weathering, peeling or squeaks like the old style "woodies". The Wagon's fold-down tailgate hatch was ahead of its time and can be credited with the origin of the "tailgate party".
1947-1965 WILLYS-OVERLAND TRUCK
A TRUCK FOR THE MODERN FARMER
1948-1951 JEEP® JEEPSTER (VJ)
A YOUTHFUL AND SPORTY CONVERTIBLE
The Jeepster (VJ) was the last phaeton-style open-bodied vehicle made by a U.S. automaker, using side curtains for weather protection instead of roll-down windows. Brooks Stevens, the famous Willys-Overland designer, had intended the Jeepster to be a low-priced American sports car. Eventually it price out at around $1,900, which was at the time fabulously expensive.
1949-1953 JEEP CJ-3A
AN IMPROVED JEEP® CJ
The CJ-3A is considered by many to be the father of recreation vehicles. Introduced in late 1948, the CJ-3A was very similar to the previous model, but featured refinements over the CJ-2A including; a one-piece windshield with bottom vent and dual bottom-mounted wipers, a more robust transmission, transfer case, and beefier Spicer 44-2 rear axle. The CJ-3A could be easily differentiated from the CJ-2A by its one-piece windshield.