this is something i enjoy, history of cars. i mean you cant really get where we are today with out learning of the jeeps of the past. So for a while ill try to update it everyday, going into different models and evolutions until we get to the jeeps of today and even of the future, including jeeps never released. So hope you enjoy reading this stuff as much i enjoy learning it. Feel free to add to it if i forgot something in my most recent piece but please do NOT jump ahead. feel free to ask questions too and ill try my best to answer them. here goes nothing:
9/4/11: The beginnings; Part I-Bantam
As most of us know the original jeeps, was the grandfather of what we know today us the wrangler. This original jeep began production in 1940, to meet the needs of the US Military during the raging WWII. What many people don't know is that not only was the well known Willy's-Overland produced but so did Karl Probst with the American- Bantam automobile company. This is today's topic.
probst had the plans laid out for his early jeep in an astonishing 2-days. The army accepted it and began production of the BRC. because the bantam company was previously bankrupt (reason Probst was hired) production began in PA with mostly off the shelf parts. In April of 1940 the army gave its test. The bantam was great for them. good off road and everything but the torque frankly sucked, and the army decided that Bantam was not large enough company for the mass production the army would have required for the war, so the bantam deal was dropped. Needing something the army gave the plans to the eventual choice in Willy's-Overland and Ford. Ford gave the pygmy and Willy's gave the Quad.
stayed tuned tomorrow for more.
9/4/11: The beginnings; Part I-Bantam
As most of us know the original jeeps, was the grandfather of what we know today us the wrangler. This original jeep began production in 1940, to meet the needs of the US Military during the raging WWII. What many people don't know is that not only was the well known Willy's-Overland produced but so did Karl Probst with the American- Bantam automobile company. This is today's topic.
probst had the plans laid out for his early jeep in an astonishing 2-days. The army accepted it and began production of the BRC. because the bantam company was previously bankrupt (reason Probst was hired) production began in PA with mostly off the shelf parts. In April of 1940 the army gave its test. The bantam was great for them. good off road and everything but the torque frankly sucked, and the army decided that Bantam was not large enough company for the mass production the army would have required for the war, so the bantam deal was dropped. Needing something the army gave the plans to the eventual choice in Willy's-Overland and Ford. Ford gave the pygmy and Willy's gave the Quad.
stayed tuned tomorrow for more.