So you need to get from point A to point B. Does it matter that you have to traverse through treacherous rock cliffs, deep valleys, steep inclines, flowing rivers, muddy dirt tracks, and everything but asphalted tarmac in between. Not to the Jeep.
The granddaddy of all Four Wheel Drives, the Jeep was actually a formalized requirement of the U.S. Department of War in the days that led to WW II. They needed a light, cross-country, off-road reconnaissance vehicle to replace their faithful Harley Davidson Motorcycle + side cars and Ford Model T’s used during WW I. Here was the proposal they sent to 135 U.S. automotive manufacturers on July 11th, 1940 : The vehicle had to be Four Wheel Drive, have space to carry a crew of 3, have a fold down windshield, a wheelbase of 75 inches, track of 47 inches, 115 N-m of Torque, a payload of 299 kg and an overall weight of 590 kg.
They were not asking for a car. They were asking for a thoroughbred stallion stuffed into a tin can, balanced on a mountain goat and capable of hauling an elephant.
The initial response was less than overwhelming. American Bantam Car Company, Willys- Overland Motors and Ford were the only companies that stepped up to the plate. Bantam hand-built a prototype pilot model No.1 called the ‘Blitz Buggy’ and delivered it to the Army Vehicle Test Center at Camp Holabird, Maryland. It was subject to extensive testing by the army officials, some test engines being operated at full throttle until the cylinders began to score and the bearings burnt out. Subsequent improvements to the mechanicals, cooling system and pistons ensured that the engines could run at 4000 rpm for 100 hours without failure. The Ford Pygmy and Willys MA were also part of testing along with the Bantam No.1. The tough and simple Jeep became the GI’s best friend, second only to his rifle.
Soldiers raved about the Willy’s high torque 4 cylinder L engine that they had christened “Go Devil”, belting out a whopping 60 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and their model was chosen among the three to enter into the stipulated 16,000 unit production, incorporating design features of the Ford and Bantam entries such as the wide flat hood and the welded flat iron “slat” radiator grille.
Willys was soon unable to keep up with the massive production scale and Ford was contracted to augment manufacturing. They called theirs GP – “G” for Government and “P” to designate any passenger car with a wheel base of 80 inches. Although the origin of the name “Jeep” remains a topic of debate, I like to believe that slurring of the acronym GP led to them being called Jeeps rather than being named after “Ëguene The Jeep” a character in Popeye’s comics who was “small, able to move between dimensions and could solve seemingly impossible problems”.
The Jeep Marque is currently owned by Chrysler, who make a modern version under the name Jeep Wrangler.
It shares the same utility and versatility of the original, albeit with a 4-litre high output power-plant, independent suspension and electronically controlled active differentials. You can also strap yourself into a number of facsimile vehicles that can get you from Point A to Point B, regardless of the terrain. Land Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, and Suzuki Jimny to name a few. But none of them share the rich history of 7 decades of unquestionable performance, mud plugging, virtual indestructibility and down right “offroading fun”.
Aerospace Dynamics 