Jeep Willys history: the Willys MB and the first civilian Jeeps

Willys Jeep history

In the summer of 1940 the U.S. Army asked for a light four-wheel-drive reconnaissance car on a very short deadline. American Bantam built the first pilot, and Willys-Overland and Ford followed with their own. Willys won the standardized production contract largely on the strength of its more powerful 60 hp engine and lower price, and its improved design went into production in 1941 as the MB.

Because Willys could not build enough on its own, Ford received contracts in October 1941 to build the same design, sold as the Ford GPW. The MB was the first mass-produced Jeep and the first with a stamped grille, the ancestor of the seven-slot grille Jeep still uses.

When the war ended, Willys turned the MB into the CJ-2A — the first 'Civilian Jeep' — with a tailgate, side-mounted spare and an improved gearbox, and marketed it for farms, deliveries and construction. The CJ-3A replaced it in 1949, and the Willys name stayed on Jeeps until Kaiser, which bought Willys-Overland in 1953, renamed the company Kaiser-Jeep.[1],[2],[3],[4]

Years and production numbers

Generations and key variants

Engine and drivetrain facts

• The Willys L134 "Go Devil" is a 134 cu in (2.2-liter) inline-four rated at 60 hp gross (54 hp net) — the power advantage that helped Willys win the Army contract.
• The Army's original requirement called for a 75-inch wheelbase; production MBs used 80 inches, the same as the CJ-2A and CJ-3A.
• Willys filed for the Jeep trademark in February 1943; it was registered in June 1950.

Sources:[2],[4]

What changed over the years

1. 1940Bantam's pilot reaches Camp Holabird for Army testing; Willys and Ford build competing prototypes.
2. 1941 (MA, MB)Willys builds 1,555 MAs, then the improved MB enters mass production.
3. 1942 (GPW)Ford-built GPWs to the Willys design join production.
4. 1945 (CJ-2A)The first civilian Jeep: tailgate, side spare and improved gearbox for working buyers.
5. 1949 (CJ-3A)Replaces the CJ-2A; 131,843 built through 1953.
6. 1953Kaiser buys Willys-Overland; the CJ-3B and later CJ-5 carry the line forward.

Sources:[1],[2],[3],[4]

What to check before you buy one

• Confirm what it is: Willys MB, Ford GPW and civilian CJ-2A/CJ-3A parts interchange widely, and many surviving wartime Jeeps are assembled from more than one vehicle. Check the data plate and frame number against the claimed model.
• Ask for documentation of any 'original' or 'matching' claim — data plates, engine number and any service or restoration records.
• Inspect the frame, body tub and floors for rust repair and patch panels, and the Go Devil engine for compression, oil leaks and smoke.
• Six-volt electrics, drum brakes and a non-synchronized first gear are period-correct; plan for them rather than treating them as faults.
• For a restored military Jeep, an inspection by a specialist familiar with WWII-era vehicles is worth the cost before paying a premium.

How to verify a Willys Jeep's factory options

Standardized 17-character VINs began with the 1981 model year, so every Willys MB, Ford GPW, CJ-2A and CJ-3A predates them.[5]

For vehicles built before the 17-character VIN, identification rests on the original serial number, the body (fender or data) tag, engine stampings and the paperwork that survives with the vehicle. A VIN-based build lookup does not apply. Researching a later model? Start at the Jeep history timeline.