Sources Say: Jeep Pickup Truck Coming for 2012

[BentToast]

In WW I, Ford built the Jeep. Why shouldnt they make a new, better one to kill that Chrysler abomination?

 

[LVdezertdawg]

In WW I, Ford built the Jeep. Why shouldnt they make a new, better one to kill that Chrysler abomination?

If my memory serves me, and it rarely does now that I am old....the jeep originated from the bantam designs of the early 40's. I believe that checker cab built the first prototypes and I do not believe they were a part of Ford. Ford stepped in after the prototypes were selected and partnered with Willys for the production units in 41. Just a bit of history:mrgreen:

 

[BentToast]

The Bantam design lost to the Willys-Overland design. Ford built most of them them.

 

[frogslinger]

Bantam won, not Willys-overland. Bantam built the first prototype. Then because they did not have enough production capacity the Govt gave their design to Ford and Willys for production with Bantam becoming what today would be called a tier one supplier. Ford and Willys did not partner. They simply built vehicles to the same specs... some parts are interchangeable, some are not.

Also it was WW2, not WW1.

In an interesting side note Ford was offered the most successful Axis vehicle line VW for free after the war on the condition that they could not shut it down; they instead used the resources that would have been required to do so to produce the Edsel line...

Hummer can trace its genealogy back to the same prototype, albeit more circuitously. The most obvious physical element is the grill (which Jeep sued over at one point).

 

[BentToast]

In light of Bantam's shaky manufacturing and financial position, and the advantages of the Willys vehicle, the Army contract was awarded to Willys. Since the War Department required a large number of vehicles to be manufactured in a relatively short time, Willys-Overland granted the United States Government a non-exclusive license to allow another company to manufacture vehicles using Willys' specifications. Pursuant to this agreement, Willys supplied Ford Motor Co. with a complete set of specifications.

http://www.hrja.org/jeep.htm

 

[LVdezertdawg]

Frogman and Bent, Great history here, I learn something new about these jeeps daily. Thanks!!!!

 

[frogslinger]

From bent's same article:


Ultimately, Willys and Ford both submitted prototypes based on the Bantam plans supplied
to them by the Army. The Willys "Quad" and the Ford "Pygmy" prototypes
added their own changes and modifications to the basic Bantam design.

Point is the original GP was a Bantam design and they got screwed.