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Historic Vehicles story By
Victor Ma
1943 WWII Ford GPW Jeep/Willys
MB.
Model: Ford GPW Jeep / MB
willys jeep
Body Style:
Open body (277,878 Made by Ford & 348,849 Made
by Willys over land)
Constraction: Ladder chassis
with steel open body (1942~1945)
Engine: inline 4 cylinder
water cooled side valve 2199cc 60hp
Transmission: 3 speed X 2
part time 4wd
Suspension: leaf spring +
shock
Brake: Hdy drum for both
Front & Rear wheel
Max speed: 100 Km/h
History: before WWII, US army
force need a small go
 anywhere
1/4 Tonnes truck like German 1936 Kfz 2 4WDS off road vehicle, a 3x1
Harley-Davidson motor cycle with side car was
not good on rough country. Army need a light
weight, small cross - country mobile for small
groups of soldiers and command use at front
lines and over rough terrain. They need for
such military innovations took on a special
urgency during the later Depression years, Bantam,Willys and Ford
Build some prototype for test at 1940.Such as
Bantam Rough Riders,Willys MA, and Ford Pygmy
build a little for Army at 1941.Although the
United States did not enter World War II until
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Ford & willys Produce over 600,000 unit
between 42~~45 to the US Government, The
willysMB/Ford GPW is the most widely produced
cross country vehicle of the world. Initially
 known
as "Peep" they soon became universally know as
Jeep-Today all small off Roader call "Jeep".
Many MB/GPW also use by other army, such as
British Empire use 104,430 Jeep, Canada Army
use 8,200 Jeep, China army use 5,944 Jeep,
French army use 9,736 Jeep, USSR army use
49,250 Jeep, S.America use 1,060, all others
400,000 use by U.S. Army at that time. 13000
unit of GPA amphibious made by Ford base on
GPW ,Also some full time 4WS MB/GPW model, 6x6
MB jeep and half track, LWB, light weight,
armoured car model prototype model been made
for test, but because the 2.2L engine is too
small to push this type LWB vehicle and some
4x4x4 model got high speed driving more
difficult problem etc, the Army believe the
Dodge,4x4,6x6 is much better., At same time
Italian force use the 508C Militare, which was
based on the Fiat Balilla, ( a front engine
rear wheel drive Tourer) the performance is
very bad, Japan build the Kurogane Type 95, a
little air cooled 2 seat 4WD, but no
performance,
 not
reliable, although these Asia or European
small off road vehicle were less successful,
none was a serious competitor to the jeep.
Only in German force, Hitler's Kfz 2, G4, Kfz
15, VW 82 buggy, VW82e,VW87 4x4 field car and
VW 166 go any where land and sea 4x4 field
car, German automotive industry was one of the
most sophisticated on the world. But German is
a very small Country, only less than 68000
unit of VW128,VW166,VW82,VW82e and VW87 German
jeep been made By VW between 1939-45.The Kfz 2
4x4x4 just 12000 been made by Stoewer,Hanomag,
BMW between 1936-1944.Not many WWII German off
road vehicle you can see now. Most on Museum
and military Vehicle collectors hand. US jeep
you can see any where in the world. Even at
early 80s thousands of MB/GPW jeeps still use
in every where in the world. I remember I saw
lot of jeep still use by Shanghai Government
at end of 70s.Today almost all jeep at jeeps
fans hand, even in China. lot of people order
MB parts
 from
our Co to rebuild their first WWII small 4x4
collection. This GPW jeep imported from
California to HK at mid of 80s by myself when
I am 16 years old. & only one in HK. our Co.
use 6 year to Reg this vehicle in HK and spend
16 years to rebuild this Jeep as new
condition. most parts come from Europe and
USA.We dont use Asia made reproduction parts,
because all our War time collection must will
War time steel. This is why it take so long
time to renew this vehicle. we got a very rare
capstan winch, it is still in box. If you try
to rebuild your first WWIICollction, The MB/GPW
is the best chose, low price, easy to buy new
reproduction parts.
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