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“…The
Original Jeeps is fascinating, insightful and loaded with information.
[…] The amount of detail is amazing. […] All in all, this
is a job well done and a worthy addition to any Jeep enthusiast's library…”
—Patrick R. Foster | More Reviews
» The BRC was born on September 21, 1940, in the factory of the American Bantam Car Company in Butler, PA, on the 47th day of an impossible 49-day creation and delivery schedule. They moved the vehicle outside the plant, and gathered around it when someone shouted, "Get a Kodak!" The glow of accomplishment shows in all their faces. They had performed a miracle. The Quartermaster Corps at Camp Holabird, Baltimore, MD, administered the military's pursuit for its new field reconnaisence vehicle. Willys-Overland Motors, Inc. had lost the initial RFQ bid to Bantam. Even so, the QM gave Willys the chance to build its own prototype 1/4-ton 4X4 vehicle. Though it took a herculean effort, they brought about the Quad. Ford Motor Company wore big heavy boots to the battle for Jeep manufacturing dominance. An unignorable gigantic big brother presence in the room, the Quartermaster Corps solicited the Dearborn, MI, firm to be its third player. Influenced by both Bantam and Willys' work, Ford developed a prototype very quickly and gained acceptance of the Pygmy on its first try. In 1940, with blitzkrieg raging in Europe, the
US Army proceeded on a mission to replace the 3-wheel motorcycle with side car
and...the mule! The result was the iconic Jeep… Read More »
Welcome to OriginalJeeps.com
Two Books on the Creation of an Icon
June 1940—November 1941
© 2006-2020 Paul R. Bruno, Henderson, NV USA.
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