No other vehicle has served our country so well or carried the pride and history like the Jeep has. The tough little utilitarian vehicle was born in a time of world strife at the request of the U.S. Army 70 years ago. It has since served man and soldier as savior, workhorse, and recreational adventure vehicle for an incalculable amount of off-road enthusiasts.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, "America could not have won World War II without it." As an integral part of our military, countless stories have been told about the Willys MB hauling wounded soldiers to the rear for care and transporting troops and ammunition to the frontline, not to mention acting as small fast attack vehicles. After its faithful service to the country, the postwar Jeep exploded in popularity with adventurers looking to explore the backroads and wild lands of America. The nimble and capable four-wheel vehicle, proven in battle, was the perfect trail machine.
The Jeep CJ was one of the...
The Jeep CJ was one of the most influential recreational vehicles of all time. The CJ was produced in many variations, with different models, styles, and limited-edition packages. The famous civilians CJs were produced from 1945 to 1985, starting with the CJ-2A and ending with the CJ-8 Scrambler.
Some of our fathers and grandfathers remember their stint in the armed forces with the Jeep fondly. Those no longer with us would likely be astounded at the evolution of the original '40 American Bantam design, which has morphed into the Wrangler JK of today. Initially the Jeep was designed as a dependable bare-bones all-terrain vehicle, and through a number of company owners the Jeep brand saw a number of models ranging from spartan CJs to utility trucks and luxury SUVs.
American Bantam designed the Jeep pilot prototype in1940. However, due to the urgent need for a vehicle and the upcoming war, the Army Quartermaster Corps gave Bantam's blueprints to Ford and Willys-Overland. Eventually, after months of grueling testing and numerous modifications to all three of the company's prototypes, Willys-Overland won the contract. It achieved the contact not only because of the more powerful "Go Devil" engine but because the company also met the Army's stringent weight requirement. Though Willys-Overland won the contract to produce vehicles for the Army, Ford coproduced the GPW, a virtual copy of the Willys MB, so as to have enough production facitlities running throughout the war.
 Early Willys and CJ Jeeps,...  Early Willys and CJ Jeeps, adoringly called Flatfenders or Flatties, became incredibly popular after the war. To this day they can still be found roaming the trails and highways with enthusiast owners as proud as can be. |  Old and new can still mix...  Old and new can still mix it up side by side. Here are two of the most capable Jeeps of their respective eras. The old Flattie in terms of comfort is just a tin can compared to the luxurious appointments of the modern Jeep. |  Who can't help admire capable...  Who can't help admire capable military machines made for hard-core off-road conditions? The M715 was produced from 1967 to 1969 and was quickly snapped up by the civilian market for recreational and commercial uses. |
From its humble beginnings and hurried prewar creation by Bantam, Ford, and Willys-Overland, the Jeep was transformed into a number of cherished and oddball designs. Jeep had also spurred manufacturers such as Ford, GM, International Harvester, and Land Rover to build their own utilitarian off-road vehicles.
You either love them or hate...
You either love them or hate them. The Cherokee XJ and the Grand Cherokee ZJ, WJ, and WK, along with a few other late-model Jeeps, were designed with unibody construction. These vehicles were considers by some as inferior due to the weaker chassis. However, over the years they have proven to be good trail rigs, easy to modify, and economical.
After WWII, Willys-Overland immediately started marketing the civilian version of the Jeep MB, the CJ-2A. There were a number of differences in the civilian version of the war hero. A few of the most notable changes were that the Jeep now had a tailgate, the spare tire was moved to the right side, and the gearing was changed for low-gear off-road torque.
Over the years many companies have owned the coveted Jeep brand name, starting with Willys-Overland. Willys sold Jeep to Kaiser in 1953, becoming Kaiser Jeep in 1963. American Motors (AMC) bought Kaiser in 1970, and in 1979 Renault began investing in AMC. In 1987 Chrysler bought out AMC, and then in 1998 Chrysler merged with Daimler-Benz to form DaimlerChrysler. In 2007 DaimlerChrysler sold most of its holdings to a private company. Chrysler and the Jeep division now operate under the name Chrysler Holding LLC.
The famous little Jeep is now considered as American as apple pie. It has spawned numerous Jeep CJ models, Jeepsters, wagons, trucks, and cars. If you own a Jeep, then you should be proud. You own a piece of American history.
 The Wrangler TJ Rubicon was...  The Wrangler TJ Rubicon was the first of the most capable Wranglers and the first civilian production vehicle to come with front and rear lockers. The TJ Rubicon set the bar high for all other recreational vehicles after 2003. |  The '07 Jeep Wrangler JK is...  The '07 Jeep Wrangler JK is the latest and perhaps most capable vehicle to roll off the assembly line. It's certainly one of the most comfortable and the largest. The four-door Rubicon version was an instant hit, the bestselling recreational vehicles of its time. |  From children to grown enthusiasts,...  From children to grown enthusiasts, this perfect Jeep adventure setup replete with Willys camping trailer stops everyone in their tracks. This old flatfender is the pride and joy of a family that had roamed and explored the southern deserts for over 50 years. This setup literally gave four generations memories that will last a lifetime. |
Jeep Timeline
This is not a complete list of vehicles created and built under the Jeep brand. There were many prototypes, variations, and special editions of certain models along with foreign and commercial versions of Jeep vehicles.
The Early Jeep
1940 Bantam pilot prototype
1940 Bantam BRC-60 prototype
1940 Willys Quad prototype
1940 Ford Pygmy prototype
1940 Budd Ford prototype
1941 Ford GP
1941 Willys MA
1941 Bantam BRC-40
1942 Willys MB (slat grille)
1942-45 Willys MB (stamped grille)
1942-45 Ford GPW
1942-43 Ford GPA
Post WWII Jeep
1944-45 CJ-2
1945-49 CJ-2A
1946-65 Willys Jeep Wagon
1947-65 Willys Jeep Truck
1948-50 VJ Willys Jeepster
1949-53 CJ-3A
1950-55 M-38
1952-71 M38A1
1953-63 M170
1953-68 CJ-3B
1954-83 CJ-5
1955-75 CJ-6
1955-64 DJ-3A
1956-65 Forward Control FC-150, FC-170
1959-78 M151 MUTT
1961-63 CJ Tuxedo Park Mark III
1963-83 SJ Wagoneer
1963-86 J-Series Gladiator, Jeep Honcho
1964-67 CJ-5A/CJ-6A Tuxedo Park
1965-75 DJ-5
1965-73 DJ-6
1966-69 SJ Super Wagoneer
1966-71 C101-Jeepster Commando
1967-75 DJ-5A
1967-69 M715
1970 CJ Renegade I
1971 CJ Renegade II
1972-83 CJ Renegade
1972-73 C104 Commando
1973 CJ Super Jeep
1974-83 SJ Cherokee
1975-76 DJ-5D
1976-86 CJ-7
1977-78 DJ-5F
1977-80 CJ Golden Eagle
1979 CJ-5 Silver Anniversary Limited Edition
1980 CJ Golden Hawk
1981-85 CJ-8 Scrambler
1981-85 CJ-10 Military and export
1984-91 SJ Jeep Grand Wagoneer
1984-01 XJ Cherokee
1984-90 XJ Wagoneer
1986-92 MJ Comanche
1987-95 YJ Wrangler
1991-93 Renegade
1993-98 ZJ Grand Cherokee
1993 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
1997-2006 TJ Wrangler
1999-04 WJ Grand Cherokee
2002-07 KJ Liberty
2003 TJ Rubicon
2004 TJ Unlimited
2002-07 KJ Liberty
2005-Present WK Grand Cherokee
2006-09 XK Commander
2007-Present JK Wrangler two-door and four-door Unlimited
2007-Present MK Compass
2008-Present KK Liberty