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The 1941 GP was the Ford entrant in the pre-standardized Jeep wars. Around 4,458 of these units were produced. In many ways, the GP was the best of the pre-standardized Jeeps. Contrary to popular myth, GP did not stand for General Purpose. It was an engineering term in which "G" stood for a government contract vehicle and "P" signified the 80-inch wheelbase reconnaissance car. The overall design and quality of construction put the GP ahead of the Bantam and Willys, and Ford very nearly walked away with the big contract for Jeeps. The engine, however, was its Achilles heel. An adaptation of the Model N tractor engine, it was underpowered and unreliable in the GP application. The unit shown is one of the four remaining four-wheel steer variants, of which a total of 50 were built.

Jeeps in Olive Drab

The 1941 GP was the Ford entrant in the pre-standardized Jeep wars. Around 4,458 of these units were produced. In many ways, the GP was the best of the pre-standardized Jeeps. Contrary to popular myth, GP did not stand for General Purpose. It was an engineering term in which "G" stood for a government contract vehicle and "P" signified the 80-inch wheelbase reconnaissance car. The overall design and quality of construction put the GP ahead of the Bantam and Willys, and Ford very nearly walked away with the big contract for Jeeps. The engine, however, was its Achilles heel. An adaptation of the Model N tractor engine, it was underpowered and unreliable in the GP application. The unit shown is one of the four remaining four-wheel steer variants, of which a total of 50 were built. View Related Article