In June 1940 the race was on to produce a four-wheel drive vehicle for the US Army, John Carroll looks at the contenders
When it comes to the runners and riders in the race to produce the first ‘jeep’, and long before that name was coined, it is generally accepted that Ford came late to the starting gate. It all began in June 1940, following a meeting of the Ordnance Technical Committee in Washington, when the US Quartermaster Corps (QMC) issued a comprehensive specification for a lightweight, cross-country vehicle capable of carrying equipment and personnel across rough terrain.
The vehicle was required to have a 600lbs load capacity, a wheelbase of less than 75in, a height of less than 36in, a smooth-running engine that would pull from 3-50 mph, a two-speed transfer case that offered four-wheel drive, a rectangular-shaped body incorporating a fold-down windscreen, three bucket seats, blackout and driving lights and, crucially, its gross vehicle weight (GVW) had to be below 1,300lbs. The QMC invited 135 manufacturers to build prototypes and submit them for testing after which a contract for 70 pre-production models would be awarded to some contenders.
Such a requirement had been identified in respons…
