The Jeep At 75 - A Timeless Icon

May 8, 2022

In December of 2016, Jeep celebrated its 75th anniversary as one of the most influential and longest standing automotive lines in the world. Early Jeeps were used as replacements for mules and wagons to shuttle soldiers around while carrying much-needed supplies such as food and ammunition to camps during the war. Today Jeep is well-known as one of the best off-road vehicle brands available. Here is a look at how the timeless brand has developed over the years.

1941-1945 Willys Jeep MB

Before the United States entered World War II, the British lacked a capable vehicle to tote supplies and soldiers around. When the Willys Jeep MB arrived, it became a critical tool for the Allies (Britain, France, the United States and the Soviet Union) to win the war. The Willys Jeep MB featured a 60 horsepower engine with 85 pounds per feet of torque power, which was a step up from using mules. After the war, hundreds of surplus MB’s were sold or given to local Filipinos when American troops began to leave the Philippines.

1945-1949 Jeep CJ

By 1944, it was clear that the Allies would win the war. Because of this, Jeep considered making a post-war version of the Willys MB for civilian use. Although documentation of this period is unclear, it was believed that the CJ, short for Civilian Jeep 1, was first introduced in May of 1945. It looked similar to the MB but had a drawbar, a tailgate, and a canvas top designed for civilian use. It is not believed that any of the CJ’s from this time are still around today.

1946-1965 Willys Jeep Wagon

Advertised as “a new type of car,” the Willys Jeep Wagon was produced by designer Brooks Stevens. Car bodies were in high demand at the time, and since Willys did not have the finances to make their own frames, sheet metal fabricators that made parts for household appliances were used. It was the first Willys car to be produced with an independent front suspension called “Planadyne,” which was similar to the Studebaker’s “Planar” suspension that was developed by Roos.

1947-1965 Willys Jeep Overland Truck

The Willys Jeep Overland Truck was introduced as a four-wheel drive truck weighing one ton. It had a wheelbase of 118 inches and came available as a chassis cab, a platform stake truck, a pickup truck, or a bare chassis. In 1949, a three-quarter ton two-wheel drive version was produced. In 1953, the company was purchased by Kaiser and renamed Kaiser-Jeep. The truck was a great asset for any farmer as it hauled hay and other supplies quickly.

1948-1951 Jeep Jeepster

The Jeep Jeepster was designed to be more of a passenger vehicle than a military or utility truck. At first, the car was only offered in rear-wheel drive, which was a bit of a turn off for traditional Jeep lovers. The vehicle featured a simple slab-siding design because Willys did not have access to the type of machinery needed for complicated fenders or shapes. The car remained in production until 1950 and leftover models were sold until 1951.

1954-1983 Jeep CJ

The Jeep CJ of the 1950’s was a direct descendent of the CJ’s used during the war. It was influenced by Kaiser, the new corporate owner, and described as a line of vehicles that were hard to kill off. At the time, they were the longest producing cars. A little more than 600,000 CJ’s were made from 1954 to 1983. Changes throughout the years included the location of the gas tank in 1971 and width and frame length changes in 1976.

1963-1967 Jeep Wagoneer

The Wagoneer was Jeep’s first luxury 4x4 vehicle to hit the market. It was produced as a successor to the Willys Jeep Station Wagon that had been around since the end of the war. It had a boxy shape and a pickup truck chassis that was more “carlike” than any other four-by-four on the road at the time. Early versions were powered by a 3.8 L engine with six cylinders and 140 horsepower. The Super Wagoneer was introduced in 1966 and featured an AMC V8 engine with 270 horsepower.

1963-1987 Jeep J Series Truck

The Jeep J Series Truck, otherwise known as the “Gladiator,” was a full-size pickup truck that was designed similar to the Jeep Wagoneer with four-wheel drive. It came available as a wrecker, a stake bed, cab and chassis, or chassis-mounted camper. Early models were powered by a 230 cubic inch 3.8-liter V6 engine with 140 horsepower and optional automatic transmission, power brakes, power steering, and a power take-off for using push plates and snow plows.

1968-1973 Jeep Commando Truck

First produced by Kaiser-Jeep in 1966, the Jeep Comando was designed to compete with the Ford Bronco, Toyota Land Cruiser, and the International Scout. It came available in a convertible, a pickup truck, station wagon, and as a roadster. The Commando stayed within the line until 1969 when Kaiser was bought by American Motors Corporation (AMC). After that, AMC made some changes to the Commando to include a 104-inch wheelbase and a longer front-end design.

1984-1991 Jeep Wagoneer

The Jeep Wagoneer of 1984 was a resurrection of the older models from 1963 as the first genuine family-style SUV to hit the market after the war. Standard models featured a 360 cubic inch 5.9-liter V8 engine with wood-grained sides, an AM/FM stereo, a cassette player, and four Jensen speakers. American Motors improved several manufacturing components of the Wagoneer, resulting in lower costs and better efficiency in their engines, as well as reduced noise, harshness, and vibrations.

1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee

The Jeep Cherokee was designed to be similar to the Jeep Wagoneer. It evolved over the years from a full-size to a compact SUV. Named after the Native American tribe, the first-generation of the Cherokee had a two-door body style similar to the Wagoneer. It had a fixed rear side window and an optional flip-out portion. The windows and pillars were the same as on the Wagoneer, but the Cherokee was a sportier version that came in several trims.

1986-1992 Jeep Comanche

The Jeep Comanche was next in line to follow suit after the Cherokee. It was considered to be a pick-up truck version of the Cherokee compact SUV. It came in rear-wheel and four-wheel drive. Cargo beds were either six or seven foot long. Engine options in 1986 included an AMC 150 2.5 liter, a General Motors LR2 2.8 liter V6, or Renault’s 2.1 liter 14 turbo diesel. By 1987, the Comanche’s engine was replaced by a 4.0 liter AMC 242 V6 fuel injection engine with 173 horsepower.

1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The second generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee from 1999 to 2004 was considered the best of the bunch, until the 2010 version. It shared 127 parts (mostly fasteners) with its previous version. The rear tailgate glass now opened separately and the two V8 engines were replaced by Chrysler’s PowerTech V8 that was lighter and had better fuel efficiency but was not as powerful. In 1999, the straight six engine was updated, which added an additional ten horsepower.

2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was designed to compete with General Motor’s Hummer as an off-road vehicle. It was introduced in the summer of 2002 and featured Dana 44 front and rear air actuated axles as well as Rock-Trac, which added locking differentials and a four-to-one low gear ratio. A five-speed manual transmission was offered in 2003 until 2004. By 2005, the Rubicon was upgraded to a Mercedes-sourced six-speed transmission. A four-speed automatic transmission was available until 2006.

2002-2007 Jeep Liberty

The first generation Jeep Liberty was inspired by the Jeepster concept vehicles and was originally meant to replace the Jeep Cherokee. It was the first Jeep car to use PowerTech engines with a 2.4-liter straight-four engine with 150 horsepower. It was also the first Jeep to use rack and pinion steering. By 2006, the Liberty upgraded to a 3.7-liter V6 engine with 210 horsepower and a 2.8 turbo diesel for the CRD models with an independent front suspension.

2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

In 2007, Jeep introduced its first four-door vehicle. The Wrangler Unlimited featured a 3.8-liter V6 engine with 12 more horsepower than previous versions, and a six-speed manual transmission and an optional four-speed automatic. It was advertised as a family-friendly four-seater with a removable hard top, roof panels or soft top. By this time, the Hummer was delegated to used cars only and Jeep continued to see rising sales. Jeep was also beginning to see success in its overseas market.

2016 Jeep Renegade

The 2016 Jeep Renegade was revealed at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show as a subcompact SUV. It was constructed using a Fiat Chrysler platform in Detroit, Michigan, and was assembled in Italy. It was a different vehicle from the Wrangler and was offered as either a two-wheel or four-wheel drive. Newer models start for less than eighteen thousand dollars, making it an affordable family car with off-roading abilities and either 160 or 180 horsepower.

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