History of Jeep
The word "Jeep" today is a commonplace for the manufacturer which is well know for its four-wheel-drive vehicles. Many vehicle manufacturers can be identified with specific vehicles they produce that have made a mark in history, but no vehicle made such a mark as did Jeep. The reason Jeep is recognized as being one of the most versatile, reliable and capable vehicles ever produced is because of the great impact it had on society in its early stages of production. The history of Jeep is not comparable to the history of any other vehicle on the road today.
Before the word "Jeep" even fell into the American vocabulary, there were three automobile companies: American Bantam Car Company of Butler, PA; Willys-Overland Motors, Inc. of Toledo, OH; and Ford Motor Company of Detroit, MI. (Cowdery). The one link between these companies was a bid which was sent out on 27 June 1940 for the development of a rugged vehicle for military use. Of the many manufacturers who had been sent the bid, Ford, Bantam and Willys were the only to respond. Bantam had been the company that had sparked to whole idea with its roadsters. In 1938, the National Guard had tested the vehicles for utility uses and soon Bantam hired Harry Payne to try to sell the vehicles to the Army. Not much later Army officials had visited the company and set out specifications and designs which prompted a call for 70 pilot models. As a result, Bantam hired an automotive consultant by the name of Karl Probst. He took the position of Chief Engineer on the project for these reconnaissance vehicles and soon these vehicles were seen as very useful machines to the military. Willys-Overland and Ford had both responded to the bid but were unprepared to meet the 49 day deadline set by the government. The companies eventually were given the drawings of the Bantam vehicle and were instructed to build their pilots. The Army was quite satisfied with the Bantam vehicles and soon the Quartermaster Corps Technical Committee,
Before the word "Jeep" even fell into the American vocabulary, there were three automobile companies: American Bantam Car Company of Butler, PA; Willys-Overland Motors, Inc. of Toledo, OH; and Ford Motor Company of Detroit, MI. (Cowdery). The one link between these companies was a bid which was sent out on 27 June 1940 for the development of a rugged vehicle for military use. Of the many manufacturers who had been sent the bid, Ford, Bantam and Willys were the only to respond. Bantam had been the company that had sparked to whole idea with its roadsters. In 1938, the National Guard had tested the vehicles for utility uses and soon Bantam hired Harry Payne to try to sell the vehicles to the Army. Not much later Army officials had visited the company and set out specifications and designs which prompted a call for 70 pilot models. As a result, Bantam hired an automotive consultant by the name of Karl Probst. He took the position of Chief Engineer on the project for these reconnaissance vehicles and soon these vehicles were seen as very useful machines to the military. Willys-Overland and Ford had both responded to the bid but were unprepared to meet the 49 day deadline set by the government. The companies eventually were given the drawings of the Bantam vehicle and were instructed to build their pilots. The Army was quite satisfied with the Bantam vehicles and soon the Quartermaster Corps Technical Committee,