The origin of "Jeep"

[Mike Cecil]

As I understand it, the pressed metal jeep grill was designed and first manufactured by Ford, the design/production rights later sold to Willys.


Mike

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

As I understand it, the pressed metal jeep grill was designed and first manufactured by Ford, the design/production rights later sold to Willys.


Mike

Ah I see.

Post 1945 Willys didn't return to making sedans until 1952 with the Aero model. You would think that Willys would have had been given a huge impetus with the sole ownership of the "Jeep" brand but they were taken over by Kaiser in 1953, then changed again to AMC ownership in 1970. The 1950's Aero model Willys car package was was sold to Brazil and built in Brazil between 1960 and 1971 !

[Ed Landstrom]

To complicate things further, there was also a class of small aircraft carrier in WW 2 called a "Jeep"

And the term is still used for a dolly used to support a heavy trailer.

I wasn't there, but I've also herd it alleged that in WW 2, the word was army slang for any small, insignificant piece of equipment, or a new recruit.

[Mike K]

Hmmm

"Willys-Overland civilian engineers collaborated with U.S. military experts in producing ' the fighting Jeep"

Not a word about Bantam in this 1942 Australian advert

[Mike Cecil]

Nor Ford ...


Mike

[Mike K]

At least the Irish stopped the patent

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...earchTerm=Jeep

[Mike K]

Adelaide advert