Willys MB history has gotten complicated with all the restoration debates, clone controversies, and Ford GPW comparisons flying around. As someone who grew up around military Jeeps and has crawled under more of them than I should admit, I learned everything there is to know about the original military 4×4. Today, I will share it all with you.
The Vehicle That Won the War
General Eisenhower called the Jeep one of the tools that won WWII, alongside the C-47 and the landing craft. He wasn’t exaggerating. Over 640,000 military Jeeps were produced during the war — Willys-Overland built the MB, Ford built the GPW, and together they motorized the Allied army in a way no force had been motorized before.
Probably should have led with this section, honestly. The Willys MB was 80 inches long, 62 inches wide, and weighed about 2,450 pounds. The Go Devil 4-cylinder engine made 60 horsepower. Those numbers sound laughable today, but the combination of light weight, four-wheel drive, and a low gear range meant the Jeep could go places that no other vehicle could reach. Mud, sand, mountain trails, jungle tracks — the Jeep handled it all.
Roles and Legacy
Scout car, ambulance, wire layer, weapons platform, staff car, runway tow vehicle — the Jeep did everything. Soldiers mounted machine guns, recoilless rifles, and even bazookas on them. The vehicle’s versatility was limitless. After the war, the Jeep concept spawned the entire civilian SUV market. Every crossover and 4×4 you see today traces its DNA back to the Willys MB.
Collecting Today
That’s what makes the Willys MB endearing to us military vehicle enthusiasts — it started everything. Original WWII Jeeps are among the most sought-after military collectibles. Restored examples command $15,000 to $40,000 depending on condition and documentation. The collector community is massive, parts availability is excellent through specialists, and there’s something deeply satisfying about driving a vehicle that literally helped win the war. It’s the original military 4×4, and nothing else carries that kind of history.
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