Jeep http://www.offroaders.com/tech/jeep/Jeep.htm#The_origins_of_the_ve...

Home
Sign In
4x4 Tire Tech
The Garage
Mud Tire Reviews
Find Trails
Event Coverage

Home / Garage / Jeep Spotters Guide & Timeline

Product Reviews
Tire Reviews
Jeep Central
Jeep History and Information Jeep Central Home
The Jeep Time Line
Jeep History
Jeep is an automobile marquee (and registered trademark) of
Mud Tire Review Index Origin of the term jeep
DaimlerChrysler. The marquee, like all other Chrysler
Home Page Origins of the first jeep
subsidiaries, became part of DaimlerChrysler when
Photo Album Jeep Projects
Daimler-Benz merged with the Chrysler Corporation in 1998.
Tech Section Jeep Engines
Jeep, like Band-Aid and Xerox, is rapidly becoming a
Product Reviews genericized trademark. Unlike Band-Aid and Xerox, however, Jeep Transmissions
Cool Products jeep did not start out as a trademark. The term was first Jeep Transfercases
Jeep Central applied to a military vehicle, the Bantam BRC, Willys-Overland, Jeep Axles
Readers Rigs Ford Motor Company for the United States Army during World TJ Diagnostics Codes
4x4 Club Links War II. The term is also sometimes used to refer generically to what are now known as SUVs, ARB Air Locker Install
Links Directory whether the vehicle in question bears the Jeep nameplate or not. The army jeep was one of the Jeep Wide Track
4x4 Vendors vehicles that led to the SUV era of the 1980s. Axles Swap
Cool Products
A road that is only suitable for off-road vehicles is often called a jeep trail. The most famous is Jeep Project CJ-7
Shop for Stuff
Centralia PA perhaps Black Bear Road (you don't have to be crazy to drive this road but it helps), made
Computer Help famous in the song of the same name by C.W. McCall, author of the 1976 hit Convoy (2 years
later released as a movie). C.W. McCall (aka, William Dale Fries) also wrote and sung a song
Contact
called Four Wheel Drive, which details a high-speed cat and mouse chase involving his Jeep CJ-5
Search
and a "smokey" through the mud and the crud and the corn fields. An ongoing Budgeted
Site Index
Rebuild/Build up of a Rock
Project CJ-7
Crawling Machine.

Contents
History
Installing The origin of the term jeep
23,000 Volt The origins of the vehicle: the first jeep
Offroad The Jeep marquee
Jeep Wrangler JK
Lights Jeep Time-Line
Jeep JK Specs
Historical models
What are HID Current models
Lights? Future models
Jeep Experimental / Prototype Models
Onboard Air
Converting a
York
AC Compressor RTI / Ramp Travel
to Pump Air Index What it is and how to
calculate it, with and without
Warn the ramp. the ramp.
9500i
Winch
Installation

Offroad Tire Info

HEI
P-Metric Tire Sizes
Ignition
Conversion to Inches
Installation &
Tire Terminology
Review
Wheel Terminology
Lockers, How to Pick the Right
Limited Tires for your Truck
Slips & Truck Tire Info
other Tires - What Hits What Fits
Differentials
All Terrain Mud Terrain
Explained
Tire Reviews & Info
History Mud Terrain MT Tire
Reviews
The origin of the term jeep All Terrain AT Tire Reviews
Super Swamper Bogger
There are many stories about where the name "jeep" came Super Swamper SSR
from. The following two reasons for the name "jeep", Super Swamper SX

1 di 6 24/05/2013 20:29
Jeep http://www.offroaders.com/tech/jeep/Jeep.htm#The_origins_of_the_ve...

although they make interesting and memorable stories, Super Swamper Vortrac
aren't quite accurate. Interco IROK TSL
Super Swamper LTB
1. Probably the most popular notion has it that the
Super Swamper TSL
vehicle bore the designation "GP" (for "General
Super Swamper TSL Radial
Purpose"), which was phonetically slurred into the
Super Swamper Narrow
word jeep. R. Lee Ermey, on his television series Mail
Interco SS-M16 Swamper
Call, disputes this, saying that the vehicle was
Jeep Dana 300 designed for specific duties, was never referred to as Thornbird TSl Radial
"General Purpose," and that the name may have been Thornbird TSl Bias
TeraLow - 4:1
derived from Ford's nomenclature referring to the Thornbird TSL
Gearset for the
vehicle as GP (G for government-use, and P to Parnelli Jone Dirt Grip
Dana 300 Transfer
designate its 80-inch-wheelbase). "General purpose" BFGoodrich Krawler
Case BFGoodrich MT T/A KM
does appear in connection with the vehicle in the WW2
TM 9-803 manual, which describes the vehicle as "... a BFGoodrich MT T/A KM2
Jeep Trans
general purpose, personnel, or cargo carrier especially BFGoodrich AT TA KO
Swap
adaptable for reconnaissance or command, and designated as 1/4-ton 4x4 Truck", and the BFGoodrich Mud King XT
T-18A
vehicle is also designated a "GP" in TM 9-2800, Standard Military Motor Vehicles, 1 Bridgestone Dueler MT
September, 1943, but whether the average jeep-driving GI would have been familiar with Cooper Discoverer ST
Transmission
either of these manuals is open to debate. Cooper Discoverer STT
Rebuild & Short
Cooper Discoverer ST/C
Shaft Conversion
2. Many, including Ermey, claim that the more likely origin Federal Couragia MT
is a reference to a character from the Thimble Theater Firestone Destination AT
(Popeye) comic strip known as Eugene the Jeep. Eugene Firestone Destination MT
the Jeep was a dog-like character who could walk through General Grabber MT
For all the Jeep walls and ceilings, climb trees, fly, and just about go General Grabber AT2
Fans out there! anywhere it wanted; it is thought that soldiers at the time Green Diamond Icelander
Jeepfan.com were so impressed with the new vehicle's versatility that they informally named it after the Ground Hawg Mud Tire
character. Hankook Dynapro MT
Offroad Reports Hankook Dynamic MT RT01
The manuals quoted were published in 1943. The character of Hercules Terra Trac MT
"Eugene the Jeep" was created in 1936. The first common use of Hercules Trail Digger MT
the term "jeep" predates both of these by roughly 20 years. It Kelly-Springfield Safari DTR
was during World War I that soldiers used "jeep" as a slang word
Kelly-Springfield Safari MSR
for new recruits as well as new, unproven vehicles. This is
Kumho Road Venture MT
according to a history of the vehicle for an issue of the U.S. Army
Kumho Road Venture KL71
Jeeps at magazine, Quartermaster Review, which was written by Maj. E. P.
Kumho Road Venture AT
Hogan. He went on to say that the slang word had these
Rausch Creek Dick Cepek Mud Country
definitions as late as the start of World War II.
Off-Road Park Dick Cepek F-C II
The term would eventually be used as slang to refer to an Dick Cepek Fun Country II
airplane, a tractor used for hauling heavy equipment, and an Dick Cepek Fun Country
autogyro. When the first models of the jeep came to Camp Eugene the Jeep is a small, yellow,
Nylon
Holabird for tests, the vehicle didn't have a name yet. Therefore magical animal. In the original Popeye Dick Cepek Fun Country
the soldiers on the test project called it a jeep. Civilian engineers cartoons, he didn't live with Popeye Kevlar
and test drivers who were at the camp during this time were not because Eugene is usually busy ruling Mastercraft Courser MT
Wheeling in the
aware of the military slang term. They most likely were familiar Jeep Island. But because of his ability Mastercraft Courser HTR
Valley of the Ferns
with the character of Eugene the Jeep and therefore began to to foretell the future, the little animal Mastercraft Courser HTR
credit Eugene with the name. The vehicle had many other always appeared when Popeye or Plus
nicknames at this time such as Peep, Pygmy, and Blitz-Buggy Swee'pea needs his special talents. Maxxis BigHorn Radial
although because of the Eugene association, Jeep stuck in Maxxis Creepy Crawler
people's minds better than any other term. Maxxis Trepador
Maxxis Buckshot Mudder
Words of the Fighting Forces by Clinton A. Sanders, a dictionary of military slang, published in Maxxis MA-SW
Paragon 1942, in the library at The Pentagon gives the following definition: Maxxis M-8080 Mudzilla
Adventure Park Maxxis MT-754 Buckshot
Jeep: A four-wheel drive car of one-half to one-and-one-half ton capacity for
◦ Rock Krawl ◦ Maxxis MT-753 Bravo
reconnaissance or other army duty. A term applied to the bantam-cars, and
Maxxis MA-751 Bravo
occasionally to other motor vehicles (U.S.A.) in the Air Corps, the Link Trainer; in the
Maxxis MA-S2 Marauder II
armored forces, the 1/2 ton command car. Also referred to as 'any small plane,
Maxxis MA-S1 Marauder
helicopter, or gadget.
Maxxis MT-762 BigHorn
The term went into widespread public use because of a syndicated news column Nitto Mud Grappler
written by Kathryn Hillyer who was working for the Washington Daily News. Hillyer Nitto Terra Grappler
had been assigned to cover a publicity stunt and Senate photo op where the jeep was Nitto Dura Grappler
Jeeps in Tellico NC Nitto Dune Grappler
presented to the public. The Army brought a jeep to the Capitol in order for it to
climb the front steps of the building and show off the vehicle's power. When test Nokian Vatiiva MT
Thousands more
driver Irving "Red" Housman was asked by a bystander "What is this thing?" he Pit Bull Rocker Extreme
photos here..»
responded simply with "It's a jeep." Hillyer heard this and used the name in her column which was Pit Bull Maddog
printed around the country. Pit Bull Growler
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R
Troubled Pro Comp Xterrain
Pro Comp All Terrain
Pro Comp Mud Terrain
Pro Comp Xtreme AT
Computer? Pro Comp Xtreme MT
Got Pop-ups Toyo Open Country AT
Spyware & Viruses?
In September 1940 a team headed by Karl Probst Toyo Open Country MT
Offroaders.com feels your delivered to the U.S. Army a prototype for the TrXus Mud Terrain
pain. Let our Geeks help World War II Jeep. This small four-wheel drive TrXus STS All Terrain
you...
vehicle was produced by the American Bandam Michelin LTX A/T²
RalphtheGeek.com Car Co., located one block east. Here, Bantam Michelin LTX AT2 Press
manufactured 2,675 Jeeps. Although larger Michelin LTX AT2
companies ultimately received the chief wartime Mickey Thompson MTZ
orders, it was Bantam-in cooperation with the Mickey Thompson MTX
Army-that originally created the jeep. Mickey Thompson Baja Claw
Radial
Mickey Thompson Baja Claw
Bias
Mickey Thompson Baja
Crusher

2 di 6 24/05/2013 20:29
Jeep http://www.offroaders.com/tech/jeep/Jeep.htm#The_origins_of_the_ve...

Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ

Radial SLT
Competition Claw
Nellybelle the Jeep
Dunlop Mud Rover
Nellybelle the Jeep - Old WWII CJ-2A Jeep that was Federal Couragia M/T
constantly conking out on Pat Brady, the bumbling cook and Nitto Dura Grappler
sidekick of Roy Rogers "King of the Cowboys" and Dale Yokohama Geolandar
Evans "Queen of the West (& Cowgirls)" on the western
adventure THE ROY ROGERS SHOW/NBC/1951-57. As Dick Cepek's 2008 F-250
Pat Brady drove around Mineral City, the setting of the Super Duty Project
series, he had the odd habit of talking sweetly to his Jeep as Vehicle – Project
if his verbal compliments could convince Nellybelle to get up CRUSHER
and go. Roy Rogers chose to include a Jeep into the
program because he noticed that after WWII, the Jeeps Mud Tire Reviews
were real popular, especially with children. Rogers himself
owned a Jeep which he used for hunting, off road cruising
Strange and
and travel to and from his studio. Nellybelle's license
Unusual
number was 3P5-388.
Vehicles &
Nelly belle was a 1946 Willys CJ-2A Jeep, which had some 4x4s
unusual bodywork. It was in fact owned by Roy, but was
driven in the show by his comic sidekick, Pat Brady. The
name apparently developed out of Pat riding an ornery mule
Jeep V8 Swap Tips
in the earlier movies, and addressing it with phrases like "Whoa, Nelly!" In most episodes of the
show, Nellybelle's name is painted on her doors. You can see Nellybelle II and many wonderful Offroaders Guide to Gearing
memories of Roy and Dale's life, at their museum in Branson, MO. up for Offroad
From Basic Equipment to Well
Equipped. An extensive list
guide to help you prepare your
vehicle for the offroad.

The origins of the vehicle: the first jeep

The first prototype was built for the Department of the Army by American Bantam, followed by two
other competing prototypes produced by Ford and Willys-Overland. The American Bantam Car
Company actually built and designed the vehicle that first met the Army's criteria, but the Army
felt that the company was too small to supply the number needed and it allowed Willys and Ford to
make second attempts on their designs after seeing Bantam's vehicle in action. Some people
believe that Ford and Willys also had access to Bantam's technical paperwork. Quantities (1500) of
each of the three models were then extensively field tested. During the bidding process for 16,000
"jeeps", Willys-Overland offered the lowest bid and won the initial contract. Willys thus designed
what would become the standardized jeep, designating it a model MB military vehicle and building
it at their plant in Toledo, Ohio.

Willys was a small company and the military was concerned about their ability to produce large
quantities of the vehicle. They were also concerned about only having one manufacturing facility
for producing the vehicle and being susceptible to sabotauge. Based on these two concerns the
U.S. government allowed jeeps to be built by the Ford Motor Company, who designated the vehicle
as model GPW (G indicated a governmental vehicle, P indicated the wheelbase, and W referred to
the Willys design). Combined production by Willys and Ford under the direction of Charles E
Sorensen, Vice-President of Ford during World War II, produced more than 600,000 vehicles.

The jeep was widely copied in countries other than the United States, such as in France by
Hotchkiss and in the Netherlands by Nekaf. There were several different versions created such as a
railway jeep and an amphibious jeep. As part of the war effort, Jeeps were supplied to the Soviet
Red Army during World War II.

In the United States military, the jeep has been supplanted by a number of vehicles (e.g., Ford's
M151, nicknamed the Mutt) of which the latest is the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
("Humvee")

The Jeep Marquee

3 di 6 24/05/2013 20:29
Jeep http://www.offroaders.com/tech/jeep/Jeep.htm#The_origins_of_the_ve...

A division of DaimlerChrysler, the most recent successor company to Willys, now holds trademark
status on the word "Jeep" and the distinctive 7 slot front grille design. The original 9 slot grill
associated with all WW2 jeeps was designed by Ford for their GPW, and because it weighed less
than the original "Slat Grill" of Willys, (an arrangement of flat bars) was incorporated into the
"Standardized jeep" design.

The marquee has gone through many owners, starting in 1941 with Willys, which produced the
first Civilian Jeep (CJ). Willys was sold to Kaiser in 1953, which became Kaiser-Jeep in 1963.
American Motors bought the company in 1970. The Chrysler Corporation bought out AMC in 1987,
shortly after the Jeep CJ was replaced with the AMC-designed Jeep Wrangler or YJ. Finally,
Chrysler merged with Daimler-Benz in 1998 to form DaimlerChrysler.

Jeep vehicles are also produced in Beijing, China, by Beijing Jeep Corporation, Ltd., a joint venture
between Beijing Automobile Industry Corporation, DaimlerChrysler and DaimlerChrysler China
Invest Corporation, established on January 15, 1984.

Jeep vehicles have "model designations" in addition to their common names. Nearly every civilian
Jeep has a '-J' designation, though not all are as well-known as the classic CJ.

Kaiser bought Willys in 1953, AMC bought Kaiser in 1970,

and Chrysler bought AMC in 1987. Then Chrysler merged
with Daimler in 1998. The Germans who lost the war to the
Jeep eventually owned it!

Historical Jeep Models

Pre-Jeep Models - Those that lead up to the Jeep (and then some)
Jeep CJ (MB - GPW, CJ-2A, -3A, -3B, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8) - All similar to the original Willys'
body style. CJ stands for "Civilian Jeep."
1941-1945 Jeep US Army, Military WWII.
Willys MA - MB - Ford GP GPW GPA
1947-1949 CJ-2A
1949-1953 CJ-3A
1953-1968 CJ-3B
1955-1983 CJ-5
1955-1981 CJ-6 - stretched CJ-5
1976-1986 CJ-7
1981-1986 CJ-8
1981-1985 CJ-10 - pickup truck
1963-1970 Jeep Gladiator (SJ) - Fullsize pickup truck
1970s Jeep Honcho (SJ) - Fullsize pickup truck
Jeep Dispatcher (DJ) - A postal truck for the United States Postal Service
Jeep DJ-3A Surrey Gala - 1955-1964 DJ-3A
Jeep Jeepster - Passenger truck
1948-1950 VJ - Willys Jeepster
1966-1971 C101 - Jeepster Commando
1972-1973 C104 - Jeep Commando
1956-1965 Jeep Forward Control - Light truck
FC-150
FC-170
M676
M677
M678
M679
1961-1975 FJ Fleetvan
FJ-3
FJ-3A
FJ-6
FJ-6A
FJ-8
FJ-9
1963-1990 Jeep Wagoneer - SUV
1963-1983 SJ
1984-1990 XJ Mid-size Cherokee (XJ) / Wagoneer
1986-1992 MJ Comanche Mid-size pickup Cherokee-based
1984-1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer - Upscale full-size SUV
1984-1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer - Continuation of the SJ chassis
1987-1996 YJ - The original Wrangler
1993 Jeep Grand Wagoneer - Version of the Grand Cherokee
1993-1998 ZJ
1999-2005 WJ
1997-2006 TJ - (includes TJ Rubicon models).

Current models

The Jeep brand currently produces these models:

TJD - The Unlimited Wrangler, with a 10" longer wheelbase and 15" longer overall (includes
Unlimited Rubicon models).
JK - The latest version of the Wrangler, released as a 2007 model.
JKL - The long wheelbase, 4-door version of the 2007 Wrangler JK.

Jeep Grand Cherokee - large family-oriented SUV.

WK - The newest Grand Cherokee, 2006-present ("WK" is the designator for the new
Grand Cherokee, it is one of the few non-J-designated Jeeps).
Jeep Liberty - KJ - A small SUV (called Cherokee outside North America).
Jeep Commander - XK - Newest model in the Jeep line, it is a seven passenger SUV.
Jeep Compass (2007) - A small crossover SUV based on the Dodge Caliber architecture.

4 di 6 24/05/2013 20:29
Jeep http://www.offroaders.com/tech/jeep/Jeep.htm#The_origins_of_the_ve...

Jeep Patriot (2007) - A small SUV based on the Dodge Caliber architecture.

Future models

Jeep Experimental, Prototype Models and Jeep Concept

Vehicles photo gallery
Jeep® is a registered trademark of DaimlerChrysler Corporation.
Offroaders.com is not associated with DaimlerChrysler Corporation.

All text above is available under the terms of the

GNU Free Documentation License .
More Information can be found here

The Jeep Timeline

Jeep road car timeline, 1945 to Present - Jeep, A subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler

Vehicle 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Type 5 67 8 9 0 1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9
CJ-2A CJ-3A CJ-3B CJ-7 Wrangler YJ Wrangler TJ
1947-1949 1949-1953 1953-1968 1976-1986 1987-1996 1997-present
CJ-8 LJ
Traditional CJ-5 - 1955-1983 Wrangler JK
CJ-6 - (stretched CJ-5) - 1955-1981 JK Unlimited
Jeep DJ Postal / Dispatch Jeep / Surrey Gala Package
CJ-10
VJ
Mid SUV C101 C104 Liberty KJ
Jeepster
Wagoneer / Cherokee SJ Grand Wagoneer Gr. Cherokee ZJ Gr. Cherokee WJ Gr. Cherokee WK
Large SUV
Cherokee XJ Commander
Honcho Comanche
Gladiator
Pickup SJ MJ
J-Series Pickups
Forward Control
Truck
FC-150, FC-170
FJ-3, FJ-3A Fleetvan
Compass
Crossover
Patriot
JEEP Concept Vehicles - Experimental, Prototype Concepts
Other

TECH ARTICLES

4x4 Projects
Project CJ-7
Winch Tech
Drive Train
Recovery Tech

MORE TECH

FJ Cruiser
Electrical Tech
Communications
Towing Tech
Trailer Wiring
Tricks & Tips

Reviews

Mud Tire Reviews

All Terrain Reviews
LT Tire Reviews
Winch Reviews
ATV Tire Reviews

Offroad Tires

AT MT Guide
Mud Tire Info
AT Tire Info
Tire Size Guide
Tire Tech
Most Popular
Least Popular

JEEP ARTICLES

5 di 6 24/05/2013 20:29
Jeep http://www.offroaders.com/tech/jeep/Jeep.htm#The_origins_of_the_ve...

Wiring Diagrams
Jeep Shows
Project CJ-7
Jeep Projects

Offroad Events

Jeep Shows
Rausch Creek
Paragon AP
PA Mountains

That's Interesting

Centralia PA
PA Destinations
Knoebels Park
Weird Stuff
M.A.M.E Arcade

MONSTER TRUCKS

The Trucks
Monster Tech
Show Coverage
Monster Videos

Offroad Community

4x4 Clubs
Offroad Parks
Readers Rigs
4x4 Vendors
4x4 Related Links

Cool Products

Categories
Winches/Recovery
Performance

Offroaders.com
About Us

About
Technical Data

Contact Offroaders

Contact Us
Advertising

Sliprock Media LLC | Privacy Policy | Site Map

6 di 6 24/05/2013 20:29