Jeep: The First 70 Years Part 2

129 1103 Jeep The First 70 Years 1944 Jeep Cj2

1944 CJ-2
The CJ-2 was the first civilian Jeep. A small number were built for testing, and this is the ninth built of approximately 45. The brass "Jeep" tags were fitted to a number of these prototypes. Some of the early units had data tags marking them as an "Agrijeep." Willys envisioned Jeeps becoming the new farmer's best friend, and that's why many of them were fitted with V-tread (tractor-style) tires. This restored CJ-2, one of a handful of CJ-2 survivors, belongs to Jeep historian Fred Coldwell.

1944 CJ-2 The CJ-2 was the first civilian Jeep. A small number were built for testing, a

Swords to Plowshares:
CJs, 1944-1971
The World War II military jeeps had many attributes, comfort not being among them. Willys knew the jeep was at least a base hit, if not a triple, that might turn into a home run when the war ended. As early as 1943, they were able to devote some time to developing the jeep for civilian use. From these efforts, the CJ ("Civilian Jeep") was born. The first prototypes, called the CJ-1, were pulled from the military line and adapted with tailgates and the addition of accessories. After various tests, the vehicle was fine-tuned mechanically for the agricultural/commercial use that was seen as its primary postwar role. Many of the improvements, such as lower transfer-case gears, lower axle ratios, and a stronger transmission were things that had been developed for other wartime projects. In 1944, the first CJ-2 emerged as a substantially altered design, not merely an adapted military jeep. It could have been just a dolled-up GI jeep, but it was much more. It wore work clothes but was far more capable in every respect than the wartime jeep, and more comfortable.

The production CJ-2A emerged in late 1945 and, even though surplus military jeeps were a dime a dozen, they sold well enough to make Willys happy. The beginning of the Korean War in 1950 both helped and hurt Jeep development. The military contracts were helpful, but materials shortages and a slack economy were not. Historians have speculated this was why the civilian round-fender (later known as the CJ-5) didn't appear in 1952 with the military version. The upgrades made to the CJ-3A weren't earth-shattering, but in those lean times Willys needed some hoopla-even if it only filled a shot glass. Kaiser Industries bought Willys-Overland in 1953 and injected some much needed cash and stability.

When the 1955 CJ-5 and CJ-6s debuted, there was a lot more to talk about. The new bodies offered much more interior room, more comfort, and an array of features and options that expanded rapidly as the '50s became the '60s. In 1957, the T-98 four-speed and the Powr-Lok limited-slip were added to the options list. In 1961, the Perkins 4-192 diesel was added as an engine option. Also that year, the Tuxedo Park option came available, which added more comfort and style accessories. Likely the biggest bit of hoopla for the '60s was the addition of the 225ci V-6 to the line in 1966. With 160 (gross) horsepower on tap, it gave the CJ some muscle to flex. When Jeep passed to AMC in 1970, the CJ line was in pretty good shape.

1945 CJ-2A
The first production civilian Jeeps, dubbed the CJ-2A, appeared in July 1945, and a total of 1,824 models were sold in its first year. Lindsay Clark's is the 67th unit built, and mounts an early capstan winch and has a canvas half-cab fitted. The 2As built into the middle of 1946 were very different animals than those built later. They have column-shift transmissions and many leftover World War II-style parts incorporated into their designs.
1945 CJ-2A The first production civilian Jeeps, dubbed the CJ-2A, appeared in July 1945,
1950 CJ-3A
The CJ-3A was a fairly minor remake for the civilian Jeep that started in the 1949 model year; the CJ-2A and CJ-3A overlapped that year. Jim Marski's '50 has only 8,900 original miles and a period "Jeep-a-Trench" trencher with a front blade and capstan winch. Few conversions like this have survived because this equipment was extremely hard on the vehicles.
1950 CJ-3A The CJ-3A was a fairly minor remake for the civilian Jeep that started in the
1955 CJ-5
This basic CJ-5 would have cost you $1,476 in 1955, and the front passenger seat, top, heater and rear seat were extra. Brandon Corwin restored his bare-bones '55 back to original "bare-bonesness." You can tell the year of the '55 and some of the '56 models by the shackles being at the rear of the front springs, like the MD model. This feature left the civvy rigs in 1953 in favor of the more familiar front-mounted shackle.
1955 CJ-5 This basic CJ-5 would have cost you $1,476 in 1955, and the front passenger se

1964 CJ-3B (M606)
The answer to fitting the taller and more powerful F-head four into the CJ was twofold: the CJ-3B was one and the CJ-5 was another. The CJ-3B appeared in 1953 as a stopgap, but amazingly, both were kept around after the CJ-5 debuted for 1955. The CJ-3B soldiered on to '68, sold mostly commercially. Daniel Walton's restored '64 is a government-spec unit often known as the M-606. These military variants were often given to friendly governments under a program called MDAP (Mutual Defense Assistance Program).
1964 CJ-3B (M606) The answer to fitting the taller and more powerful F-head four into th
1965 CJ-6A
Jim Marski's '65 CJ-6A gives us two things to talk about. The long-wheelbase CJ-6 offered Jeep owners lots more room, but it wasn't a hot seller. The "A" in the nomenclature here indicates a Tuxedo Park model. Tuxedo Parks were not much more than a few cosmetic options until 1964, when it embodied enough changes to become a separate model, the "A." It had a revised suspension, chrome bumpers, column shifter, vastly improved seating, honest-to-goodness chrome and special colors, among other things. The CJ-6 lasted to 1976 domestically (1981 for export), and the Tuxedo Park hung on through 1968.
1965 CJ-6A Jim Marski's '65 CJ-6A gives us two things to talk about. The long-wheelbase
1969 CJ-5 V-6
This 1970 vintage factory color photo shows a '70 Model CJ-5 in Spring Green paint. This beauty would set you back $2,868.23 plus $210.93 for the V-6, $82.12 for five H78-15 Goodyear Polyglas Suburbanite tires, $74.27 for the passenger-bucket, and $87.77 for the rear seat. If you wanted 4.88:1 gears and a rear limited slip, it cost you $48.43. The heavy-duty springs and shock would set you back $35.19. The steps were an even $30. Would you pay $3,500 for this rig now?
1969 CJ-5 V-6 This 1970 vintage factory color photo shows a '70 Model CJ-5 in Spring Gre