possumface

looking at some vintage ww2 jeeps and man those guys were king of mods those little jeeps could carry a boatload of supply's , i know we have some folks on here that are dreaming right now of the next mod maybe take a look at some of those vintage ones for ideas, i was thinking of a few and everytime a idea to mount something on ours the question was would the flimsy metal or plastic in ours hold something even something as simple as a metal box on a fender. don't know just thinking outloud

Sgt P

here's some Willys threads...

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...ghlight=parade

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-show-tell-33/off-roading-my-63-year-old-wwii-jeep-32696/

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-show-tell-33/off-roading-63-year-old-army-jeep-15660/

berg

I would like to see an actual comparason between an unmodified MB and a stock 2dr JK on the same type of course that the army used in 1941.

I wonder which Jeep would win?

ChevyM14

In about 6 to 10 weeks I will be able to give you a comparason between a stock 1944 MB and a stock 2009 rubicon . I can tell you thow, buy MB will fit in the stuff that a JK would not even think aobut going , because my mb is

61" W
53" H (with windsheld down)
132"L

and a 4door JK is

74" W
73" H
185" L

also the JK I paint with a spray paint can after I rub by my thow stuff that I did not fit !

A WWII Jeep is more like a big ATV then a small car.

and about the stuff on the fenders, on a WWII jeep you can sit, stand, walk on the front fenders, they are very thick (as it all the sheet metal) and the have a suport bracket under them.

possumface

ck out the size /wt. difference of the jk specs. vs vintage jeep good old American iron thats what im talking about. can u just imagine what it would cost to put that heavy ga. metal on todays jeeps . love old stuff

berg

A good point about the MB being more like a large ATV than a car.

I believe that the Army in 1940 spec'd out a weight limit of 1200 lbs as a requirement for their General Purpose vehicle.

The Bantam prototype had been stripped and drilled and even parts were left unpainted to try to meet that weight limit. But, it was still over.

Back in those days they could not form sheet metal as thinly as they can today. If they could have, they could have reduced the weight of the Bantam to meet the Army specs.

The Army accepted the slighly heaver vehicle and the rest is history.

If the JK had similar gauge sheet metal as the MB, it would probally weigh more than 5000 pounds and get about 6 miles to the gallon

Apostle

Well, since this is a WW2 thread (sort of) this is what i thought of when i first saw the JKU

Mind you, thinking in gunmetal grey with the iron cross on the door, but needless to say

SASQUATCH

I love the WW-II Jeeps, but I'm curious, dumb question I guess, but do they have lockers of sorts or at all?

ChevyM14

Full open diff. no locker, no LSD .

berg

Ah! the VW Thing (Kubelwagon). Hitler's answer to the Jeep.

They also made the Schwimmwagon (spelling?) an amphibious version complete with fold down propeller.

Just remember the old VW commercial. "VW's will definitely float, but they won't float indefinitely".

Put a snorkle on a Jeep and you don't need to float.