1941 FORD RECONNAISSANCE CARS JOIN THE ARMY GPW ARMY JEEP DEMONSTRATION FILM EDSEL FORD XD45074

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This black and white 1941 demonstration film, produced by Ford Motion Picture Laboratories and narrated by Michigan sportscaster Harry Wismer, shows U.S. Army Truck, ¼ ton 4x4 Command Reconnaissance vehicles in action at and around the Ford River Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan (TRT 0:23).
Opening titles (0:07). Dedication: “This film is respectfully dedicated to the officers and men of the United States Army in the name of American Industry…” (0:27). A trio of Ford 4x4 Reconnaissance Cars or GPW “Jeeps” exit a Ford River Rouge Plant garage in single file. Edsel Ford, president of the Ford Motor Company delivers the initial order of 1,500 U.S. Army cars to then-Brigadier General Charles H. Bonesteel III, speaking into a WXYZ radio microphone (0:45). Under a Jeep’s hood, “the final nuts are turned,” putting the finishing touches on a new “scout car” (W-2017422) in a staged photo-op. The front fenders, wheels, grill, and headlights are seen in closeup (1:12). Edsel Ford and General Bonesteel climb aboard. Ford smiles behind the wheel and reads a prepared statement (1:24). Ford shifts the GPW into gear and drives ahead (2:09). A Ford GPW drives wildly across a snowy Michigan winter landscape, bouncing over hills at high speed. Industrial buildings in the background (2:22). The three vehicles race past an assembled crowd of onlookers, jumping over a bump in the off-road terrain to demonstrate liftoff. The trio drives straight at the camera head-on from two angles (2:37). In a closer view, the 45 horsepower Jeeps skid into a sharp curve and climb muddy hills with ease (3:01). Ford and General Bonesteel watch approvingly in closeup (4:02). The GPWs drive over weeds and branches up steep hills (4:08). The Jeeps continue proving themselves, circling around warmly dressed officials in the foreground (4:37). A closeup reveals chained tires. The Jeep, driven by a man in aviator’s goggles, brakes, then drives down a steep hill, seemingly unharmed (4:54). A Jeep carrying two passengers bounces up and down a hill in a loop, dodging barren trees (5:15). A driver and General Bonesteel behind the windshield. Edsel Ford holds onto his hat in the rear seat. The Jeep proceeds more cautiously, and General Bonesteel grips a canvas side panel (5:55). A GPW splashes through a narrow canal filled with water, spraying streams from either front wheel well (6:35). Another car with two passengers and its hood flipped open, blocking the windshield. Water splashes over the exposed engine. Steam rises, yet the Jeep continues driving on (6:51). More Jeeps “rolling off the assembly line” of the River Rouge Plant. A wider shot reveals the outline of the Rouge plant, and other early 1940s Ford vehicles parked outside. Jeeps drive over railroad tracks (7:10). A seemingly endless stream of Ford GPWs drive forth from a gated service road (7:21). “The End” (7:33).
President Dwight Eisenhower called the Jeep “one of three decisive weapons the U.S. had during WWII,” and General George Marshall called it “America’s greatest contribution to modern warfare.” The Ford GPW had predecessors in its 1923 4x2 Reconnaissance Car, the Bantam Reconnaissance Car of the American Austin Company, and the Willys MB. Ford’s prototype, the “Pygmy” was approved in 1940. It used a modified Model N tractor motor. The “G” in GPW stood for “Government” contract, the “P” indicated an 80in wheelbase, and the “W” referred to the design and engine licensed from Toledo, Ohio-based Willys-Overland Motors. The original origin of the “Jeep” nickname is debated to this day.
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[@stevecanyon23]

I'm a proud owner of a 1942 Ford GPW, it's the best multipurpose vehicle ever built.

[@harrybriscoe7948]

i am sure the larger companies lawyers left them with nothing else .. Like royalties

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@harrybriscoe7948 What?

[@nealesmith1873]

Great video! I had a 1943 GPW for 20 years, but now long since sold.

[@ericfermin8347]

648,000 were produced from 1941-1945, one rolled off the assembly line every three minutes for 4 straight years.

[@harrybriscoe7948]

How many were never used ? I remember they were a popular unused surplus item

[@ericfermin8347]

@@harrybriscoe7948 They were still in the Army inventory into the 90's.

[@quagmiredavis4117]

@@harrybriscoe7948 yes surplus lots of 5 with replacement parts we have 4 still in shipping crates great grandad bought 5 Ford 10 willys jeeps And power wagons in 48 and 49 and gensets and Many engines and pars still in crates ..

[@trynsurviven2440]

I would love to have a couple of those right now.

[@-oiiio-3993]

I have the remains of a GPW in my back yard. I drive a 'flattie' with Kenne Bell equipped 225 Buick V6 'Odd Fire', Warn overdrive. She's a gas.

[@51WCDodge]

@@-oiiio-3993 Nah! The Jeeps were parading about fo photos . It was the Dodge 4x4 doing the work. Plus there is room to sleep in the back of a Dodge.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@51WCDodge The little 2,500 pound Blitz Buggies could get into and out of situations for which the Dodge was too large and cumbersome. Each had their place. I'd like very much to have a nice WC (tried for some while to buy one years back from a guy who wouldn't sell) but that does not diminish my respect for 'Jeeps' one iota. Why sleep when one can Jeep?

[@51WCDodge]

@@-oiiio-3993 In UK there are two camps for US WW2 Military Vehicles those of us with Proper Dodges, I have a WC51 and a WC54, and those that drive, the other things. :-) I love my pair they have taken me places allowed me to do things and meet people I'd never have done otherwise. So they are in my care for this genearation , my son's and grandkids in the future. They will always 'Belong' to those who built them and used them in service. As an aside I saw one the new ..Land Rover Defenders out in the real world today. Took ten mintues before I could stop crying.

[@morgankamari9985]

Dont know if you guys cares but if you are bored like me during the covid times you can watch all the new series on instaflixxer. I've been streaming with my brother during the lockdown xD

[@bloqk16]

My late dad served in World War II Europe and told me a couple of things about the Jeep during his time there: 1. A metal rod or pipe was affixed to the front of the vehicle to break the piano wire that the enemy forces may string across the road, as such wire was known to decapitate drivers and passengers in the jeep; that is, when the windshield was kept down. 2. Two improvised anti-theft devices to the Jeep, when parked, was to wrap a length of chain links around the steering wheel/column and padlock it. The second anti-theft device was to remove the distributor cap's rotor, as it was simple to place the rotor back into the distributor.

[@usmc481]

I have à willys 1943. 👍👍👍 Belgium.

[@sandking588]

My dad had a couple Willis jeeps completely rebuilt. We would ride around the farm in NC just like the guys on the video. And that Willis will beat the brakes off you. The suspension and those seats! It's all fun and games till you faceplant the hood lol. You better be hanging on and have you lap belt on. I'm watching the video and watching the joes take a thrashing 😂 Cause you will be thrown out lolol. I was a paratrooper and have drove Hummers, 5 tons and everything in between. The Willis is basically 4 man fast tractor. Good times

[@yortomatic]

Good story and thank you for your service!

[@dwightl5863]

You mentioned seat belts--the way they were driven in the film the drivers and passengers would seem to have needed seat belts. Did the original WW II jeeps have seat belts?

[@sandking588]

@@dwightl5863 I'm not sure what models and year they were. The ones my dad had wer equipped with them.

[@sandking588]

@@yortomatic fun times lol. Thanks

[@jamminjr7856]

When I was a kid in Florida I owned GPW serial number 000683. Made Dec 1941. Wish I still had it.

[@roberttorres4893]

Swivel headlights to make repairs at night under the hood of the Jeep was the most impressive feature to me and it’s the year 2021.

[@deborahchesser7375]

Pretty bold of the Old Man to jump in that thing, they weren’t takin it easy at all.

[@Karnegis]

I knew many WWII veterans they were tough as nails.

[@mr.goodpliers6988]

Great footage

[@daz7122]

Till today I have never seen a better beast.

[@jacksons1010]

Take note: the US defense build up started long _before_ Pearl Harbor. Far too many Americans believe the USA magically produced all the equipment for WW2 starting from nothing in 1942. Very few designs that didn’t already exist made it into service before the end of the war.

[@-oiiio-3993]

These came in rather late. The Ford GP models shown in the film were from the first contract, issued to American Bantam (BRC), Willys (MA), and Ford (GP) for test and evaluation prototypes. The GP was produced through November of 1941. The 'standard' 'Truck, 1/4 Ton, 4X4, G503' (Willys MB, Ford GPW) had just entered production as bombs fell on Oahu. Thompson Submachine Guns were a perfect example of expensive, very obsolete, difficult to produce weaponry being mass produced simply because improved designs had not been pursued / financed in the post WW1 'peacetime' era.

[@tedpeterson1156]

Patriotic martial music always gets ya ready to smash facism!

[@brosefmcman8264]

Unfortunately democrats are tearing this country down faster than a nuclear weapon could! Thanks Obama 😔

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@brosefmcman8264 Horsepuckey. Go follow Trump as he rambles incoherently while 'wedding crashing' his own venue.

[@teakkaye5364]

FDR and Truman were liberals

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@teakkaye5364 What a remarkable discovery you have made.

[@Pedroisanickname]

@@brosefmcman8264There's only about 6000 hours of live, independent video showing the MAGA mob literally tearing down Washington and you're blaming Dems. Oh and Antifuk you!

[@madcat789]

Charles H. Bonesteel. A name of badassery.

[@-oiiio-3993]

If I were an ancient Roman, I would be Gassius.

[@Nighthawke70]

Charles Hartwell Bonesteel Jr.(pronounced "Bonn-eh-stel") Beginning in 1940 Bonetseel's service covered several senior staff and command positions, to include: Chief of Staff, VI Corps Area and Second U.S. Army; Commander, Sixth Corps Area;[8] Commander, 5th Infantry Division;[9] Commander, Iceland Base Command;[10] Commandant of the Infantry School;[11] Commander, Western Defense Command;[12] and Assistant to the Commanding General, Twelfth United States Army Group. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1940[13] and Major General in 1941.[14] In 1944 Bonesteel was assigned as Commander of the G-1 (Personnel) Staff Section at SHAEF Headquarters. He remained in this position until 1945, when he was assigned as Chief of the General Inspectorate Section for the U.S. European Theater of Operations.[15] Later in 1945 Bonesteel returned to the United States as President of the War Department Manpower Board, where he served until retiring in 1947.[16] (Poached from his wiki. He's got quite the lineage and his son carried on in the Army as well.)

[@douglasallen511]

@@Nighthawke70 Was his son Col. Charles Bonesteel who, along with Col. Dean Rusk, established the 38th parallel border in 1945 that cut the Korean peninsula in half?

[@Nighthawke70]

@@douglasallen511 You'd have to read up on that.

[@jaminova_1969]

Make America Strong! We need that "Greatest Generations" guidance and wisdom now more than ever!

[@BrokeDownBob]

Jeeps are still kicking ass!!!!

[@-oiiio-3993]

My Kenne Belle equipped, Buick 225 'Odd Fire' powered, 'Flatfender' Willys smiled as I read that.

[@haydenlogston2164]

Jeep changed automotive history.

[@martiniv8924]

Love the way they refrain from saying “JEEP “ 😜

[@jimbobjones9119]

This predates the JEEP name.

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

American Bantam owned the Jeep trademark at the time.

[@wojtekgall4766]

Ford...genijalny człowiek...wizjoner...😊👍🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@komerwest3748]

Sure wish I stiil had the one the old man got us in 67 in Alaska

[@kc4cvh]

At first glance, I thought the title read 'Ford Renaissance cars..' It reminds me that the U.S. forces fired a lot of Model T Fords at the Axis, in the form of shells, torpedoes, bombs, etc. which came from Tin Lizzies that fell victim to the scrap iron drives.

[@BELCAN57]

These little cars are ok for Army service but I doubt that there will be any use for them with the general public........😁

[@johnhouchins3156]

@@djfitzgerald111 I'm pretty sure your sarcasm meter needs adjustment.

[@lanedexter6303]

I wish I could trade our Grand Cherokee for a nice fresh one of those. 👍

[@joewoodchuck3824]

There just might be enough aftermarket reproduction parts to build one.

[@johnphillips2396]

India is still making them,only with a deisel.

[@bloqk16]

The Jeep contributed to a Nazi German high-ranking officer's demise during the Battle of the Bulge. In the book: "Snow and Steel," a high ranking German officer [if memory is correct, a general] had commandeered a Jeep to use as his staff car; after all, during that time of fuel shortages for the Wehrmacht , the Jeep was fully fueled when commandeered. But, when the officer was being driven to the rear of his lines, in the fog a German soldier, noting the distinctive sound of the on-coming Jeep being American, opened fire, killing the high-ranking German officer.

[@glocke380]

They did change things, but I wouldn't call it a renaissance. What, oh, never mind.

[@stephenhudson6543]

They look like the old standard jeep that I drove in

[@benjaminrush4443]

The Jeep surely helped the USA Win the War. Don't forget the Studebaker ( Ford ) Two & one/half Ton ruck.

[@mu99ins]

In 1972, late night on guard duty at Fort Carson, Colorado, I gave a jeep driver one of them funny cigarettes if I could drive his jeep around. I almost turned it over. At the time, the army's jeep was a cheap version of the original jeeps. The suspension was different on this new jeep. I was driving too fast on a dirt road, and due to wrinkle in the road, the jeep became unstable, it got air under the driver side tires and about to flip over on it's right side, but due to my keen reflexes, I took my foot off the gas and it slowed to a more reasonable speed. That cheapo jeep didn't hug the terrain like the jeeps in this video.

[@rsprockets7846]

Same doorway model t rolled out 25 yrs before

[@calbob750]

Ford got some of the Jeep production because Willy’s didn’t have the production capacity. Apparently, not calling them Jeeps yet. GPW. Scout car.

[@-oiiio-3993]

Vehicles shown are GP ('Fordspeak' for Government, 80" wheelbase), which were followed by the GPW (Gov't, 80", Willys Pattern). The name 'Jeep' first appeared in print in a 1941 magazine photo of a Willys Quad prototype climbing the U.S. Capitol steps. When the photographer asked one of the technicians what that thing was he answered, "It's a Jeep".

[@buckhorncortez]

The prototype vehicle was originally designed by the American Bantam Car Company. The military did not think Bantam had the capability to produce the amount they would need so they contracted with Ford, and Willys - Overland. Ford produced 282,354 GP and GPW models.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@buckhorncortez Correct. The MB and GPW (Truck, 1/4 Ton, 4X4, G503) was an amalgam of the Bantam, Willys, and Ford prototypes and first contract vehicles, with the final Willys revision winning the contract, Ford as subcontractor.

[@LavaLahaie]

the whole time watching the testing of the jeeps im sitting here worrying that they gonna flip... dont these things need roll bars..? seat belts?

[@cyrilhudak4568]

🤣

[@-oiiio-3993]

They did flip easily. I tossed my ol' CJ2A over once with no roll bar, windshield down. I jumped clear and it landed upside down, allowing me a convenient check of the undercarriage (while contemplating fate and the fragility of life). Turned her over, filled the fluids, drove her back to town using the bent steering column as a tiller of sorts (steering wheel was taco'd and crushed). She was a tough ol' girl, sits in the backyard now awaiting another rebuild.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@cyrilhudak4568 That was my initial response, as well.

[@lwilton]

Seat belts for cars didn't start to become a thing until the 1950s. They weren't standard equipment until sometime around the mid 1960s.

[@eldonerc2524]

Nnaaaaaa, they from the time when men were men, an the women were men too. 🤪🤪

[@benjaminrush4443]

In the 70's there was an opportunity to get 100 Willies Jeeps - complete in a box - for $100.00 each. Don't remember shipping cost. There were some huge warehouses next to the train tracks for sale close by. We figured putting them together - maybe pant schemes - $ 2500.00 each. S0: 100 X $100 = $10,000. Now 100 X $2,500 = $250,000. We cracked open some more beers and fired up a Doo-Bee and thought some more. Never happened; good idea at the time. Ha..Ha..

[@Frank7748124]

Watch the general's hands when he is riding in the GP. There is nothing to hold on to! Poor guy, trying to maintain composure in front of the cameras when all he can grasp is a fabric door. Also, the site looks fairly close to the area behind the Cotswold Cottage at Greenfield Village. I wonder if that is where it was filmed?

[@jimbobjones9119]

These are Ford Model GPs - NOT GPWs! There is a big difference.

[@-oiiio-3993]

Several differences. For one thing, GP vehicles had Ford Model N tractor engines. Willys MA, MB, and the Ford GPW were powered by the Willys 134 'Go Devil' which won WO the contract.

[@marcusmaddenov2451]

GPW were made by Willys GP was designed by Bantam but they couldn't even begin to build enough so licensed to Ford and Willys

[@jimbobjones9119]

@@marcusmaddenov2451 NO! Go and do proper research before you comment anywhere ever again!

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@marcusmaddenov2451 You have it wrong. Ford built the GP and GPW vehicles. GP was internal Ford code for Government, 80" wheelbase. GPW was Gov't, 80", built to the Willys pattern, as Ford was subcontractor to Willys for the 'Truck, 1/4 Ton, 4X4, G503'. American Bantam test vehicles were BRC 60, BRC 40. The GP vehicles were Ford designed after Ordnance had shared all initial designs and prototypes submitted between Bantam, Willys, and Ford. Though Bantam had built and delivered the first prototype of what would become known as 'Jeep', the final revisions of Willys MB and Ford GPW were results of a collaborative effort. Bantam was, indeed, too small to even keep up with the trailer assembly contracts awarded to them, Willys won the contract largely due to its superior 134 'Go Devil' engine (as used in both Willys MB and Ford GPW) and Ford was brought in reluctantly by Ordnance to bolster production.

[@jimbobjones9119]

@@-oiiio-3993 To add, after all 3 manufacturers submitted prototypes for testing, they were given contracts to build 1 500 vehicles each (Bantam BRC 40, Ford GP and Willys MA). All 3 performed well under actual war conditions, but when it became clear that thousands more would be needed, a decision was made to standardise the Truck 1/4 ton, 4x4, and all three companies again put in bids for the major contract. Willys simply outbid the other 2 with their Model MB. Little known fact is that Bantam did have the required capacity (contrary to popular belief) of producing around 200 000 vehicles per year, but since majority shareholding in both Bantam and Willys were held by the same person, and him preferring the bid go to Willys...well, the rest is history.

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

I'm surprised that Ford used John Phillip Sousa's "Semper Fidelis" (usually associated with the U.S. Marine Corps) for Army vehicles!

[@solnze1975]

Супер класс

[@tarstakars]

Screw Bantam right? They only invented the thing.....well at least the got to build the trailers for it.......

[@johnhouchins3156]

They didn't get the contract, but the Jeep still saved their bacon even if they only got the trailer contract as a consolation prize. They did invent it but didn't have the capacity to build it in the numbers needed.

[@tonyelliott7734]

Ford... First On Reconnaissance Day

[@Lumadous]

First on recon duty

[@tonyelliott7734]

@@Lumadous Even better...

[@-oiiio-3993]

American Bantam was first to reply to the bidding process and first with a prototype. Willys was second, Ford was dragged in reluctantly to the project by the Ordnance Department.

[@Lumadous]

@@-oiiio-3993 boo, facts

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@Lumadous Bummer, eh?

[@madcarew.3256]

Yeah 1500 will do..we ain't at war!!

[@johnhopkins6658]

Were the tire chains standard equipment or optional?

[@davemiller7633]

Looks standard

[@-oiiio-3993]

They were issued by the Ordnance Department. jeepdraw.com/G503_Tyre_Chains.html

[@cyrilhudak4568]

They were hedging their bets with the brass and Mr Ford there in the mud and snow.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@cyrilhudak4568 They could have wrecked Edsel.

[@BlasphemousBill2023]

:) Didn’t say Jeep once!

[@rsprockets7846]

They were built using shared blueprints from willys

[@SandBoxJohn]

@@rsprockets7846 And all of the ones built by Ford had Ford stamped on the heads of the bolts to distinguished them from the ones built by Willys.

[@rsprockets7846]

@@SandBoxJohn yup and my minor differences in trim they were built same with Ford having the edge in production over willys

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@rsprockets7846 Willys provided over 360,000 of their Model GP for the G503 contract, all from their single Toledo plant. Ford produced about 280,000 of their Model GPW utilizing several locations.

[@jusportel]

Those are Ford GP’s, not GPW’s.

[@starcloakstarside9719]

Affirmative. Jeeps were their best when Ford was behind the wheel(s of production).

[@joewoodchuck3824]

Better than Willys?

[@juanasanelli6831]

Si, Pero cuando American Bantam presenta el modelo al Us Army en la evaluación hay hombres de Ford y Willys y Oh Sorpresa en la próxima presentación para evaluacion de los tres modelos todos son asombrosamente iguales . difieren solamente en el motor El de Ford tiene el motor del tractor Resulto demasiado chico El de Bantam tiene un Continental 4 El de willys, el famoso Go devil que demostró la mejor performance. Por tanto el superior comando del ejercito al dar el contrato a Ford le indica que use el motor de Willys A American Bantam le dan como premio consuelo hacer los remolques para los jeep Los pocos Jeep hechos por American Bantam van a Rusia donde los copian hasta el cansancio en la planta GAZ Ford Gorki Los uaz de hoy dia son hijos directos del Bantam .

[@-oiiio-3993]

I read very little Spanish, was able to make out your post, and you are absolutely correct on all counts. It was, indeed, the 'Go Devil' that won the contract for Willys Overland and Ford was named as subcontractor to build their GPW (Government, 80" wheelbase, Willys pattern). The Ordnance Department designated the interchangeable Willys MB and Ford GPW as 'Truck, 1/4 Ton, 4X4, G503'.

[@syxepop]

Parece que es posteador aquí está confirmando que todos tus comentarios estaban AL PUNTO , en caso de que no pudieras entender su respuesta. Es interesante como las marcas Jeep (ahora de Stellantis) y Bronco (desarrollado empezando en los 1960's con la experiencia adquirida por Ford) tienen una RAIZ COMUN y que vuelven a competir entre si en el mercado de todoterrenos...

[@alperaksu2787]

is it before Pearl Harbour Raid

[@-oiiio-3993]

Gearing up. The initial bid for prototypes of what would become the 'Jeep' was issued in 1940.

[@alperaksu2787]

@@-oiiio-3993 so footages belong 1940..

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@alperaksu2787 Just looked it up. The GP vehicles entered production in February of '41, a likely time for this promotional film to be produced. The last GP was built in November of 1941. Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 07, 1941 (December 08 in Japan),

[@alperaksu2787]

@@-oiiio-3993 i want to ask you öne more question if you are American.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@alperaksu2787 Born and raised in sunny California and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation as well as U.S.. May I presume you're British by the 'our' spelling (colour, flavour...)?

[@texasfathead]

I knew Ford design the Jeep they called the general purpose vehicle because I had a 1944 jeep that was a Ford designed and built by Ford

[@texasfathead]

@@-oiiio-3993 thank you sir

[@-oiiio-3993]

What became the 'Jeep' was a collaborative design. Ford did design the nine slot grille early in GPW production (vehicles in film are the earlier 'slat grille'). The bidding was initially entered by American Bantam, then Willys Overland. Ford was dragged in reluctantly to the project by the Ordnance Department to bolster production if needed. The first prototype (and closest to specifications) was Bantam's, followed by the Willys Quad and later by Ford's Pygmy. Designs were shared among all by Ordnance and orders were issued for test vehicles based on the best features of each. These were the Bantam BRC, Willys MA, and the Ford GP vehicles shown in the film. A further Willys revision (MB) won the contract for wartime production. Ford was subcontractor with their GPW, built to the Willys design and with Ford built Willys 134 'Go Devil' engines (as yours had). The 'GP' on an early Ford 'Jeep's nomenclature plate did not designate "general purpose", it was internal Ford code for Government (contract), 80" wheelbase. The 'standard' WW2 Jeeps' that were made by the hundreds of thousands were Willys MB and Ford GPW (Gov't, 80", built to the Willys pattern) and to the Ordnance Department both were 'Truck, 1/4 Ton, 4X4, G503'. Your 1944 issued Ford did not have 'GP' on its plate (if original), it had GPW.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@texasfathead You are quite welcome.

[@slotcarfan]

These were actually designed by Bantam, but the gov't gave the contract to Ford because of its manufacturing capacity. Bantam got the shaft.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@slotcarfan The contract went to Willys Overland with Ford as subcontractor. The initial prototype was delivered by American Bantam, soon to be followed by the Willys Overland entry. Ford was brought reluctantly into the bidding and prototype process by the Ordnance Department due to concerns about Willys' limited and Bantam's miniscule production capacity. After Ordnance shared designs among the competitors they were tasked with revising the designs to a standard, interchangeable vehicle. The Fords shown in this film are GP models from that process. The final, approved design was by Willys Overland and was a combination of best features of the Bantam, Ford, and Willys prototypes and first contract vehicles (Bantam BRC, Willys MA, Ford GP. Willys Overland won the contract to build the 'Truck, 1/4 Ton, 4X4, G503', not Ford. The G503 vehicles that were built by the hundreds of thousands were Willys MB (Military, second contract) and Ford GPW (Government, 80" wheelbase, Willys Pattern) which were built under contract to Willys. The Ford GPW even had the (Ford built) Willys 134 'Go Devil' engines that had won the contract for Willys Overland. Bantam could not even keep up with trailer assembly (the trailer 'tubs' and frames were built by American Central Manufacturing, who also built most of the 'Jeep' tubs), sharing the contract with Willys (Bantam T3, Willys MB-T).

[@CeeCeeGee313]

Boy howdy! National Defense looks so exhilarating! Wonder what else they will muster up...fast forward 80 years and BAM! At a measly $41.6B we got this super duper M-ATV that'll just blow your socks off...literally. Meanwhile...us civilians still driving the same ol' same ol'... Just glad to see our precious resources and "hard earned" tax dollars are going toward an important mission. God forbid we're expected to "babel" out our worldly differences...

[@brucewelty7684]

I wonder if the announcer was kin to a galI I dated in high school.,

[@-oiiio-3993]

She sounded like him?

[@harryfaber]

I wonder if they made similar films for the products of Ford Germany made for the German army.

[@nscaledelights]

Oh a Jeep lol

[@-oiiio-3993]

Not Yet. Ford's prototype was the 'Pygmy', these are GP models (first Ford contract). The name 'Jeep' first appeared in print in a 1941 magazine photo of a Willys Quad prototype climbing the U.S. Capitol steps. When the photographer asked one of the technicians what that thing was he answered, "It's a Jeep".

[@marcusmaddenov2451]

AKA jeeps

[@billruss6704]

Interesting how during war time we can make sure a soldier has food, shelter, medical, clothing and a cool jeep to drive, but in peace time we can't seem to be able to do the same for the homeless.

[@VWT5Alive]

Or veterans 🤔🇬🇧

[@76629online]

Everyone of these drivers in this video probably ended up with a workers comp claim for damaged kidneys and spinal cords.

[@danfarris135]

Workers comp wasn’t even a thought back then.

[@deborahchesser7375]

@@danfarris135 shit no, those guys would chop a finger off, wrap it up and keep working

[@danfarris135]

@@deborahchesser7375 my grandfather lost an eye when he got hit by an overhead crane hook in a factory. No injury lawyers back then, and no big money pay outs. You were lucky if you could keep your job

[@jaswmclark]

Actally the design was stolen from the "American Bantam Company".

[@rogerroberts1310]

The grille was Ford's idea and most of the body's design from firewall back was Bantam. After the war Willys claimed the grille as their's. They stopped Hummer from using the design

[@J-1410]

Their jeep looked nothing like this. the GPW and MB we all know was a combination of three different vehicles.

[@philtimms2463]

This is an example of how the USA could make films as bad as any country. Shouting commentary and no mention of Bantam or Willys.

[@jimbobjones9119]

Why should Ford mention the other 2 guys? They were still competing with Bantam and Willys at this stage - each got a contract for 1 500 vehicles (Ford GP, Bantam BRC 40 and Willys MA).

[@-oiiio-3993]

It's a Ford promotional film.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@jimbobjones9119 Bingo.