Willys MB “Jeep” 1943

 Jeep Willy MB 1943

 

Origin  USA Engine  2,199 cc, straight-four Top speed  60 mph (96 km/h)

Willys, Ford, and Bantam competed for the US Army contract to build a light, four-wheel-drive reconnaissance vehicle. Willys won with the MB, and Ford also built it as the Ford GPW. More than 600,000 were made, and the US military continued to use them well into the 1960s.

Vital information The dashboard was strictly rudimentary, but it gave the driver all of the information needed to ensure that the vehicle was running properly.  In addition to a speedometer, instruments included an ammeter, a fuel gauge,  and engine oil level and temperature gauges.


All action, all-terrain True to its military purpose, the Jeep’s interior was functional. Doors were superfluous and the windshield could be removed.  An instruction panel explained how to use the gear-shift and transfer box, and a rifle holder sat prominently behind the steering wheel.

In this classic jeep folding roof is soo luxury. The load area can be adapted to carry people or cargo. Leaf springs, fitted front, and rear are simple but robust. Spare wheel hangs off the back to avoid taking up payload space.

Hardworking Vehicles Versatile, go-anywhere vehicles, such as the US military’s Jeep, were initially developed for wartime use. After the end of hostilities, the Jeep found a ready civilian market in agriculture, construction, and emergency services, and some people even drove them just for fun. At the same time, the pickup emerged as a new class of strong and adaptable purpose-built vehicles. It became a familiar part of the US automotive scene that is still very much with us today. Sedans were being made more practical, too, with extra seats and conversions to station wagons that offered plenty of space for passengers and luggage.

DEDION-BOUTON

DEDION-BOUTON 

Top speed c30 mp,  Origin- France

 

4 and a half  HP TYPE G Year of manufacture 1901 

This delight full vis-à-vis completed every Bright on Run from 2001 to ’11 and it’s on the crank. De-Dion's are known by its engine, in this case 6060, but this one also has a modern chassis number imposed on it by the DVLA.

 It was rebuilt by its gifted engineer owner in the ’70s, after which it was blessed in Holt Parish Church (there’s a photo). It’s in spleen did order, with good paint, nicely paginated hide, unworn tires and plenty of meat on the externally contracting brakes–two work from the floor pedal, the third from the drive control/ratio selector.

 The rear suspension and drive train have recently been rebuilt with refurbished drive shafts, now carrying modern rubber boots concealing ‘pot’ –type CVJs. The motor is smart, with polished brass and a lovely timber case to the coil, but the Zenith car burette may be a later device than in 1901.

There’s water visible under the tiny radiator cap and the total-loss oil set-up is replenished every 15miles from a delightful original can on the offside running board.  The 498cc (84 mm bore, 90mm stroke: do the sums; we had to) single starts easily via the side hand crank (its drive chain is in good shape) and runs well, but it’s a bit throttle sensitive may be due to the later Zenith carb. Once you’ve told your brain to forget everything you know, it’s simple to operate with nearly all the controls on the column–two ratios, fairly direct steering via tiller and you don’t often need to tinker with the advance retard. It gets down the road well, with a delightful chuffing that please everyone in earshot. Stopping with all three brakes deployed won’t challenge your G tolerance.