| Most early motor vehicles had a basic set up | | | | vehicles soon to become a legend to future |
| with the engine mounted in the front with a | | | | four wheel drive owners. The history of the |
| gearbox attached to it driving the rear | | | | Jeep and production models are as |
| wheels only and this became the normal design | | | | follows:1945 - 1949 CJ-2A |
| of most vehicles for many years. As design | | | | |
| progressed engine position and transmission | | | | 1946 - 1953 CJ-3A |
| (gearbox) position was experimented with to | | | | |
| help with traction and handling. Rear engine | | | | 1947 - 1965 Willys Jeep Truck |
| and mid-engine vehicles became available as | | | | |
| did front and all wheel drive. Four wheel | | | | 1948 - 1950 Willys Jeepster |
| drive vehicles began life early in the | | | | |
| twentieth century and a number of companies | | | | 1952 - 1968 CJ-3B |
| had their own designs for supplying off road | | | | |
| trucks for business and commercial use. The | | | | 1954 - 1983 CJ-5 |
| importance of having load carrying vehicles | | | | |
| that could transverese harsh terrain was | | | | 1955 - 1981 CJ-6 |
| important due to the lack of roads. Both the | | | | |
| British and American armies during World War | | | | 1976 - 1986 CJ-7 |
| One had four wheel drive trucks for heavy | | | | |
| terrain use for carrying troops and | | | | 1981 - 1986 CJ-8 |
| equipment. However the need for a true multi | | | | |
| purpose on and off road vehicle became | | | | 1953 Kaiser buys Willys Overland |
| apparent.With the onset of World War Two the | | | | |
| need for off road vehicles that could | | | | 1970 American Motors Corporation AMC takes |
| literally drive over any terrain became a | | | | over Kaiser-Jeep |
| necessity of the military and with any | | | | |
| technology war tends to drive designs forward | | | | 1987 Chrysler Corporation buys American |
| quickly. In the early days of the war the | | | | Motors Corporation |
| United States Military required a | | | | |
| light-weight four wheel drive vehicle that | | | | 1998 Daimler-Benz merges with Chrysler |
| could transverese almost any terrain. A | | | | Corporation.The modern day Chrysler Jeep has |
| number of companies came forward with designs | | | | many models and incorporates all the benefits |
| including Bantam, Ford and Willys. The result | | | | of modern technology and comfort but it has |
| of this was the world famous Willys Jeep. The | | | | tried to retain some of the old willys |
| jeep proved to be both very rugged and | | | | features as the front grill shows.Back in the |
| dependable through out the war and by the | | | | United Kingdom the Land Rover project was |
| close it had become well known for its on and | | | | first born and the legend began.John is a |
| off road ability and its durability.After the | | | | director of numerous Internet companies and |
| war the potential within the civilian market | | | | is a published author. Many articles have |
| for jeeps was clearly apparent and Willys | | | | been produced on a variety of subjects with |
| filed for the trademark registration of the | | | | excellent content and depth.All his articles |
| name Jeep and began production for the public | | | | may be reproduced provided that an active |
| sector. The first models named Civillian | | | | link is included to the essential |
| Jeeps (CJ) began production in 1945 and the | | | | information on Four Wheel Drives at Willys |
| name Jeep became an icon of tough go anywhere | | | | Jeep. |