Was the 1942 Willys Jeep ahead of its time?
We had the opportunity to visit Omix ADA in Swansea, Georgia, A company that specializes in the Jeep Willys, and restores them, In our research regarding the 1942 Willys Jeep, and to be honest, the 1942 Jeep was way ahead of its time, there are so many features present in modern Jeep Wranglers, the only thing Jeep has done is to improve on the technology and make them even more functional and adaptable in the highly competitive SUVs market.
Owning a 1942 Willys Jeep today is a luxury only a few pure old-school Jeep purist hold, as we said we visited Omix ADA a company that preserves the Jeep Heritage by collecting Jeeps from 1941 to the current Jeep, Our tour was hosted by Dave Logan, Dave is one of the few people know by the Jeeping community due to his passion and contribution to the Jeeping community including sponsoring Jeep events across the United States.
During the tour of the collected Jeeps, we asked various questions most of our readers ask, and compiled our conversation and notes regarding the history of the Willys Jeep in terms of developments and production, the features and capabilities of the military Jeep, and the Legacy that is still present in present Jeep Wranglers.
The reason we were so interested in the Willys Jeep was to learn more about its designs and production during the World War II era, and how the role it plays in the development of modern Jeeps.
Sounds interesting, read more to learn about the WW2 Willys Jeep.
A Brief History of the Willys Jeep & 2020 to present Jeep Willys
The production of the Willys Jeep started in the year 1941 for military use during World War II with 8,598 WW2 Willys MB being produced in 1941, Overall, during World War II more than 359,851 Jeep Willys were produced between the years (1941-1945) for use in the military to replace horses and draft animals.
In the year 1942 Jeep introduced the 1942 Willys Jeep also known as the 1942 Willys-Overland MB or the Civilian Jeep, they were sold to farmers in the United States and all over the world with an MSRP of $1090, farmers loved the versatility and the practicability of the Willys-Overland MB raking in the company over $2.7 million in profits.
The military Jeep was nicknamed the Willys MB, which was mainly used in the military, followed by the Civilian Jeep the Willys CJ produced after the War. Since Jeep had specialized in the military market, they faced financial problems, and later the company was acquired by the American Motors Association (AMC), which expanded Jeep’s Lineup of vehicles to include the Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Cherokee, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Later on, in 1987, American Motors Association was acquired by Chrysler in a $1.5 Billion deal, Chrysler had plans to expand the Jeep lineup and introduce other Jeep models to compete in the Automotive Industry, they expanded the Jeep line up with the introduction of the Jeep Renegade, The Jeep Gladiator, and the Jeep Compass among other popular Jeep Brands.
In the year 2020 Jeep reintroduced the Jeep Willys edition in a limited edition, which was built on the Wrangler sports S, with prices starting at $33,740 for the two-door model of the 2020 Jeep Willys and $37,240 for the four doors version of the Jeep Willys. The mainly targeted Jeep collectors and enthusiasts with the limited edition 2020 Jeep Willys.
2020 Jeep Willys were in high demand, and in the following year Jeep expanded the Jeep Willys lineup to include more models such as the Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe, Jeep Wrangler Willys, and Willys Sport Trim which continue up to date, you will find the 2023 Jeep Willys available for purchase.
The 2023 Jeep Willys is more focused on off-roading with lots of offroad modification opportunities, and they feature 17-inch rims, and 32-inch mud terrain tires, which is an upgrade from the military Jeep which had 17-inch wheels and 32-inch military non-directional tires that gave the Willys Jeep ground clearance of 8.7 in | 221 mm.
1942 Willys Jeep technical features, and capabilities.
Dave Logan was also able to explain to us the distinctive engine features of the 1942 Jeep Willys, and we have compiled the table below, for easier reference:
| Engine | Willys L134 (nicknamed Go Devil) |
| Engine displacement | 2199 cc | 134.2 cu in. | 2.2 L |
| Horsepower | 60HP/105ft-lb |
| Engine Power | 54 HP (39.744 KW) @ 4000 RPM |
| Engine Torque | 95 Ft-Lbs (129 NM) @ 2000 RPM |
| Valvetrain | 8 SV (2 valves per cylinder) |
The Willys L134 (nicknamed Go Devil) was later replaced with the Willys F4-134 Hurricane, the Willys F4-134 Hurricane was used to power future Jeep Willys such as the Jeep CJ models such as the Jeep CJ-3B, Jeep CJ-5, Jeep CJ-6, the new Jeep Willys engine of the CJs featured an inline 4 piston, with an induction system and inlet over exhaust configuration or F-head.
Jeep Willys Designs
We also inquired about the designs of the 1942 Jeep Willys and have compiled the report in the table below for your reference:
| Length | 131.0 in | 3327 mm. |
| Width | 62.0 in | 1575 mm. |
| Height | 72.0 in | 1829 mm. |
| Wheelbase | 80.0 in | 2032 mm. |
| Front Track | 48.3 in | 1227 mm. |
| Rear Track | 48.3 in | 1227 mm. |
The Design and the Power of the 1942 Jeep Willys gave it the ability to off-road in a variety of terrains, from farms to off-road trails, being a lightweight SUV, the 1942 Willys Jeep weighed 2450 lbs. | 1111.301 kg compared to the 2023 Jeep Willy’s weight of 3,948 lb.
We are off-roading Pros, the weight of the off-roading vehicles matters a lot, lighter Jeeps like 1942 can hover over obstacles easier and they are also easier to control and handle when off-roading, you can read our guide on off-roading with a Jeep for more information. This is why veteran rock crawlers and Jeep Purists admire the 1942 Jeep Willys and would like to own one.
Jeep Willys Towing Capacity
To the farmers, the Willys Jeep made work easier, some of the classic Jeep tractors in the era included the CJ-3A which had fewer passengers and a 1200lb rating for continuous drawbar pull which was useful for pulling plows and Jeep trailers. According to the Willys manual, we were able to pull the following data regarding the towing capacity of Jeep Willys.
| Payload | – | 800 | 1200 |
| Front Axle | 1353 | 1475 | 1475 |
| Rear Axle | 1262 | 1950 | 2350 |
| Total Lbs. | 2625 | 3425 | 3825 |
| Max Towed Load | – | 1500 | 2000 |
Why is the Jeep Willys important?
Jeep Willys produced in the years 1941 to 1945 had a major impact on future designs of various Jeep Wrangler trims available today, during the world war II the major problem in the automotive industry was the Axis power and Jeep were able to solve the problem, and the Military Jeep was used during the war and helped by handling all thee the off-road terrain synonymous with world war II, being light soldiers were able to get it unstuck by lifting it, and could easily maneuver rocks, and mud terrains.
Some of the features borrowed from the military Jeep Willys available in modern Jeeps, especially the Jeep Wrangler are the rugged body designs, big tires, suspension systems, axles designs, jeep open-air freedom including a folding windshield, all of which make the Jeep Wrangle an iconic American Brand.
About the Author: James Ndungu
James Ndungu is a seasoned automotive professional with a deep passion for Jeeps. With 40 years of experience in owning, testing, and reviewing various Jeep models, James has gained extensive first-hand knowledge and expertise. He shares his insights, tips, and advice through his engaging writing, helping fellow Jeep enthusiasts navigate the exciting world of Jeeps.
