Quote:
Originally Posted by Laph
Early in 1941, Willys-Overland demonstrated the vehicle's ability by having it drive up the U.S. Capitol steps, driven by Willy's test driver Irving "Red" Haussman, who had recently heard soldiers at Fort Holabird calling it a "jeep". When asked by syndicated columnist Katherine Hillyer for the Washington Daily News (or by a bystander, according to another account) what it was called, Irving answered "It's a jeep.".........
The Original Jeep was manufatured by Ford also during WWII to reduce the risk of Sabatoge.
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The Jeep was originally designed by Karl K Probst of The American Bantam Company of Butler PA begining in 1938. The small company couldn't produce the quanities to satisfy the military's demands so the drawings and production contracts went to Ford and Willys. The Bantam Co started out producing tiny British Austin roadsters. See links...
American Bantam Storys
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...Man/bantam.htm
http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/Toledo2.html
American Bantam Austin America
http://wmspear.com/bill/Bantam//
Jeep Pictoral History
