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Ford GP

"Jeep" 1/4 Ton 4x4 Utility Vehicle

 


Specifications

Country of Origin/Used by: USA, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain & Netherlands
First Produced/Service Dates: 1941
Manufactured by: Ford Motor Company
Crew: 2+2
Armament: None.  Theoretically, it could carry (1) .30 cal Machine gun or (1) .50 cal HMG.
Engine: 4-Cylinder Gasoline
Miscellaneous Info:

During the US Government’s competition to find a standardized 1/4 ton 4x4 military utility vehicle, only two (2) companies entered the bidding: American-Bantam Company and Willys-Overland Motors. As the Government had doubts about the companies' ability to produce the large number of vehicles expected to be needed, they attempted to persuade Ford Motor Company to participate in the project, but initially failed.  Ford was seen by the US as being an almost necessary part of the project due to their enormous manufacturing capability.  After much pressure, in late 1940 Ford was finally convinced to participate in the project.  Very Soon after, Ford produced two (2) prototype vehicles, dubbed the Ford Pygmy (AKA: The Blitz Buggy). The Pygmy was designed using the original US Government specifications, but also focusing on the lessons learned by both American-Bantam and Willys-Overland during their experiences producing their prototypes: the Bantam Mark 2 Recon Car and Quad Utility Vehicle, respectively.

As the three (3) companies' prototypes were vigorously tested, it became apparent their qualities and capabilities were very comparable.  Therefore, the US Military decided to allow Bantam, Willys and Ford to each produce 1,500 vehicles in their latest design version, which would be put through further tests and trials; the best design being selected as the US Military's standard 1/4 ton 4x4 utility vehicle.  The three vehicle designs: the Bantam BRC-40, Ford GP and Willys MA, are often referred to as the "pre-standardized" Jeeps.  Ultimately, approximately 4,458 Ford GP vehicles were produced, of which about 50 included four-wheel steering. After the final tests were completed, the vehicle design finally selected for standardized production by the US was the Willys MA (with a number of Ford GP design features being incorporated into it). In fact, some of the most prominent visual features of the GP were adopted into the new vehicle, including the flat-topped/round-sided hood, the headlights protected behind the grill and the gas tank placed below the driver's seat. The standardized vehicle created became the ubiquitous Willys MB/Ford GPW Jeep

Data Sheet Available:   None

Photos

Reference Source/Provider
  Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photo (and Above): Vehicle equipped with 4-Wheel Steering David Doyle - Memphis, Tennessee USA
  Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photo Dave Haugh - Content Editor
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photos (Photographed at the U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum - Huntsville, Alabama USA) Patrick Keenan - Editor
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photos Keith Ross - Oklahoma, USA
  Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photo U.S. Army
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photos U.S. Library of Congress
  Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photo U.S. National Archives
  Early British Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photo Dave Haugh
  Ford GP British Airborne Jeep Photo (1942 - with pre-standardized modifications) The Imperial War Museum

References Available

Online

Reference Source/Provider
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos CJ3B.Info
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos Engines of the Red Army in WW2
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos Ford42GPW.Com
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos Jeep Collection.Com
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos The M38A1 Restoration Site
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos Olive Drab.Com
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos Overvalwagens!
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos Tanks Encyclopedia
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Information & Photos US Veterans Memorial Museum
Ford GP Jeep Utility Vehicle Photos Toadman's Tank Pictures

Printed

Reference Author
All-American Wonder: The Military 1/4 Ton 4x4 Truck -Volumes 1-3 (Victory WW2 Publishing) Ray Cowdery (Vol. 1 & 2) & Fred Crismon (Vol. 3)
Essential Military Jeep (Bay View Books) Graham Scott
  "Better Late Than Never" (March 2018 Issue of Classic Military Vehicle Magazine) John Carroll
"It's a Jeep, But Not As We Know It..." (September 2019 Issue of Classic Military Vehicle Magazine) Glen Sands
Jeep Genesis: The Rifkind Report  (ISO-Publications) Herbert Rifkind
Jeep Goes to War: A Pictorial Chronicle (Courage Books) William Fowler

Jeeps: 1941-45 (Osprey Publishing- New Vanguard #117)

Steve Zaloga
"Meet the Ancestors" (April 2012 Issue of Military Machines International Magazine) Mark Askew
Military Jeep: 1940 Onwards (Ford, Willys & Hotchkiss) (Haynes Publishing - Enthusiasts' Manual) Pat Ware
Military Jeeps: 1941-1945 (Brooklands Book Distribution, Ltd.) T. Richards
Pre-Standardized Jeep Walkaround (5711) (Squadron-Signal Publications) David Doyle
Rare WW2 Jeep Photo Archives: 1940-1945 (Jeep Promotions, Ltd.) Mark Askew
U.S. Military Wheeled Vehicles (Crestline Books) Fred W. Crismon
World War II Jeep In Action (First Edition) (Squadron Signal Publications) David Doyle
World War II Jeep In Action (Second Edition) (Squadron Signal Publications)

Review on WarWheels by Andrew Renshaw
David Doyle

Hobby Modeling

Kits and Accessories

Model Kit Manufacturer Scale Other Information
       
Aftermarket Item Manufacturer Scale Other Information
       

Model Photos

Reference Source/Provider