Willys-Overland MA Military Jeep
Photo of Willys MA Jeep, 1 July 1941.
The full story of the development of the original Army Jeep of World War II is on the linked page. Additional photos are found in the Military Jeeps section of the Military Vehicle Charts.
There were 1,553 Willys MA jeeps built and delivered to the Army in early 1941, fifty with four-wheel steering. Few remain since most of the original production were subsequently sent to Russia or England under Lend-Lease. On 23 July 1941, after much controversy and behind the scenes maneuvering by the bidders, the War Department awarded the 1/4-ton truck production contract to Willys-Overland based on their Willys MA design and their low bid of $738.74. The contract came with the stipulation that the weight and other design problems of the Willys MA be corrected, and that other improvements be made based on superior elements of the Bantam and Ford competitors. The result of those changes was the Willys MB (also built by Ford as the GPW), the standard World War II jeep used in all theaters of World War II, all over the world, by the U.S. and its allies.
Willys MA Specifications
| Engine | 134ci 4 cal L-head side valve "Go Devil" |
| Horsepower | 60bhp @ 4000rpm (Other sources say 62-65 bhp) |
| Torque | 105 pound-feet @ 2000 rpm |
| Transmission | 3 speed synchromesh Warner Gear T84 |
| Transfer case | Spicer Dana 18 two speed (same as Bantam) |
| Gear Shift | Steering column mount |
| Axles | Spicer Dana 4.88:1 23-2 rear, Dana 25 front (same as Bantam) |
| Wheelbase | 80 inches |
| Weight | 2,450 lbs. |
Willys MA serial numbers fall in the range W2018932 ro W2020431.
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