Jeep Roots By Greg Zyla

Q: Greg, just to let you know that the jeep military design was from a small company in Butler, Pa., that produced the American Bantam and Austin.

Because of its inability and limited production capabilities at the time, the contract for the design of the Jeep was given to Willys, Ford and GMC. The facility was relegated to producing trailers for the Jeep. Please check and correct me if I am wrong. Respectively submitted, Robert Podgurski, Edison, NJ.

A: You are indeed correct Robert on Bantam as the pioneer of the design, although I'm not sure GMC was involved at the entry point of the Jeep contract award in 1941. Please read on.

I have always been a fan of the American Bantam and Austin automobiles, and especially the Bantam as many drag racing altered class cars to this day utilize a Bantam fiberglass body.

Actually, Bantam did build what is respected as the first Jeep prototype pilot back in 1940, and then followed with 70 prototypes. Thus, Bantam receives credit for founding the design that would eventually be called the Jeep. Bantam dubbed the vehicle the BRC, which stood Bantam Reconnaissance Car. The company built 1,500 BRC's, and some of the motors and chassis were imported from United Kingdom's Austin division car company. The bodies were produced in America at Bantam production facilities in Detroit, MI, and Butler.

As you state in your letter, the company did not have the financial monies needed to afford proper production, especially when bidding was "open to other companies" after Bantam's successful initial experience with the military. All in all, Bantam had the idea and the know how, but it didn't have the wherewithal to battle both the strength politically of Willys-Overland (and I fully suspect Ford also as the backup" producer), and its production limitations in-house.

Thus, the U.S. Army chose the design by Willys-Overland and awarded the bulk of orders to Willys and also to Ford as a backup producer. I could not find any mention of GMC in the homework I did on this when the initial contract was awarded in 1941 to Willys-Overland, who was the only other bidder in the original contract award saga.

As for the Bantam company, it started in 1929 (year of the great depression) as American Austin Car Company, and was tied to the British Austin Motor Company overseas. It produced cars until 1934, when it filed for bankruptcy. Then in 1935, the company reorganized under the American Bantam production name, and resumed production in 1937. However, in 1941, which happened to be the year of the Jeep prototype, it was forced to file for bankruptcy no doubt a result of not getting the military contract.

Too bad the company was so small, because it sure had the right idea.

Thanks for your letter.

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