1943 Willys MB Jeep - Off Road Icon! How does it drive?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ต.ค. 2022
- This Willys MB was built in 1943, saw action in Normandy during World War Two, and is now enjoying a quieter life at @BeaulieuNationalMotorMuseum where it can sometimes be seen in action. We explore its minimalist interior, clever mechanical package and its driving manners.
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Interesting note… with the bonnet raised, the headlights could be lifted and rotated to shine into the engine bay. Handy for those nighttime repairs!
The exhaust note of this simple Jeep, with a non-angry or conventionally exciting engine, gives me more joy than almost any new car. I thoroughly enjoy the videos you've made from this fantastic museum. I have seen that their aren't doing great views-wise, and that's a shame, but they are great. The Napier video had me so excited i lost the ability to put my thoughts into words. How often do you come across such a car, and get to have a ride in it?! This is solid entertainment Ian. Kudos ❤
Thank you!
Brilliant to see a vehicle that my granddad would have driven during the Normandy landings (he was on Juno beach on D Day + 1) following that he was put to work as a reconnaissance driver, driving a jeep. Prior to that he tested and drove tanks, and then drove a Bedford half-track pulling large guns. Ridiculous to think that my granddad, who was such a kind and humble man, should be involved in all of this!! After the war he drove buses for the Midland Red!
Blockbuster - sweet 😂
That was also my first thought 😂
Beat me to it 😆
Does anyone know the way.....
Little Willys 😁
@@I-T-S-M-E
...there's got to be a way🤣
I was brought up in an army camp in New Brunswick Canada called Camp Utopia. I started driving an army jeep at age 8. A civilian let alone an 8 year old civilian wasn’t supposed to drive an military vehicle but as my grandfather ran the camp I had free reign. I was however caught by the military police (provost) while driving with an army major. He ended up on charges but I got off scot free without even being reprimanded. I did get a ride back in the provost vehicle. I wish I owned one today.
Two of my friends liberated and rebuilt one of these in Northern Ireland in the late 70's. It's still on the road and has a reg with 3945 and some letters of course.
At the end they simply didn't see you because of the camouflage. What a great place, and I'm glad you've taken time and effort to film several test on this visit, this is really interresing series
Yes, the visit seems to have been so well organised. How did that happen….🤔
Feeding the wheel.. very good,Corporal Hubnut. By the way, I didn’t see you at camouflage practice this morning. Well done. 🤦♂️
"CHASMS of disappointment"! 😂 New phrase of the year. Wonderful.
Great little review of a iconic vehicle.
I love the original Jeep. My father has one, he had it for 12 years, a 1942 Willys MB, it's been very realible and with a amazing good acceleration for 60 hp 2.2l Go Devil engine with just ordinary maintenance and service and it's fun to drive and with a loving exhaust note. You are going to have lot a realible fun driving with the Willys MB I'm sure about that. Great video 😃👍
Curiously timeless design. You wouldn’t think it was nearly 80 years old. Seems to run very well!
Another fantastic review. I love all your stuff but the models you have driven from the Museum have been really fascinating.
Well done for mentioning the Austin Seven origins!
Lovely little review that, Ian - nice to see you not needing to tear the cajones off ‘er to get some speed up - torque is a wonderful thing !
Keep ‘em comin’
JCHK
Until the Hummvee showed up, these Jeeps were very common in my home country Bavaria, Germany. I live close to Grafenwoehr Training Area and grew up in the Seventies, so this video brings back lots of sweet memories...
Great video the fact that it saw action in Normandy makes it priceless
Cheers mate
USA
Absolutely fabulous! I have always wanted one of those.
Nice video, I've several friends with original early 40's Ford and Willys Jeeps, two with original Willys Trailers attached and both having to be towed back to 'base' on a number of occasions behind my Berlingo after breaking down. Said generator is 'quick release' to slacken off fan belt and stop fan turning when wading deep water. Seats are fixed, driver on top of fuel tank, I've driven quite a few but amazed how John Wayne ever managed to fit behind that steering wheel.
Absolutely brilliant video Ian miss hubnut 👍what a beautiful jeep they are beautiful cars jeeps I've had 3 of them lovely to see in fantastic condition
The engine sound. Our family car in the late 50's and early 60's was a jeep. The station wagon style, the original SUV. Essentially the same engine through the years, modified, but it kept the same engine note.
Love Ian describing cars features.
Lovely thing the little old Jeep
Great video, but it would be nice to say a word about 1930's Marmon-Herrington jeeps.
In the USSR we had similar jeeps built by GAZ by 1940, but they were produced in small numbers and with major difficulties. So Willys became the main workhorse of the Great Patriotic war.
I think the Russian Army still use them for special military operations
@@bid84 nope, they mostly use UAZ jeeps. Gaz Tiger is pretty different from other vehicles they built during Soviet times.
Mr Hubnut + car museum = little boy + new toy box + hello happy 😊
I want one of these and always have.
A fantastic piece of history, Ian!
Another great test drive video from Hubnut. It is great to hear the history behind such a great iconic vehicle & then be treated to a test drive as well.
Thank you Ian enjoyable
Hi Ian, you have a fantastic time there with all you are allowed to do there.
Never had the opportunity to drive an original Jeep.
Classic Willys Jeep 👍❤
Love the Willy's jeep
another great video has always Ian and miss hubnut and hublets and hubmutts 👍
Hi still having fun at Beaulieu Ian, chose well out of the many buddy yes the Willy`s jeep with the absolute minimum did what it said on the tin! versatile, fit for the job as you demonstrated a deffo HubNut car (and fetching high prices even now!) who would have thunked it back in the day? wonder what you would consider a comparison today? take care buddy all the best to the HubNut Clan!
Very cool, thanks Mr H.
Great to see the great grandaddy of my Jeep. 👍
Even though it was designed as a war vehicle I’ve always thought they looked really cool. Great to see a proper road test of one. I’ve read over time that it was called a Jeep for having Just Enough Essential Parts or it was from GP for general purpose video. Amazing to think how many jobs one little vehicle could do
I could probably do an entire separate videos on the origins of Jeep. In truth, no-one seems entirely sure. The Army already used the term for new vehicles, way before the Jeep was a thing. Ford called its version GPW, so GP is another possible. I think Just Enough Essential Parts came after the name was already established.
My first vehicle was a Willy's CJ2A which was the civilian version of that Jeep. I thoroughly enjoyed the snot out of it. That engine noise brings back some great memories. Thanks for the ride along.
I would love one of those, simplicity at it's finest.
I do love these a great looking and sounding 4x4.
Yes enjoyed very much thank you
Though I am a Land Rover fan, I respect these alot for what they represent
As well you should since the Jeep was the basis for the original Land Rover...
@@CaptHollister I am aware of that
Fantastic stuff.😊
Brilliant…thank you 😃👍
Intresting thing avout willys jeep , that ford were involved in the manufaturing and also there only a few that have the ford trafemark at the back , saw ones of those at santoft , when I went to the trolley buse musem with my volunteer group yorkshire transport musem in a 1963 routemaster.
I’m just back from Philippines and I think they’re still building them there.
Mostly as Jeepneys - hugely extended wheelbase / a great a very sociable public transport vehicle, but also the occasional short wheelbase.
I sight to see.
I think Hubnut would really love some of the vehicles out there. Suzuki Carry - a kei car van that also comes in pickup truck or multicab - two rows of benches facing each other in the back - good for eight passengers plus one in the front.
Nice capsule review of this icon! Someone near where I live has one of the Mitsubishi Jeeps (CJ-8, I think); it's a 1984 model w/a 2.7 liter Mitsu/Hino truck turbo-diesel. RHD, about 60 MPH tops (saw it at our local car show a couple-three years back). I wouldn't mind having a siren for our car; I've got one I saved from my Dad's vast car part estate; it sounds about like the one on your Jeep!
Epic video Ian and mini camera man. Did you notice the headlights were on a hinge so they could be swivelled to shine on the engine 👍
Didn't spot that one!
Brilliant review Ian
Awesome 👍
Great Jeep
When I lived in New Guinea in the very early 1960's we found an army dump with some of these vehicles covered in a Vaseline type goop. We would take one and scrape off all the jelly, re-wire (very complicated grin) and replace all the rubber tubing and put new tyres on and sell them. I wonder if the army dump is still there because there were still a few left as well as handguns, ammunition and barrels of petrol. Great video Ian.
I’ve always fancied one of these for pootling around the countryside.
We played around with one of those back in the 80s when they was sort of cheap. Its a wonder we are alive today, sitting on top of all the weight and no roof or bar or anything over you, no (thank god) seatbelt, driving madman in the woods. Holy. Holy.
I think they are the convoy lights below the headlamps, and there would be some at the rear too. They are an interesting detail in themselves.
Another good video and lovely jeep 🚗🚙🚘⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍👍👍
What a car
Went to a friend's wedding in the Domus. Was pretty special.
The Jeep is such an American icon. They were designed to be very easy to work on and it did not take much to get them running. Simplicity was the key and these things could go almost anywhere and be highly abused and it would come back wanting more. However there were some less idea aspects of it. The thin padded seats made it feel like somebody was punching you in the back when you went over a bad bump. The steering could be an issue with some as there was no power steering and it was some times harder to turn. Most folks I know with these have a Brodie Knob (also called a necker knob) on the steering wheel to help with turns. The horn should be that little button on the steering wheel (on top of the nut)
I am a big fan of the first Gen Wrangler (YJ) with its square headlights. Of course I am sure Hubnut might take issue with the fact that YJ's have the wipers resting against the windshield when turned off instead of below the windshield like most vehicles. (However that gave the wipers a wide arc and made visibility in the rain top notch)
Wonderful I loved the jeep ride !
Rich&2 carnivorous kitties 😸🥩🥓🐱🇺🇲
Absolutely love these military Willys Jeeps. I have an '05 TJ Rocky Mtn with the amazing AMC 4.0 I6 engine and it's by far the best vehicle I've had. As you might be aware, the TJ is the last true generation of Jeep. And a lot of Jeepers consider the TJ to be the best generation, and I agree. My grandfather and his brother were a WWII combat Army medic and tail gunner/foot soldier respectively.
Jeep had an amazing run from '41 - '06. My favorites are the Willys MB, CJ-7 Laredo, CJ-8 Scrambler and my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn. I don't consider the "product" made from '07 - present as Jeep. I refer to those as Heep, total rubbish, plastic techno refuse. And incidentally, it's pronounced Willis, not Willys, his name was John North Willys. Greatly enjoyed this video!
O|||||||O
🇺🇲 Only in a 2 Dr 🇺🇲
'41 - '06
So cool
You could have so much fun on the roads in Wales in this.
Great vid, I like a Jeep, total Kellys Heroes spec...top stuff, best wishes.
Great video, you always look like you are having a bit good fun. These were bought by fellows in the early 1970s, but they didnt keep them long, juicier than a clapped out Jag! Peace be unto you.
love the traditional drone of the transmiossion
thanks
Always wanted one when I was young back in the early 80s my late mother used to say she had many a lift in them during the war she used to say they was drafty and cold in the winter lol 🤣
You did well at beaulieu ian 👍
Nice video 👍
They are such blokey motors, with that rough and tumble image. In practice, though, I can't think of anything more terrifying to drive through enemy terrain. Sitting up nice and high without doors or windows fully exposing you to enemy fire. At least it is quite quick for the era, I think I'd drive it full throttle everywhere!
Fantastic! I want one 🤠
Wonderful. I've owned a number of pre Chrysler Jeep vehicles. With simple maintenance they will last a lifetime.
That opening was pure Alan Partridge: "I'm an American"... interesting little overview!
I have a 1942 Ford Jeep that I have had since 1977 here in the U.K ..Still going strong 😉
There should be a webbing strap you can clip across the side which is supposed to stop you falling out if the going gets rough. As a safety feature it was about as effective as a chocolate teapot. I believe most of those 3000 prototype Bantams and Fords were eventually wished onto the UK as Lend-Lease offerings.
I’ve driven the Jeep while I was in the US army before they phased it out. I wouldn’t mind having one. 👍
The horn reminds me of Gen. George S. Patton’s entrance in the 1970 movie
Commander Hubnut, sir!
I used to have a couple of Cherokees I’d pootle around in mud with. Everything was out-classed by and old Willy’s which just ignored all terrain!
I knew a guy who was restoring one of these, back when I was in Catterick about 13 or 14 years ago.
It always astounded me how simple these things were!
You mentioned Mahindra, in your video. Have you ever driven one of the Mahindra 4x4 vehicles that were sold in the UK, in the 1990s?
They tended to be used on many films when a JEEP substitute was required for destruction purposes.
Remember another short-lived-in-the-UK brand, simply "Asia", with a cheap 4x4 called the "Rocsta"? Sold in the UK about the mid-1990s...I'd completely forgotten about those until Mahindra was mentioned, which jogged my memory.
@@ZIGZAG12345
Yes, when they first centered the UK market, my local branch of ASDA ran a competition to win one, which was parked in their foyer.
Sadly never driven a Mahindra nor Asia Rocsta. Both terrifyingly rare these days.
@@HubNut
There was a Mahindra dealership quite near me, but I don't think that they sold many of them.
By the way, if you ever find yourself in Scotland, you would be very welcome to take my Vauxhall Rascal van out for a test drive.
That take off is an iconic sound effect from war films.
The side valve motor was a well established proven design. Just what was required in a war.
They'd be hard pressed to find a modern match now.
the military had a requirement for the Jeep engine which they did test successfully - it had to last 100hrs on redline. the previous engine they tested on jeeps only made 22hrs.
@@piuthemagicman did it send a piston out the side or just stalled?
@@jamesfrench7299 The original Willys 4 had a tendency to just wear out so most probably seized. this is what I found from MotorTrend:
The Willys four had appeared in the 1926 Whippet, which was the company’s first economy car, albeit an upscale one. It displaced 134.2 ci, just like the later Go-Devil, but only made 30 hp. By the late ‘30s, the Willys four was making 48 hp with a few upgrades, but it had become notoriously unreliable and was well under the market’s power curve.
Roos’ reliability benchmark was 100 hours at full power. One of his first tasks was to strap the 48hp engine to a dyno. It lasted 22 hours at 3,400 rpm-’nuff said. Roos and his staff set to modernizing the engine, incorporating insert bearings, a fully counterbalanced crankshaft, aluminum pistons, a fully pressurized lubrication system, and a revised valvetrain. In just a few months, the new engine was ready for the dyno. It exceeded 100 hours at over 60 hp at a whopping 4,400 rpm. Success! The new engine was dubbed Go-Devil and first appeared in some of the 1939 Willys cars rated at 61 hp at 3600 rpm.
@@piuthemagicman all just in time for the jeep programme. They never even knew it would end up used so successfully in a 4WD. It was just to address general reliability issues in a car. It ended up being more robust than Ford's tractor motor they were using for their jeep entry. Ford ended up ditching theirs and tooling up to produce the Willys L134 in their own factories.
It was durable and torquey like a diesel engine, but with performance too.
@@jamesfrench7299 oh, true! it was Willys engine designer Barney Roos who came up with the reliability test for civilian use, not the military. Just in time indeed :) I read the article too fast at first.
My 1942 original GPW has manual windscreen wipers.........I also have an original Bantam trailer.....everything I own is for sale,,,,,,except my Jeep and trailer....!!!!!!
Greetings from Australia.
Les Griffiths
nice
Thought you were entering the ghost train with that horn
I've got one, very important piece of history!!!
2 TH-cam channels i follow now have done an OG WW2 involved Jeep in the same week. 😁
Rifle in front ideal for today's traffic issues, soon move those Oil Protesters lol
A jeep was the first car I ever drove. No doors, no roof, no problem.
I'm from the Philippines and most of that jeeps where converted into a public transportation vehicle known as the Jeepney.
you do some very interesting reviews ,I was wondering have you ever done a review on the Austin Healy mrk 3000,with overdrive?
Sadly not. Really must do!
Pat on the back for the cameraman's good work....
He definitely deserves credit. Ben at the museum was essential help with these shoots as there's nothing to attach my camera to!
New trainies 👟👟 👍
I like the link to Austin.
My dad had an American Austin Batam just before ww2. American motoring owes a great deal to Austin
Great vid - always fancied one of those - do you think it’s something you could live with every day, weather permitting? hey, talking about cars you could fall out of how about a vid on a beach buggy or maybe a mini moke? With this defn on my bucket list! (After a swift lottery win!!)
I think you could live with one, but it is short on creature comforts.
“Unlike MOST cars I’ve ever driven, this has a gun mounted..”
..MOST Cars.. love it 😂
Drove one while in the French Army,great fun,my father in law was the sole survivor during the Second World War in one when it was hit by an 88, unfortunately too my friend in the army was severely injured in one and the driver was killed.
Yes, they sadly don't offer much protection...
@@HubNut not any😢
AY UP MR HUBNUT
the speedometer bounced the entire drive. might want to get that fixed sooner or later. The parts are still being used on current day jeeps id think
It really is incredible (and quite sad) that it takes a war to spur on innovation. These cars are one example of that. It's great that Beaulieu has so many examples that still run. Do I like this car? Sir yes sir! I think one of these would be better value than the current cars from Jeep but unfortunately would fail big time on the safety front. A modern version with Just Enough Essential Parts (JEEP) would be nice though.