GTP Cool Wall: Willys MB Military Vehicle

  • Thread starter TheBook
  • 50 comments
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Willys MB Military Vehicle

  • Total voters
    71
  • Poll closed .
TheBook

TheBook

Literary Member
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Sturgis, MI
GTP_ty00123
1941-1945 Willys MB military 4WD "General Purpose" vehicle.
willys_mb.jpg


Manufacturer: Willys & Ford
Production: 640,000 standardized; 8,690 other (1941–1945)
Engine layout: Front-engine, 4x4
Body style: Door-less open-top military light vehicle - can be piled for shipping, plastic steering wheel, steel seats, hinged passenger front seat, slitted War-time front parking lights.
Gauges: speedometer 0 - 60mph, Temp 0 - 220F, Amp +30/-30A, Oil pressure, map light. Fail-safe main light switch push button (can't accidentally pull main lights on).
Engine: 4-cyl. side valves, 134 CID (2199 cc), 60 hp (45 kW). Oil Filter; oil filled mesh, 1 bbl carburetor, manual choke, exhaust/intake at driver's side, intake heated via exhaust/bi-metal control spring. 6 Volt DC generator, Fail-safe automatic fuse.
Transmission: 3-speed + reverse T-84 transmission, 2-speed Model 18 transfer case; 2wd Hi , 4WD Hi, 4WD Lo
Suspension: leaf springs, full hydraulic drum brakes; handbrake assembly at rear of transfer case
Wheelbase: 80 inches (203 cm)
Length: 131 inches (333 cm)
Width: 62 inches (157.5 cm)
Height: 72 inches (183 cm) with top up, reducible to 52 inches (132 cm)​
 
After the last snafu...

Yep, right guy, and this one was one I nominated...Basically to see what people'd think of it. On one hand, it's a tinny, noisy horrid little thing that had no comforts - even compared to the HMMWV! On the other...it lasted forever, went anywhere, and...you British folk are going to hate me for this ( :P )...Launched both the Jeep and Land Rover brands. ((To a counter point...It kinda also launched SUVs, so...))

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_Steer <-Don't believe me?

So...well...Let's just see what happens, shall we?
 
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Sub Zero. practically a two-seater, AWD open top vehicle that just waits to maim you in an unexpected manner.
 
It helped won the war. And every American from the 40s looked good in it, from the lowliest soldier to the top General.

Sub-zero.
 
Hmmm...

Old school, bad-ass, small, light, AWD, the start of an iconic style of off-roader. Sub-Zero.


Only little issue is, and I know some will freak out over this, is that its rival the Kubelwagen was better in almost every category. Even the Americans in the African campaign admitted so.


From Wikipedia, :lol: :

In November 1943, the U.S. military conducted a series of tests as well on several Type 82s they had captured in North Africa; they concluded that the vehicle was simpler, easier to manufacture and maintain, faster, and more comfortable for four passengers than the U.S. Jeeps. This statement is at odds with U.S. War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-451, Handbook on German Military Forces, dated 15 March 1945. In this manual (p. 416), it states "The Volkswagen, the German equivalent of the U.S. "Jeep", is inferior in every way except in the comfort of its seating accommodations."
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Among the design features that contributed to the Kübelwagen's performance were:

* Light weight - although over 3 cm (1.2 in) longer than the Willys MB, it was over 300 kg (660 lb) lighter
* Very flat and smooth underbody, that allowed the car to slide over the surface it was traversing
* Considerable ground clearance - roughly 28 cm (11 in), in part thanks to:
o The use of portal gear hub reduction, providing more torque and ride height simultaneously
o Independent suspension on all four wheels
o Self-locking differential, limiting slippage and retaining traction.

Apart from that the air-cooled engine proved highly tolerant of hot and cold climates, and less vulnerable to bullets due to the absence of a radiator. For starting under winter conditions, a specially volatile starting fuel was required, contained in a small auxiliary fuel tank.

As the body was not a load-bearing part of the structure of the vehicle, it could easily be modified to special purposes.

The Kübelwagen could reach a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).
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Not to mention the Kubelwagen was easily adapted into an amphibious vehicle while the Jeep equivalent failed horribly in that regard.

So, if the Willy's is Sub-Zero, what does that make the Kubelwagen? Then again, the Kubelwagen didn't win the war. Neither did the STG-44, or the Horten Ho 229, but that doesn't make them any less cool.

A tricky decision then. :lol:
 
Hard to actually say why but something about it is cool.

The Kubelwagen is dreadfully uncool, comparing these two on technical merit simply misses the whole point of cool.
 
BigYoSpeck
Hard to actually say why but something about it is cool.

The Kubelwagen is dreadfully uncool, comparing these two on technical merit simply misses the whole point of cool.
Click to expand...

True, but this is a forum based on a racing game and full of car-nerds. Nearly everything is going to end up this way. It's why the Leyat Helica and Citroen DS were voted sub-zero. :lol:

Not saying you don't have a point, because it's a good one, just that we can't help who we are.
 
I've just thought of something else to take into consideration: This is a military vehicle, so it will be cool of course for being one? Much like the race cars and antiques.

Would like to own one though. :D
 
I voted Cool for the Willys, but definitely will vote sub zero for the kuble just for the design consideration they put into it.
 
History says it is Cool, and you can't go against facts.

Just for the record, there is a Jeep club in my town and people drive these things to downtown every last saturday of the month, man, they make a terrible noise and are ridiculously slow-moving pieces of crap, but they are adorable machines and you will struggle to find a malfunctioning Willys. That's definetely worthy of Cool, at least.
 
So you show up to pick up the girl of your dreams for a first date in this...And you think she'll dig it? :lol:


No a/c, heat (?), no top means her hair will be destroyed as you leisurely travel at top speed to wherever it is you are going...
 
Eric.
So you show up to pick up the girl of your dreams for a first date in this...And you think she'll dig it? :lol:
Click to expand...

I take it you've never seen the Coal Miner's Daughter...

Anyways, sub-zero. I grew up with jeeps, as kids (I was no older than 12) we used to travel the gravel roads for miles in my dads 56 CJ-5. Only a drivers seat, no belts, huge hole in the back from a trencher, absolutely dangerous, prolly considered child neglect. Hell, the thing didn't even come from the factory with brakes, downshift! First manual I learned to drive, didn't even need to use the gas to get going. He's also got a few flat fenders including a 2wd DJ-3A, four layers of paint. Red, green, blue and yellow, all chipping off. Those Go Devil flat heads are some neat engines.
 
Eric.
So you show up to pick up the girl of your dreams for a first date in this...And you think she'll dig it? :lol:


No a/c, heat (?), no top means her hair will be destroyed as you leisurely travel at top speed to wherever it is you are going...
Click to expand...

Well, if you happen to meet her in the middle of Normandy in about, say, 1944...

;P
 
Eric.
So you show up to pick up the girl of your dreams for a first date in this...And you think she'll dig it? :lol:
Click to expand...

Why not? It seemed to work well for picking up European women in the '40s. :D

:lol: :lol:


Edit: Tree'd :lol:
 
Eric.
So you show up to pick up the girl of your dreams for a first date in this...And you think she'll dig it? :lol:


No a/c, heat (?), no top means her hair will be destroyed as you leisurely travel at top speed to wherever it is you are going...
Click to expand...

Ok so you've got an Audi TT pulls up out of which a guy with his top shirt button undone, bluetooth ear piece and raybans on gets out of, or this with a guy full of tats and a guitar case in the back.

She may well marry the first guy but it's the second guy she cheats on him with :)
 

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