Jeepus williams MB
Lifespan:
6 weeks to 3 months, however this average is vastly skewed by the fact that so many were used as beasts of burden during WWII and were met with less than natural deaths. The oldest one in human care is over 80 years old.
Weight:
1040 kg (2293 lbs)
Size:
131” long (3.3m)
62” wide (1.6m)
72” high (1.8m)
Habitat/Range:
Originally from Toledo Ohio, this species has since populated almost every corner of the globe due to human transport and use.
Description:
An all-terrain vehicle used primarily during WWII. (See adaptations for more specific information) Described by the Army’s technical manual as "... a general purpose, personnel, or cargo carrier especially adaptable for reconnaissance or command, and designated as 1/4-ton 4x4 Truck."
Diet:
Leaded gasoline, however a diet of unleaded gasoline has also been found to be suitable in captivity.
Breeding:
Assembly line and hobby restoration.
Behaviour/Adaptations:
Originally bred for war, the Willy’s could be fitted with .30 or .50 caliber machine gun. They were also adapted for desert patrol, snow plowing, telephone cable laying, as fire fighting pumpers, field ambulances, tractors and could even be modified to run on railway tracks. The first Zambonis were modified Jeeps.
MB's could be loaded into transport aircraft for rapid deployment and were also small enough to fit into the large gliders used in the D-day invasion of Europe.
One Willy’s was even awarded a purple heart and honorably discharged from the U.S. Army during WWII.
Conservation Status:
The only known births were from 1941 to 1945 so the Willy’s is a threatened species, but is re-emerging due to careful restoration by enthusiasts. Original population size in the 1940’s was 335,531
Interesting Facts:
No one is quite sure where the term “Jeep” came from. Most hold that it was a shortened version of General Purpose or GP (jee pee), however some historians believe it was simply what mechanics called all new pieces of hardware. Others think it may have been a nickname given by soldiers who viewed the Willy’s as a hard working loyal servant, much like the character Eugene the Jeep from the famous cartoon Popeye. In any case, the term came to be used widely when a test driver overheard soldiers using the term and then he himself used the term during a press conference, making it a common household name.
The Willy’s MB came to be as a result of the hybridization of the Ford Pygmy and the Willy’s MA as both were in use and the army wished to standardize their fleets. The iconic Jeep grille seen in today’s trucks and SUV’s came from Ford. After the war, the grille was trademarked by Willy’s but since it was a Ford design, the number of slats in the grille was reduced from 9 to 7, thus making it a new design. Hence, all post-war Willy’s have 7 slats while wartime Willy’s have 9. Our Willy’s has 7 slats indicating it is a post-war vehicle.
From mechanically-minded guests:
The lamp on the Jeep’s driver-side fender has a hood over the top to prevent airplanes from seeing it from above
Tire tread pattern is symmetrical so enemy soldiers can’t tell which direction a set of tire tracks is from
Single core radiator
10-gauge steel cross member
Ventilation provided by open sides and small vent under windshield.
No high beams in headlights