Original Source Documents: August 1942 - The Story Behind the Army Jeep - Illustrated Gazette - Vol 1 No 4 - pg.1,2,6,8
Contributor: Robert Notman
Source: U.S. Army Military History Institute
ORIGINAL JEEP IN SMITHSONIAN
The original Jeep manufactured by the Bantam Car company rests peacefully in the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C. The Wheel base, tread, height overall and other features of the first car are the same that will be found in the present Jeep made by Willys-Overland. Payne asserts that 2,000 Bantam-made Jeeps were in use when Willys and Ford made their pilot models and charges that all Willys and Ford did was to stick their own motors in them and "that is that!"