Invention of the Jeep
N 40° 51.248 W 079° 54.696
17T E 591738 N 4523134
Ever wonder where all those YJTB's and WJTB's came from? It all started in Butler, Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh, where Bantam made the first Jeep.
Waymark Code: WM8NM
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 03/09/2006
Views: 153
Marker Text:
"In September 1940 a team headed by Karl Probst delivered to the U.S. Army a prototype for the World War II jeep. This small, four-wheel drive vehicle was produced by the American Bantam Car Co., located one block east. Here, Bantam manufactured 2,675 jeeps. Although larger companies ultimately received the chief wartime orders, it was Bantam--in cooperation with the Army--that originally created the jeep."
Translation: Bantam did all the inventive design work, then got screwed on the production contract. Willys and Ford made the big bucks off of the original Jeeps. Bantam was given the contract to make the trailers towed by some Jeeps.