Three companies competed for the contract: Willys-Overland, American Bantam Car Manufacturing and Ford Motor Co. After some initial testing each company was asked to produce 1,500 copies of its entry.
 The original MA is, today, the rarest of Jeeps
Answering the call In the summer of 1940, the U.S. Army sent out a request for a small, lightweight rectangular vehicle with four-wheel drive and a fold-down windshield. With war looming, the military needed a vehicle that could do what the Ford Model T had done in World War I: provide basic, flexible transportation in harsh terrain.
|  These high-powered sculptures are hand-built from the ground up by small-volume manufacturers for drivers who crave extreme performance, unique design and detailed workmanship. (more) |
