Classic Jeeps

Jeep CJ-2A
The Jeep CJ-2A was built from 1945 to 1949, and was the first civilian Jeep to come off of the assembly line. The CJ-2A has several features that weren't found on military Jeeps, including a tailgate, a side-mounted spare tire, larger headlights and an external fuel cap. The vehicle's 134-cubic inch 4-cylinder engine, T-90A transmission, Spicer 18 transfer case and Dana front and rear axles were used on future Jeeps.

Jeep CJ-3A
The Jeep CJ-3A was introduced in 1948 and available until 1953. It was similar to the CJ-2A, but had a one-piece windshield and beefier rear axle.

The CJ-3A was updated in 1953 and marketed as the CJ-3B. Its front grille and hood were made taller to accommodate the new Hurricane F-head 4-cylinder engine. The CJ-3B was produced until 1968, and 155,494 of the vehicles were manufactured in the United States.

Kaiser introduced the CJ-5 in 1955, modeling it after the M-38A1 used in the Korean War. The CJ-5 had slightly rounded front fenders and was larger than the CJ-3B (with an 81-inch wheelbase and overall longer length). The CJ-5 offered more comfortable seating than its predecessors, and over 600,000 were built before production ended in in 1983.

The Jeep CJ-6 had more cargo space and a longer wheelbase (+20 inches), but otherwise was nearly identical to the CJ-5.

The entire CJ line received a forward-control cab-over-engine variation in 1956. A new "Dauntless" V-6 engine became an option on both the 81-inch wheelbase CJ-5 and 101-inch wheelbase CJ-6 in 1965 -- the 155-horsepower engine nearly doubled the hp of the standard four-cylinder engine, and was the first time a CJ was available with a V-6.

When AMC came along in 1970, it outfitted the CJ-5 and the CJ-6 with heavier axles, bigger brakes and a wider track. Starting in 1973, all Jeep CJs were equipped with AMC's 304- or 360-cubic-inch V-8 engines.

The Jeepster was the company's last open-body vehicle (using side curtains instead of roll-down windows).

The Willys Wagon was a 104.5-inch wheelbase vehicle that was produced for nearly two decades, from 1946 to 1965. Starting in 1949, buyers could opt for a four-wheel drive option.

Beginning in 1946, Jeep built a 118-inch wheelbase pickup that didn't see many changes before production ended in 1965. The company describes it as Willys-Overland's "first attempt to diversify the Jeep brand from the CJ."

Jeep FC 150/170 Pickup: 1957 - 1965

Both of these Forward-Control series Jeeps were work trucks (an 81-inch wheelbase for the FC 150 and a 103.5 inch wheelbase for the FC 170). They remained basically the same throughout the years, with just a few exceptions. Some 1959 and 1960 trucks had full-floating front and rear axles and some 1959 trucks were equipped with dual rear wheels and a 4-speed manual transmission.