Happy Birthday to another America icon the WW2 Jeep! Like Checker Cabs, clearly the WWII and civilian (CJ) Jeep is one of the America’s top automotive icons.
In honor of the 80th birthday of the American Willys Jeep, we present the birthday celebration at the 2021 Jeep Fest in Toledo, Ohio.
How is this related to Checker? Beyond the icon part, note Checker Cab Manufacturing’s CEO and founder sitting in a 1940 Bantam Jeep in the header. Checker test assembled three Bantam Jeep BRC-40 units back in 1940. Checker had partnered with American Bantam Company to provide additional production capacity, should Bantam win a US government competitive bid to build WW2 Jeeps. Bantam’s original design was the only success bid for Jeep production. The design was refined and ultimate lead to the Willys Jeep.
Unfortunately, Bantam and Checker did not win on the bid, Willys won and Ford was a secondary winner to bolster the production order. Post WW2, Willys retained control of the Willys designed Jeep and the Jeep has been produced in Toledo ever since.
To watch the 1300 Jeep parade, just click on the link below.
Jeep Fest Toledo Parade 2021 (vimeo.com)
