The last issue talked about the original ancestor of the Wrangler, the prototype car Willys (Willys) MA/MB, as a qualified military vehicle, it is solid and reliable, with good off-road performance, but it was not produced as a civilian vehicle. However, there is always an end to the war. It is a rhythm that everyone is familiar with when the excellent models during the war are converted to civilian use. Jeep, it can be said that this company is very forward-looking.
In this context, Jeep’s CJ-1 and CJ-2 were born. Unfortunately, they are just a test car and have not been mass-produced. It has no difference from MB except the name. Willys realized that as a civilian model, it needs to be equipped with more practical configurations. In 1945, the first civilian Jeep CJ-2A was born, which looked more like the civilian version of MB.
It can be seen from the picture that the main difference between MB and CJ-2A is the front grille, the former has nine slots and the latter has seven slots. The car also featured a doorless design, a side-mounted spare wheel, larger headlights, an exterior fuel tank cap, and more. As a model developed from a military car, the rugged and durable features made the CJ-2A one of the most popular models from 1945 to 1949, with sales of 215,000.
The time has come to 1949. The CJ-3A produced at this time is a modified version of the CJ-2A. At the same time, it is also the last CJ model with a low engine cover design. The CJ-3A is very similar to the previous model. The difference is An integral single-piece front windshield is adopted, and the original side-valve L-shaped four-cylinder engine is retained, and the axles have been upgraded. In addition, CJ-3A has also launched an agricultural model, equipped with many equipment required for agricultural operations, such as hydraulic lifts, engine limiters, tow hitches, drive shaft protection plates and load-bearing springs.
In 1955, the CJ-5 came out again. It was transformed from the Willys M-38A1 used in the Korean War. CJ-5 increased the center wheelbase and height, and the improvements in engine, axle, gearbox and seat comfort made people start to have great interest in off-road vehicles like CJ-5. Kaiser continued to modify the model in the following years, but the appearance of this model remained until 1976. In 1965, the CJ-5 introduced a new Dauntless V6 engine. This is the first time Jeep CJ has tried to carry a V6 engine with a maximum power of 155 horsepower.
For the early CJ series, the small space in the car has always been its flaw, but the CJ-6 solves this problem. There are still no changes in appearance, but the wheelbase is longer, and the loading space is comparable to that of a minivan. However, despite the spaciousness, its sales situation was not satisfactory, so the production volume was not high.
