Jeep Engines - Oljeep

12 MOPAR PERFORMANCE PARTSBeyond the Quad1948-51 Willys-Overland JeepsterIn 1946, Willys-Overland introduced the auto industry’s first all-steel station wagon and sedan deliveryvehicles. These two-wheel-drive vehicles featured seven-passenger capacity and reached a top speed of65 mph. When four-wheel-drive and a Willys six cylinder engine were added in 1949, the Jeep All-Steel Station Wagon truly became the forerunner of the modern-day Jeep Cherokee. The new Jeepstation wagon had pressed-steel framing and three-tone paintwork which simulated the natural woodlook. It used the Jeep running gear and MB-style front sheel. metal and was designed to compete againstthe “real” wood wagons still being manufactured by Detroit’s Big Three. The new vehicle chassis wasalso available in a sedan delivery truck. Four-wheel-drive would become available in these models in1949 along with the 148 cubic-inch “Lightning” six cylinder engine.From 1948- I95 I , Willys-Overland produced probably its most stylish vehicle to that point - theJeepster VJ-2 and VJ-3. A two door, two-wheel-drive, low-slung convertible, the Jeepster was uniquein styling to other American vehicles of the time. Unfortunately, the Jeepster was also underpoweredwith a four cylinder engine, and less desirable to the public without four-wheel-drive. It posted onlymodest sales and was never able to find a market niche. Popular opinion holds that if a larger sixcylinder engine had been offered, the Jeepster may well have survived longer. Interestingly enough, asimilar version was released during the sixties under Kaiser ownership, and enjoyed good success.The CJ model was updated in 1953, becoming the CJ-3B. It was the first Jeep CJ with noticeable bodychanges from its military predecessor. It had a taller body grille and hood to accommodate the newHurricane F-Head four cylinder engine. Although it had the same displacement as the original “GoDevil” engine, the “Hurricane” featured a revised valve train. It first appeared in the 1951 M38A1military model. The CJ-3B remained in production until 1968, and a total of 155,494 weremanufactured in the U.S.