1944 CJ-1

The civilian Jeep project began in 1944 when Willys-Overland had some resources to spare beyond war-oriented production. Blueprints had been drawn up by February 1944 and a pilot model, dubbed the CJ-1, was up and running by May. It wore a cast-bronze hood emblem that said "AGRIJEEP." It's clear the CJ-1 was an MB pulled off the line and modified with a tailgate, drawbar, civilian-type top, a spare tire mounted on the passenger side, and lower gearing in the axles and transfer case. According to Fred Coldwell's Preproduction Civilian Jeeps, the factory also tested one or more MB Agrijeeps that kept their standard MB military body but used the 2.43 low range transfer case and had 5.38 gears in their axles. No CJ-1 or MB Agrijeeps are known to survive. (Fred Coldwell)

Also on The CJ3B Page, see Book Review: Civilian Preproduction Jeeps.

Return to the Pictorial History of the Universal Jeep or the Universal Jeep Timeline, 1942-1986 on The CJ3B Page.

Bantam | BRC60 | Quad | Pygmy | Budd | GP | MA | BRC40 | Slat | MB | GPW | GPA | MLW-2 | CJ-1 | CJ-2 | CJ-2A | CJ-3A | CJ-V35 | M38 | X-98 | CJ-4 | CJ-4M | M38A1 | M38A1C | CJ-3B | Bobcat | DJ-3B | CJ-5 | M170 | USAF DJ | CJ-6 | DJ-3A | CJ-3B Long | M422 | M151 | M606 | CJ-5A | DJ-5 | DJ-6 | DJ-5A | Commando | CJ-7 | JeepII | CJ-8 | YJ | YJ Long | Renegade | TJ | Dakar | Icon | Willys | TJL | Unlimited | JK | J8 | JT | EV