Jeep accessories over the years
Jeep is the oldest off-road vehicle, having been built for the military and used extensively in WWII, and as such, it's been put to thousands of uses, some of which are pretty creative. After the war ended, Jeep created models for the general public, becoming the official car for the US Postal Service and popular for civilian use. Because of its diverse background and use, you can expect that Jeep would have had many different add-ons and accessories throughout the years. Jeeps are highly customizable, so you can trick out a jeep for any purpose, whether you are improving the suspension for off-roading, or a soft top for cruising around the city with the top down. Besides being used for very practical things, Jeep has also been used for some unconventional and interesting purposes throughout the years. Here are some of the highlights:
SEEPS
One of the most interesting uses of the Jeep was as a ship/car hybrid. These modified vehicles were name “seeps” for sea Jeeps. The controls were identical to those of the land-based jeeps, with the addition of two more handles, located just behind the transmission lever. One of these engaged the propeller, while the other operated the bilge pump. Seeps were intended to carry soldiers from ships off-shore to the beach, and then continue on land. However, the mass production of these vehicles never took place because the boats did not handle well in waves. They did, however, turn out to be valuable for river crossings.
MEDICAL JEEP
The M170 Jeep was created for the military and only about 6,500 four-cylinder M170's were produced over ten years, most of them outfitted as field ambulances. An interesting feature of the M170 is the mounting of the spare tire inside the body on the passenger side. This configuration allowed stretchers to extend over the tailgate where the spare would normally be on a military Jeep. Jeeps are still used in some rural areas as ambulances and volunteer emergency vehicles. They are great because of their size and ability to maneuver through any type of terrain.
SNOW PLOW
The snow plow add on for Jeep has been an addition that many people have used winter after winter. It’s a great tool – instead of waiting around for the city to shovel snow out of the drive, you can do it yourself and help out neighbors in the meantime. While the first snow plow was made of wood, steel and polyethylene are more commonly used in the manufacturing of snow plows. Not only is the snow plow great for emergencies and harsh winters, but it can also be used to transport materials for construction and to move rubble and dirt around.
FARM JEEPS
In the 1950s, Willys created the Farm Jeep, which were also known as “agrijeeps.” These Jeeps are 4WD ¼ ton trucks that also perform as small farm tractors; this combination makes them Farm Jeeps. Willys also created a stripped down version called the Jeep Tractor. The new Jeep Tractor was designed for use on the farm like any other conventional tractor. It was factory equipped, like the Farm Jeep, with hydraulic lift, governor, heavy duty springs and propeller shaft guard. Since the Jeep Tractor was designed for farm use, it didn’t have front shocks, a spare tire, windshield, tailgate, headlights, fuel-pump booster, speedometer or horn. The agrijeeps were popular across the United States – from use on grapefruit farms in Florida to the uneven rice fields in Arkansas.
LAYING CABLE
In Australia, people found great use out of the Jeep as a way to lay down underground cable, linking widely separated airfields in Australia. The workers had to lay the cable without interrupting field operations and doing so with a pick and shovel would have taken days. But with a Jeep hitched to a plow, the lines were dug at ten miles per hour. Behind the first Jeep a second Jeep towed the reel of cable, and the third pulled a roller that covered the cable and flattened the earth. The entire job ended up taking only 2 hours, saving the Australians a lot of time and back-breaking work.
FIRE FIGHTER
Another post-WWII use of the Jeep was as a firefighter. The Fire Jeep was popular with rural firefighters for its portability and pumping power. It would come with all the necessary bits for fighting any fire: hard suction hose, shovel, axe, ladder and carbon tetrachloride extinguishers. Some of these early firefighter Jeeps would also come with a trailer for water storage and hose reel.
RANDOM USES
During WWII the Jeep was used for a multitude of purposes as highlighted in this article. Most of these were incredibly important: such as for medical purposes and reconnaissance. However, there were also some different, seemingly silly uses too, like the hood being used as a chaplain’s altar, or for a game of cards. The Jeep was very popular among troops, and it was clear by the use of the vehicle for things other than transporting people from one place to another.
JEEP FESTIVALS
Today you can find a multitude of Jeep festivals and clubs around the country that bring together hardcore Jeep enthusiasts. At the big festivals, the main event is usually an obstacle course that really showcases what makes the Jeep special. The courses include rock crawls, mud pits, trail rides and RTI ramps. Jeep has earned its reputation as a superior off-road vehicle, and these events are made to really demonstrate Jeeps ability to tackle anything.
The Jeeps usefulness is truly endless. Besides all the obvious uses, it has also been used on the golf course pulling gang mowers at a brisk speed, resulting in a substantial savings in man hours. Rural firefighters liked it for its pumping ability. An air compressor fitted at the back would make it suitable for spraying paint. Like its wartime counterpart, it could tow aircraft into position and perform other important airport tasks. Jeep has proven itself as one of the most versatile, useful vehicles on the road since its inception in the 1940s, and continues to be popular with all types of people.
