This is the Warbird Jeep, it’s a hand-built Willys MB Jeep hot rod powered by a Chevrolet 350 small block V8, and interestingly it has dual left and right steering wheels.
This vehicle was built from scratch to be a WWII-style hot rod with major aviation influences, including dual steering, dual instrumentation, riveted aluminum bodywork, functional flight gauges, bomb-shaped fuel tanks, and quite a bit more.
Fast Facts: The Warbird Jeep – An Aviation Hot Rod
- The Warbird Jeep is a hand-built hot rod inspired by the Willys MB Jeep, combining WWII military styling with aviation themes throughout. It has dual steering wheels, dual instrumentation, riveted aluminum bodywork, flight-style gauges, and bomb-shaped fuel tanks.
- The original Willys MB was thew result of an urgent 1940 U.S. Army requirement for a lightweight four-wheel-drive reconnaissance vehicle. Willys-Overland finalized the winning design around its Go-Devil four-cylinder engine, delivering simplicity, reliability, and good low-speed torque that proved decisive in wartime service across multiple theaters.
- Mass production began in 1941, with Ford producing the licensed Ford GPW to meet demand. Over 640,000 units were built by 1945. The Jeep’s adaptability saw it serve as transport, weapons carrier, command vehicle, utility platform, and even as a weapons platform. It later played a huge role in shaping postwar civilian four-wheel-drive design worldwide.
- Built between 2020 and 2023, the Warbird Jeep uses a fabricated steel chassis, Chevrolet 350 V8 power, TH350 automatic transmission, and custom suspension. Aviation-inspired controls include steering yokes and flight instruments. It is now offered for sale in Oregon, listed as a 1942 Willys and presented via Bring a Trailer.
History Speedrun: The Willys MB Jeep
The Willys MB Jeep was designed in one of the most fast-paced, and historically consequential, vehicle development programs in modern industrial history. In May of 1940, as World War II spread rapidly across Europe, the United States Army issued an urgent request for a lightweight, four-wheel drive reconnaissance vehicle.
The Jeep’s influence extended well beyond the war years, with surplus Jeeps sold into civilian markets worldwide, directly leading to the creation of the CJ (Civilian Jeep) range and establishing a blueprint for compact four-wheel drive vehicles that remains hugely popular today. Image courtesy of Willys-Overland.
The specification for the vehicle that would become the “Jeep” was demanding, it needed to have a ¼-ton payload, full-time off-road capability, simple construction, and rapid scalability for mass production.
American Bantam produced the first working prototype, but it was Willys-Overland that ultimately refined the design into the vehicle that would become the world’s first mass-produced four-wheel drive vehicle.
The success of Willys-Overland was down to a few factors, but perhaps mostly it came down to the Willys “Go-Devil” L-head four-cylinder engine, which produced a respectable 60 bhp (more than its rivals) and decent low-speed torque.
After early pre-production prototypes had been perfected, the standardized Willys MB entered full production in late 1941. To meet wartime volume requirements, the US government directed Ford to build an identical version under license, designated the Ford GPW, which ensured interchangeability of parts across the two manufacturers.
The Willys MB design used a simple steel ladder-frame chassis with live axles front and rear on leaf springs, with a Spicer transfer case driving all four wheels. The drivetrain was intentionally as simple as possible, in order to prioritize reliability and ease of repair in the field.
The 2.2 liter Go Devil engine was paired with a 3-speed manual transmission, and it delivered a modest top speed but exceptional mobility across mud, sand, snow, and just about any other terrain you pointed it at.
After early pre-production prototypes had been perfected, the standardized Willys MB entered full production in late 1941. To meet wartime volume requirements, the US government directed Ford to build an identical version under license, designated the Ford GPW, which ensured interchangeability of parts across the two manufacturers. Image courtesy of Willys-Overland.
At just over 1,100 kgs (2,425 lbs) loaded, the Jeep could be manhandled by soldiers, air-transported, or even dropped by parachute in modified form.
In military service, the Willys MB and its Ford GPW counterpart could and did function as a reconnaissance car, command vehicle, radio platform, ambulance, weapons carrier, troop transport, and light tractor. Field modifications saw Jeeps equipped with machine guns, anti-tank rocket launchers, snow ploughs, rail wheels, and even amphibious kits.
Allied forces across Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific relied on the Jeep for tasks far beyond its original brief, and it quickly became indispensable to modern mobile warfare.
“In many respects, the jeep became the iconic vehicle of World War II, with an almost mythological reputation of toughness, durability, and versatility.” – historian Charles K. Hyde
Between 1941 and 1945, over 640,000 Willys MB and Ford GPW vehicles were produced, making it one of the most widely built military vehicles up until that point in history. Its influence extended well beyond the war years, with surplus Jeeps sold into civilian markets worldwide, directly leading to the creation of the CJ (Civilian Jeep) range and establishing a blueprint for compact four-wheel drive vehicles that remains hugely popular today.
The Jeep CJ series would spawn many competitors, including the Land Rover, International Scout, Ford Bronco, Nissan Patrol, Toyota Land Cruiser, and many more. The direct descendant of the WWII Jeep, the Jeep Wrangler, remains in production today as the JL series and it remains wildly popular.
This hot rod was named the Warbird Jeep by its creator, who built it between 2020 and 2023. It’s built around a gray powder-coated fabricated steel chassis, with a drilled Ford F-100 front axle that has custom radius rods and a transverse leaf spring.
The Warbird Jeep Hot Rod Shown Here
This hot rod was named the Warbird Jeep by its creator, who built it between 2020 and 2023. It’s built around a gray powder-coated fabricated steel chassis, with a drilled Ford F-100 front axle that has custom radius rods and a transverse leaf spring.
The rear end rides on a live axle with a four-link setup, and it has a Panhard rod and adjustable coilovers. power-assisted drum brakes are fitted to all four corners, and it rides on gray steel wheels shod with period-correct-looking Firestone military tires measuring 6.00” up front and 7.50” in the rear.
Power is provided by a Chevrolet 350 V8 small block crate engine with four-bolt main bearings, finned alloy valve covers, coated Schoenfeld headers, an Edelbrock RV camshaft, an Edelbrock 600 cfm carburetor, and an Edelbrock intake manifold.
Power is sent back via a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission to a 12-bolt rear end with 3.73 gearing. The body was based on the measurements and design of the Willys MB, but the passenger compartment was lengthened by 2″ and riveted aluminum has been used extensively to both lower weight and give that aviation feel to the car.
Inside you’ll find dual steering yokes that work in unison, a central throttle lever, and push-buttons atop the yoke operate the turn signals. The dashboard contains all the regular gauges plus a functional altimeter, compass, and air speed indicator.
Inside you’ll find dual steering yokes that work in unison, a central throttle lever, and push-buttons atop the yoke operate the turn signals. The dashboard contains all the regular gauges plus a functional altimeter, compass, and air speed indicator.
The Warbird Jeep is now being offered for sale out of Aurora, Oregon with an Oregon title in the seller’s name listing it as a 1942 WLLS. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
