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What Vehicles Did the Army Use Before the Jeep Arrived in 1940?
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. Army experimented with motor vehicles for decades before the Jeep entered service in 1940, using converted civilian cars, specialized trucks, and animals.
- The Jeffery Quad, developed in 1913, brought four-wheel drive and a Buda inline-four to the task of replacing mule-drawn units, with a top speed of about 14 mph.
- The 1916 Punitive Expedition into Mexico was the Army's first major battlefield test of motor vehicles and included motorized truck companies supporting Pershing.
- Dodge Brothers cars, GMC Model 15 trucks, and early Dodge Model 30s relied on L-Head engines, with Continental inline-fours producing up to 35 hp in GMC ambulances and anti-aircraft trucks.
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DT Editorial Team··via jalopnik.com