Willys MB or Ford GPW – Identification from 1941

How do I tell a Willys MB from a Ford GPW?

The quickest check is the front frame crossmember: on the Willys MB it is a round tube, on the Ford GPW an inverted U-channel. The second marker are the Ford-typical F stampings found on many GPW parts, right down to the bolts. Early GPWs also carry the Ford script on the rear panel until early 1942, while early MBs wear a welded slat grille instead of the later stamped grille.

After more than 80 years many vehicles are a mix of MB and GPW parts – which is exactly why the overall picture matters more than any single feature. Worth knowing: the F stamping is considered a Ford marker, but reproduction parts carrying an F stamping are in circulation today. The stamping alone is therefore not proof of originality – what counts is the combination of frame, workmanship and traceable provenance. If in doubt, our repair shop helps with the identification.

Why are the Willys MB and Ford GPW nearly identical?

Both grew out of the same wartime contract: in 1940 the US Army demanded an off-road vehicle with four-wheel drive and a low-range transfer case, leading to the Willys MA in 1941 and then the MB. Ford built the Willys design under license as the GPW – parts from both makers are largely interchangeable, which keeps the supply of spares healthy to this day.

What is inside the WWII Jeep?

Up front runs the Dana 25 axle with a 7-3/4 inch ring gear, in the rear the Dana 23-2 (1941–1946); the transfer case is the Dana Spicer 18 with its 2.46:1 reduction. All values are in the axle application list and the transfer case charts.

Parts for MB, GPW, MBT and the postwar Willys

Parts for the Willys MB, the MBT trailer and the Ford GPW are in the Willys MB / MBT / Ford GPW category. We also cover the postwar Willys models: the CJ2A (1945–1949, recognizable by the side-mounted spare wheel, larger headlamps and external fuel filler), CJ3A and CJ3B (1948–1968, one-piece windshield) and the M38 and M38A1 (1950–1963, built for the Korean War). The model overview lists every series; rare parts we track down via our parts sourcing service.