WWII And Mopars

[cr8crshr]

Interesting to read how our 4X4s became what they are today...cr8crshr/Bill

Dodge Power Wagon: How the US Military Gave America 4x4 Trucks

 

[Photon440]

Interesting read, but they got a couple of things wrong. When they say that Dodge didn't have it's own 4X4 until 1942, they're forgetting that Dodge was already supplying the army with 4X4 trucks in 1934 (the 1 1/2 ton K-39-X-4), with bigger and improved models through to 1939. It was the world's first 4X4 that included a part time transfer case. They also claim the straight six had "a modest 230 horsepower" while it really pushed out only 92 hp.

Also their claim that "Commercially available four-wheel-drive trucks didn’t even exist until after World War II." denies the fact that American Four Wheel Drive Auto Company sold almost 42,000 four wheel drive trucks (the Jeffery/Nash Quad) from 1913 to 1928, also used by the US Army in WWI. They continued to supply the US with another 9,000 trucks for WWII. They later built a lot of fire trucks and the remnants of that company exist as part of the Seagrave Fire Apparatus group.

 

[Detective D]

FWD corp is in my neighborhood. They invented 4x4.
In the 40's and through the 80's, they made very heavy duty trucks with power to the front axle. Lots of snow plow trucks. Freegin unstoppable snow plow trucks. Here is a very old video from WI, probably a 1950's era FWD in action. These trucks were kept in service until the mid 2010's. Did not see much use, old timers told younger generations they would be fools to auction them from the county fleet. They did anyway when the old timers retired. Then about 6 years ago, maybe 3-4 years after they sold them, we got a storm that dumped a few feet overnight on us and it took the county about 5 days to dig people out, pulled two of the old V-plow road graders out of the weeds and had to do 3/4 of the county with them. OOPS.





These come up for sale sometimes yet. The ones from the 60's the front bumpers were basically chin high. Front pumpkin was like a 24" beach ball. No lie, when I was a kid the one that did the backroads I grew up on had a V-plow as tall as the damn school bus, driver of the truck sitting in there peeking over the top. Probably bone jarring ride, but I wish I could have tried it at least once. Stupid strong trucks.