Classic Jeep Trucks

Even Jeep isn't sure how its name came to be -- it's not even close to Willys-Overland, the original name of the company. Some think the term resulted from the slurring of the letters GP, the U.S. Army's abbreviation for General Purpose, referring to the Willys Quad that became the Army's standard vehicle. Others believe it was a nickname taken from Eugene the Jeep, a popular character from the Popeye cartoon strip.
No matter how and where it originated, the name Jeep stuck. Willys trademarked it after World War II ended, and moved forward to build civilian off-road utility vehicles.

This gallery focuses on civilian Jeep trucks, beginning with mid-1940s era models. Truck production ended years ago (with the Jeep Comanche in 1992), but recent Jeep concepts (the Gladiator and the JT) have made Jeep enthusiasts hopeful that the automaker is finally ready to build a new pickup.

Pictures of Classic Jeeps, including the Quad, from 1940 - 1987.

Hispano 1924

When Hispano-Suiza was formed in 1904, they soon found success producing trucks to meet a need in Spain, a poor country at the time with mountains and inefficient railways. They did produce cars as well, which soon built a strong reputation for their reliability and performance. Most were sold to European heads of state which established the brand in luxury circles. Their reputation continued to grow as they enjoyed success in racing.

In 1919, at the Paris Motor Show, Hispano-Suiza introduced the H6 powered by a 6.6-liter overhead cam aluminum six-cylinder engine offering 135 horsepower and a top speed of 85 mph. One of the more advanced features found on the H6 were the power-assisted brakes, the first in the industry, driven with a special shaft from the transmission. Upon deceleration, the cars momentum drove the brake servo to provide additional power. There were around 2,350 examples of the H6 produced through 1933.

In 1922, Hispano-Suiza introduced the more powerful H6B. This example features a Coupe deVille body built by the legendary coachbuilder Saoutchik, and includes many fine French accessories.

Panhard 1907

The first automobile manufacturer in France was Panhard-Levassor and is only second in the world to Daimler-Benz. These two companies worked together sharing ideas and designs and Daimler actually supplied Panhard with engines during their first years of production.

Panhard-Levassor was an established woodworking and machinist firm. They constructed their first prototype automobile in 1890, and production vehicles in 1891. By 1900, the firm had over 850 employees and were building 75 cars per month. Even at this capacity, they were unable to keep up with demand. One of their earliest customers was the Honorable C.S. Rolls who, a few years later, would build his own car, the Rolls-Royce.

Along with being an early producer of automobiles, they were also leaders in technological advancements with one of the first driveshafts instead of chain-drive and the first to use a pressed-steel chassis frame. They used racing to promote their produce and captured many significant wins in many early races, including the Paris-Bordeaux Race.

The work performed by the French firm of Panhard et Levassor aided in the technical evolution of the automobile. The work that they did and the innovations that they produced helped acceleration the popularity of the automobile.