Jeep CJ
source: shutterstock
Jeep’s original design blurs the line between what can be considered a truck and what is a simple utility vehicle, but its application and history as a military service vehicle and its mythical reliability and its ability to haul, tow, and carry loads make it a truck in our eyes nonetheless. Originally produced in 1994 as the “Willys”, the CJ is Jeep’s first model ever built. Sporting perhaps the shortest wheelbase of any truck or SUV ever created, the CJ’s maneuverability is generally unmatched. The CJ saw service and took hits from enemy combatants in nearly every theater in WWII, and it continued service well into the 1990s.
Even in the civilian market, the CJ was decidedly militaristic: It still used the same body, lights, drivetrain, and suspension as those found on service Jeeps with just minor aesthetic differences. Such subtleties included different grilles, higher or lower differential gears, and small cabin accouterments that provided measures of comfort and convenience.
source: wikimedia
All CJs sported rugged Dana axles, beefy transfer cases, and simple but reliable straight-4 or straight-6 motors with little power but plenty of crawling and climbing capability in any conditions. The original Willys “Go-Devil” L134 motor earned a reputation for mythical reliability throughout WWII and in the civilian market. This small-displaced, 55 HP power featured a decidedly sleepy compression ratio of just 6.48:1 with a one-barrel carburetor. What it lacked in power, however, it made up for in its refusal to die, even under the worst conditions. The motor pumped out nearly twice as much torque (106 ft.-lbs.) as it did horsepower, and an under square cylinder bore and parallel valves ensured the engine would operate without wear or failure even when pushed hard and without proper maintenance.
The Go-Devil engine was so reliable it powered nearly all Jeep vehicles used in WWII and it wasn’t until 1950 that it was replaced by Jeep’s straight-6, 75 HP Hurricane Engine that incorporated similar mechanical design elements. This American legend of a truck saved countless lives in service and was transformed into an American automotive icon after the war’s end, with millions sold over the course of the following decades. Its reliability needing few other mentions, the original CJ easily earns a spot on our list of Toughest Trucks.
