Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

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Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Fri Aug 14, 2020 9:58 pm

Here is a youtube link of video testing what appears to be a Jungle Buggy with the tiller arm steering. The video says 1944, did they have them that early? I thought mules came out in 56, 12 years later than this. https://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip ... mtZJWM8_m4


Chuck W.
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Re: Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

Post by Chuck W. » Sat Aug 15, 2020 8:48 am

That's the Willys Jungle Burden Carrier (JBC), prototype built during late WW-II. The Army didn't purchase any of them. This is the mule's great-grand father!
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Re: Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:36 am

Hi Chuck, looks like I got the name wrong then. Is that 1944 date correct? I thought the first mules were a decade later, was there a space that long between the two?

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Re: Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

Post by Chuck W. » Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:19 am

Is that 1944 date correct?
I think so, 1944-45. Willys developed the prototype JBC, but by that time, the Army didn't feel like they had a need for this type vehicle. When the USMC started looking for a lightweight carrier in the 1950's Willys dusted off the plans and submitted a prototype XM274. Oddly, the XM274 used a 4-cylinder opposed-piston Continental engine. When the M274 went into production, the Willys AO-53 4-cylinder engine was used.
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Re: Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Sat Aug 15, 2020 12:05 pm

Neat photo Chuck, it appears that the XM 274 didn't have side rails and had that knee buster angled steering shaft gearbox. I'll bet that was brutal on your knee!

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Re: Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

Post by lt.luke » Sat Aug 15, 2020 6:26 pm

I wonder if there are any of those JBCs out there?

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Re: Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

Post by Chuck W. » Sat Aug 15, 2020 7:33 pm

Only one that I am aware of, in a private collection.

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Re: Found this video of a Jungle Buggy in 1944?

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Tue Aug 18, 2020 3:52 pm

Chuck, any guess how many were built as prototypes?


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