No Driving Gloves

Historic Jeep Prototype November 13As global war loomed in 1940, the Army sought a swift reconnaissance vehicle to navigate rugged terrain and deliver firepower to the front lines. Bantam, a small and agile company experienced in building light four-cylinder cars, appeared ideal for the task. On September 23, 1940, they delivered the world's first Jeep prototype – the Bantam reconnaissance car.However, both Willys and Ford expressed interest in competing for the contract. The Army shared Bantam's designs with them, leading to Willys submitting its MA Quad on November 13 and Ford submitting two prototypes – the Pygmy GP-001 and GP-002 – on November 23.Although none of the prototypes met the Army's desired weight of less than 1,300 pounds, Ford's Pygmy introduced several innovations such as hinged headlamps for engine bay illumination and a second top bow to prevent driver discomfort. Despite their differences, all three competitors received orders for 1,500 vehicles each.Ultimately, the final standardized vers