The Bantam BRC-40: The Willys MB’s Lesser-Known Predecessor

By: Brendan Soriano / June 9, 2023 in Guides

While we all tend to view the Willys MB as the original Jeep–the model which transported Allied soldiers across enemy soil in the Second World War–what about its prototype? Surely the inspiration for the acclaimed 4x4 didn’t appear out of thin air, right?

The truth is, Willys wasn’t the original; the company only gained the rights to the Jeep title and even the design after fine-tuning a nearly identical prototype by another manufacturer: The American Bantam Car Company.

So why isn’t this common knowledge, and why isn’t Bantam credited with developing the Jeep? While Willys is responsible for crafting the iconic MB that stormed the beaches on the Western Front and Ford for designing the Jeep’s iconic grille and headlight panel, the Jeep, as we know it, wouldn’t exist without the bonafide original: The Bantam BRC-40.

The Tale of the BRC-40

The American Bantam Car Company was founded in the heart of small-town America of Butler, Pennsylvania, in 1929 as the American Austin Car Company and reorganized in 1936 as part of a bankruptcy deal plaguing the small sports car manufacturer.

Despite having a small-scale design and manufacturing facility, Bantam was one of only three companies bid by the U.S. military to produce a lightweight, four-wheel-drive reconnaissance vehicle. Despite Bantam’s minuscule manufacturing capabilities compared to the other two companies–Ford and Willys–the Butler, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer was the only of the three to produce blueprints and an operational model by the required deadline.

This prototype–the Bantam GPV–featured many qualities that’d later be added to the Willys MB and Ford GPW; however, the model had a few significant flaws. The government griped that, while capable, the GPV was ultimately too heavy, tall, and underpowered.

Despite Bantam meeting the military’s goal, the government allowed Willys and Ford to produce competing prototypes based on Bantam’s design, resulting in the Ford Pygmy and Willys Quad. The three models participated in rigorous testing, which led to the military ordering 1,500 revised units of each vehicle: the Ford GP, Willys MA, and Bantam BRC.

Eventually, the military thought it best to eliminate two of three designs to standardize the manufacturing process, and the Willys came out on top regarding overall value and performance. Willys was awarded the contract, and the remaining and still-to-be-produced BRC-40s were shipped overseas to assist Allied forces. The Willys design became the standard U.S. military-issued “Jeep," but due to increasing demand, Ford received additional contracts to produce models based on the MB. Ford's model–the Ford GPW–featured interchangeable parts and only minor differences, like “Ford” script stamped bolt heads.

After a measly production run of only 2,675 Bantam BRC-40s, the model, and Bantam as a brand, were discontinued.

BRC-40 Design and Specifications

The Bantam BRC-40, at a glance, is remarkably similar to early military “Jeeps”; however, the body shares little to no physical components with its counterparts. The BRC-40 sports a rounder overall tub (besides the sharp, angular rear corners) and, unlike the Willys’ stamped steel grill with inset headlights, the Bantam features round headlights recessed into the front fenders and a unique 10-bar grille.

Under the hood, a Continental BY4112 inline 4-cylinder engine pumps out a blistering 45 hp and 86 lb/ft of torque, which reaches the wheels through a T-84 3-speed transmission, Spicer 18 transfer case, and Spicer 40 front and rear axles. According to records, 62 BRC-40s were produced with an innovative rear steering system for increased maneuverability.

On the interior, Bantam employed a seat structure that was drastically more ergonomic than those fitted into the MB and GPW. With small side bolsters and modest overall proportions, the seats could comfortably house a normal-sized man.

Legacy and Current Value

Though minor design flaws and a severe lack of manufacturing power tanked Bantam’s otherwise winning design, the GPV, and BRC’s legacy lives on through the models it influenced. After all, there’d be no Willys Quad, MA, MB, or civilian counterparts without Bantam’s blueprints and prototypes; or perhaps there would be, though we’d all be driving modified Bantams instead of Wranglers.

With the rarity of the Ford GPW and Willys MB, even after a half-a-million unit production run, consider the scarcity of Bantam’s counterpart. Bantam only produced 2,675 BRC-40s, making them nearly 250X rarer than the MB at the height of production! It’s estimated that only approximately 50 remain to this day, making them one of the rarest military vehicles to have ever been produced.

While current prices for the model vary, period-correct restorations typically go for $100,000–$120,000. In 2013, an entirely disassembled pile of scrap that was once a BRC-40 sold for a whopping $35,000!

It’s safe to say that, without the Bantam BRC-40, the modern 4x4 landscape would look drastically different. Though often forgotten by Jeep enthusiasts and average gearheads alike, Bantam’s contributions to the modern Jeep haven’t, and shouldn’t ever, go unnoticed.