Following up on the success of our very first civilian vehicle was our second offering, the Jeep® CJ-3A vehicle. Introduced for the 1949 model year and very similar to the original CJ-2A, the new vehicle sported a slight design update which featured a one-piece windscreen and dual bottom-mounted wipers. A notable structural change was an improved Spicer 44-2 rear axle in place of the old 41-2. The Jeep brand maintained the original engine, an L-head four-cylinder, which was still more than adequate for the new vehicle’s needs. Also like the previous model, the CJ-3A was a “flat-fender” low-hood model with production lasting just four years. A special edition was introduced in 1951 and dubbed the “Farm Jeep” brand vehicle, because it offered farm-specific options like a hydraulic lift and driveshaft guards. There was also a tractor version offering that was a bare-bones one-seater designed strictly for heavy tractor duty activities.

In digging through all our old models for this 70th anniversary blog series, we’re finding that a lot of the older gems (like this CJ-3A) capture our hearts and imagination. How about you guys? Any favorites yet?