Willys-Overland and Ford produced the iconic 1/4-ton 4×4 military trucks, commonly known as the “Jeep”, during World War II. These versatile vehicles, specifically the Willys MB and Ford GPW models, became symbols of American ingenuity and wartime resilience. Designed for reconnaissance and transportation, these military jeeps were rugged and reliable, making them invaluable on various terrains across the world.

Key Features and Specifications

Willys-Overland and Ford built their military Jeeps to be light, compact, and versatile.

Weight and Size: Weighing around 2,300 pounds, the Jeep was compact but sturdy, able to carry up to 800 pounds of equipment or personnel. Engine: Both Willys and Ford models used the “Go Devil” 4-cylinder engine, known for its durability and ability to generate 60 horsepower. 4×4 Capability and Ground Clearance: The Jeep’s four-wheel-drive system and high ground clearance allowed it to handle mud, sand, snow, rocky ground, and other challenging conditions. Flat Fenders and Fold-Down Windshield: The Jeep’s flat fenders allowed soldiers to stand on them or place items on them when needed. Soldiers could lower the fold-down windshield to reduce the vehicle’s height, making it less conspicuous and easier to transport. Open Body Layout: The open design allowed….

With Christmas comes Christmas movies, both new and old. Some feature iconic landmarks, some feature traditional characters, and some feature memorable, classic cars. Read on to learn about some of the most famous Christmas movies and their classic cars.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

In It’s a Wonderful Life, one of the most important things to George Bailey is his 1919 Dodge Brothers Model 30. This early Dodge car was the first to be produced in Detroit and had multiple different body types, such as the sedan and roadster, available. Despite the harsh New York winters, however, George Bailey opted for the convertible touring model.

A Christmas Story (1983)

This 1937 Oldsmobile Six F-37 was Ralphie’s father’s treasure in A Christmas Story and a rather popular sedan at the time. Despite how much he loved the car, he had some frustration with the level of maintenance it required. Ralphie tried to help his father with the car one day, leading to the iconic soap-in-mouth moment.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

In Miracle on 34th Street, a conversation with Kris Kringle leads Fred Gailey and Doris and Susan Walker to drive by their….

Car restoration isn’t just for everyday folks. A love of cars is something that stays with you for life – if you end up becoming a famous celebrity, you can take that love to even greater heights. Read on to learn about some of the celebrities who like to restore classic cars as much as any other enthusiast.

Jay Leno

The former “Tonight Show” host is the standard-bearer for the celebrity classic car community. Leno’s collection consists of nearly 300 restored automobiles and motorcycles. It has everything from Doble steam cars to a 1960 Panhard PL 7. He’s also known for his car knowledge, which has led to the TV show “Jay Leno’s Garage” and a regular column in “Popular Mechanics”.

Tim Allen

Known for his role as Tim “the tool man” in “Home Improvement,” Tim Allen has collected a wide variety of both domestic and foreign classic cars over the years. His collection consists mostly of Chevrolets, such as the 1968 Chevy Camaro 427 COPO and the 1962 Chevrolet 409 Bel Air. He also collects several Fords, like the rare 1986 Ford RS200 only sold in the UK. His 1956 Ford F100 was….

The 10 Best Cars to Restore

There are seemingly endless car restoration options available for newcomers and experienced mechanics alike. But some cars stand out from the pack, whether for mechanics, available parts, resale value or available support. The Motor Bookstore presents our picks for the 10 best cars to restore:

1964-1968 Ford Mustang. With its simple mechanics, widely available parts and large support network, the first-generation Ford Mustang remains the king of car restorations and is a great first-time project. 1967-1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS. First-generation Camaros are known for being reliable, fun to drive and easy to work on. These cars share parts with same-year Pontiac Firebirds, and you can even order new bodies. 1971-1972 Pontiac GTO. While all GTOs are great restore candidates, the later second-generation models are more affordable. Interest from collectors is increasing for this classic car, giving it a high resale value. 1968-1970 AMC AMX. This muscle/sports car hybrid was one of the best handling cars of its era. Less than 20,000 were produced, so parts may be hard to find,….

Muscle Car Clocks Make Great Gifts for Muscle Car Collectors, Rebuilders and Enthusiasts

Muscle car clocks are for the lovers of the Chevy Chevelle, the Ford Torino and the AMC Javelin. Whether you own one of these beauties or spend your time dreaming you’ll have one, I believe a clock that celebrates history’s most masculine vehicles should always be just above eye level. A constant reminder of how beautiful life would be if we could stay on the road.

If I owned a muscle car about the only thing I’d give it up for is family. And that would be one heck of a struggle. I mean it. If a horde of flesh-devouring zombies were about to put their dirty hands on my dream car (a detailed 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429), I’d stand my ground, flailing my arms like windmills. As the ghouls dragged me down, as they dug into my flesh, I’d go out….

Time to take playing in the sand dunes to the next level! Driving Dune Buggies allow for gear heads to get lost in a new environment with an off-roading vehicle. The beauty of this sport is that it is easy to either take along a passenger or go with your whole family in a multiple-seat dune buggy. A lot of locations also offer dune buggy tours, where they have a professional driver to give you and your gang the dune buggy ride of your life. Most guarantee that you will never look at sand again as being boring.

We have compiled a list of places to drive dune buggies that will keep you from saying, “Well, I’ve been wanting to try riding in the sand, but we don’t have the equipment.” All of the venues listed below offer rentals, tours and allow you to bring your own buggy too.

And if you’re in the mood to make your old VW-Based Car into a Baja Bug, the Motor Bookstore has the how-to book available here.  Here is another great book that….

Have you ever searched for off-roading parks with cabins right on location?  If so, you know how tough it can be to find the perfect place that isn’t a far drive… We hope you find our list of off-roading parks with cabins useful for you, your family and friends.

Above: Bartsch Family at Heppner OHV Park / Morrow County Parks in Oregon

When someone asks you how your off-roading weekend was, which one of these scenarios sounds like a better time?

I woke up early, loaded up my dirt bikes and quads, drove for about two hours, unloaded the bikes, and rode trails till the sun went down, then loaded the bikes up and drove home. I woke up early, had some coffee, then walked a few feet to my dirt bike and kicked started it and then spent all day riding great trails. Repeated it on Sunday morning. No we didn’t camp; we stayed in cabins on location. It was a hassle-free weekend.

Most people would agree….

You love to test your skills on a local motocross track near your home, or at least not too far. However, where is the nearest motocross park to learn and enhance your skill level?  Is the specific motocross track designed for your skill level?  We have attempted to answer those questions for you in our list of the best motocross tracks for all levels of learning.

Above: Rider at Seminole Motocross Park

Mud, rain, two-strokes, and adrenaline, motocross brings a unique type of racing competitiveness that has been deemed an extreme sport for very good reasons. Racers are competing on off-road circuits that contain various difficult elements such as hill climbs and table tops. These motocross tracks are designed to test the riders, allowing for the very best to pull the win. When attending an event, it almost feels like the riders have been training their whole life for these off-road circuits. And most of them have been. So how does a rider inch their way into….

Are you looking for legal places to drive your Off Highway Vehicle (OHV)? In this article, The Motor Bookstore takes a stab at providing a list of the best OHV parks by City and State to legally drive your Jeep or other 4×4 vehicle.

No matter the season, your Jeep is constantly waiting to be taken off-road. That is the beauty of owning one.  An apocalypse happens during your daily commute to work? Your Jeep has you covered. Earthquake causes your driveway to become covered in boulders and rocks? Your 4×4 will crawl right over them, giving you plenty of time to drop the kids off at school. Owning an OHV approved car that can handle almost any terrain you take it on is a great feeling. Though it is not such a great feeling when you accidentally trespass on private property when you attempt to do some quick off-roading in your apocalypse car. To avoid getting in the bad kind of trouble with your Jeep, we recommend getting in….

Toyota’s Air Bag Recall Continues to Rock the Industry

Toyota Motor Corp. has definitely seen better days. The world’s largest and most dependable automaker has had to recall millions of vehicles around the world. Just this recent June the auto giant recalled close to 650,000 models in Japan alone. Some vehicles have been recalled twice for the same issue.

According to Toyota, a stunning portion of their cars feature airbag inflators that were engineered using defective parts. The inflators contain poorly constructed propellant wafers. This could create a rupture in the inflator causing the front passenger airbag to deploy abnormally if the vehicle were in an accident. Specifically, the front passenger air bag will burst because of the defective inflator. To date, a number of accidents and at least two fatalities have been linked to the faulty air bags.

This recall is tied to Japanese air bag maker Takata Corp., who have had to warn other auto manufacturers they….