CJ3B 1953 to 1964
History - (1953-1964) Willys CJ-3B "Universal"
CJ-3B Production Total: 196,000 (155,494 assembled in the U.S.)
(Public sales end in 1964 as far as we can tell - however CJ-3Bs were still available for commercial / military markets until 1968)
CJ-3B Illustration
The Universal Jeep CJ-3B was first produced by Willys-Overland in 1953, following closely in the footsteps of it’s 1/4 ton predecessors, the CJ-2A and CJ-3A, civilian models mostly targeted to agricultural and industrial applications. With the close of WWII, Willys-Overland began to promote the CJs as civilian models that stretched beyond the scope of the militarized MB, pitched as “all-purpose” vehicles in ads of the time, first with the CJ-2A in 1945, followed by an updated but still very similar version (CJ-3A) from 1949 - 1953, and then with the more significantly modified CJ-3B from 1953-1964.
In the same year that the CJ-3B was introduced, Willys-Overland was sold to the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation, who adopted the Willys Motors name until 1964. The CJ-3B, a transitional model that narrowed the gap between the CJ and M38-A1, while similar in many ways to the 2A and 3A, had one major difference: the new F-Head Hurricane engine, which delivered more horsepower, but demanded a higher hood, a structural feature that also distinguished it from earlier CJs. The new Hurricane engine delivered a marked improvement in performance, with larger intake valves in the head and increased fuel economy. While historical information about CJ-3Bs seems more difficult to obtain than other CJs, they remain part of the flat-fender family even today, as some variants are still produced under license from Willys by India’s Mahindra and Mahindra.
CJ-3B Specs:
Weight:
(Gross): 3500 lb. (1587,5 kg.)
(Shipping): 2132 lb. (967,1 kg.)
(Curb): 2243 lb. (1017,4 kg.)
Length (overall): 129 29/32” (3,30 m.)
Width (overall): 68 7/8” (175 cm.)
Height (overall): 66 1/4” (169 cm.)
Ground Clearance: 8” (20,3 cm.)
Tread (front and rear): 48 7/16” (123 cm.)
Fuel Capacity: 10 1/2 Gal.
Transmission: T-90
Transfer Case: Dana 18
Front Axle: Dana 25
Rear Axle: Dana 44
Wheelbase: 80” (203 cm.)
Other: 1 Piece Windshield
Engine Type: 134 CID (2.2L) F4-134 Hurricane 14
Number of Cylinders: 4
Cubic-In. Displacement: 134.2 cu. in. (2199,53 cm 3)
Horsepower: 72@4000 rpm
Torque: 114 lb-ft. (15,7 kg-m.)
Compression Ratio: 6.9 to 1
Valvetrain: F-Head
