2026 marks the 80th anniversary of two milestone events in the history of the Willys Jeep. On July 1, 1946, the Newgren Equipment Company was formed to supply hydraulic lifts and farm implements for the Universal Jeep. Two months later, in early September, Willys announced the availability of the Love Implement Lift, to be distributed by Newgren. The Farm Jeep era had begun. We are celebrating these events all summer long, with a series of fun posts.
What makes a Jeep a Farm Jeep?
Any post-WWII Jeep (models 2a, 3a, 3b, 5, & 6) could be equipped with add-on accessories to make them into a two-bottom plow utility tractor. The variable-speed governor, PTO, hydraulic lift, and front weight could be obtained from the factory or your dealer, or you could install them yourself. They all just bolted onto the existing components (engine, transmission, or frame) with little or no modifications.
The “official” use of the term Farm Jeep appeared in 1952 with the “Farm Jeep” model. However, we know from Fred Coldwell’s book, “Preproduction Civilian Jeeps: 1944-1945 Models CJ-1 & CJ-2”, that Willys had wanted to name the CJ2A, released in 1945, “Farm Jeep.” The term “Farm” was deemed too generic by the trademark board, so Willys went with the “Universal ‘Jeep'” instead.
See the full story for free at FarmJeepBook.com.