Letters to the Editor - March 2000

MORE JEEP HISTORY
Sherri,
    Please let me start with a great note. I thoroughly enjoy your magazine and read it from both ends to the middle.
    I would like to mention a little point about the Jeep (100 years of Off Roading, January 2000). Did you know that Bantam was really responsible for the prototype, engineering and concept of the Jeep and that Willys and Ford were given the Willys design to look at for the second round of bidding because their prototypes did not meet the specs.
    Although Bantam was the only one to deliver the required performance they were a little less monetarily sound than Willys, so the government gave the contract to them over Bantam. Today we would call them Bantams if they were granted the contract to produce what was their design. (This is what can happen when you sell your design as a result of bidding on a military contract and sign away you rights to that design.) Willys did improve the design over the years but they did not have the best design to begin with.
    There was a special on PBS about the Jeep that covered the timeline from the beginning of the military's contract bid requests to the CJ development after the war.
    Keep up the great work and thanks for the great mag.
ROBERT SHANNON
Ramona CA

THOSE WERE THE DAYS
SDOR,
    Hello, my name is Hector Rocha. I live in Chula Vista. My brother went to school at Castle Park with Steve in the 70's. My brother's name is Jorge Rocha. Many times I went to Honda Hill and climb it myself. Please send me the six month subscription. I can't wait till I get my stickers too. Thanks, Steve. Hey, my brother has the high school album with you doing a wheelie on the high school football field track while you are standing on the seat. It looks cool.
HECTOR ROCHA
Chula Vista CA

TRIVIA JR. A BIG HIT
Sherri,
    Thank you very much for making such a positive impression on Natalie. She was enthralled by her Junior Trivia win. Receiving the personally addressed sticker envelope was equally exciting for her, and I'm pleased to know that her first attempt at entering a contest of this sort was a success. Be assured that we are truly grateful for your efforts.
MARK CRESS
Lakeside CA

This page last updated on 6 September 2000