BACKWARD GLANCES
The Brass Ring: 1941 Willys MB Slat Grille
T
HE JEEP STORY HAS BEEN TOLD A THOUSAND
times. If you included every detail in a
book, it would be as long as Tolstoy’s
War and Peace. Fortunately, it can be
divided into chapters, and we’ll call this one:
“When Willys Overland Got the Brass Ring.”
Bob Malenfant’s Slat Grille was built in December
of 1941 and is the 5,088th MB. It was delivered to
the Army in mid-December. Besides the very obvious
difference of the grille, from this angle another very
obvious clue is apparent—the wheels. Just before the
production of stamped-grille MBs began, Willys updat-
ed the MB to the so-called combat wheels. These were
two-piece split rims. Up to serial number MB120700,
the MB used the one-piece Kelsey-Hayes wheels like
these. One item that has not yet been corrected: the
markings. The white registration numbers and star are
later-style markings. When it rolled off the line, it would
have only had registration numbers in blue-drab on the
hood sides and rear panel. The unit to which the jeep
was issued would have applied stars and other mark-
ings. In 1941, the star was much smaller and without
the circle, which was there after 1943 for recognition
by aircraft.
fourwheeler.comFeature
66 OCTOBER 2019 FOUR WHEELER