There are three countries -- India, Japan and Spain -- where Jeep production licensed by Willys continued for decades and included a significant number of models different from those produced for the American market by Willys and its successors.
I have yet to see a comprehensive book on Japan's Mitsubishi Jeeps, but the history of Mahindra Jeeps in India has been documented in the excellent book Timeless Mahindra, and now there is a thorough history of Jeeps in Spain, titled Historia De VIASA y los Jeep en España, by Francisco Díaz. This is a substantial, 500-page paperback volume written in Spanish. (Unfortunately for some of us, there are no immediate prospects of an English translation.)
VIASA ("Vehículos Industriales y Agrícolas, S.A.") was the company licenced by Kaiser-Willys to build a version of the CJ-3B in Spain starting in 1960. Diaz starts his book well before that, however, with chapters on early 4-wheel drive, Willys during and after World War II, and Jeeps in Spain prior to VIASA.
There is plenty here that you will find interesting even if you don't read Spanish, because most of the 500 pages have one or even two illustrations, well reproduced in color or black and white.
Seen here are some detail shots of VIASA's mysterious first Jeep, the MB-CJ3B, powered by the flathead "Go-Devil" engine. And an advertisement for their long-wheelbase, high hood Gala.
Diaz takes us through the further development of the VIASA CJ-3B, soon available with either the F4 Hurricane motor or a Barreiros or Perkins diesel. He includes photos of lots of variations and customizations.
Here's a factory photo and a couple of hard-working in-service examples of the long-wheelbase version they called the "CJ-6."
The table of contents (130K JPEG) includes the unique "SV" forward control vans and trucks, the popular "Comando," and the military Jeeps.
Then there are chapters on the Renault and Chrysler eras, and along the way there are lots of factory drawings and photos of prototypes which didn't go into production. For example, here's one of the ideas for an updated Comando, and a 1976 proposal for a CJ-3B with a CJ-5-style front end (and only six grille slots!)
Historia De VIASA y los Jeep en España is highly recommended for anybody interested in the huge history of Jeeps around the world. Bonus if you can read Spanish. It's priced at 50 Euros from the Club Jeep Viasa of Spain.
You can contact the author through the publisher, UNO Editorial.
Thanks to Francisco Diaz and Josep Bordas for getting the book to me. -- Derek Redmond
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