HANSEN STORY​
Jeep... a unique evolution.
The birthplace of the Jeep, as history tells us, was in a small prototype shop on Hansen Avenue in Butler, Pennsylvania. This is where The American Bantam Car Company designed, developed and produced the first ever Jeep vehicle.
In 1940, with war raging in Europe, and America’s involvement becoming ever more likely, the US Army sent formal bid requests to 135 tractor and auto manufacturers to design a vehicle that would serve its purpose in battle.
Only two companies responded to their request: The American Bantam Car Company of Butler, PA and Willy’s Overland Motors of Toledo, OH.
The owner of The American Bantam Car Co., Roy S. Evans had already approached the government about utilizing his small but agile vehicle design for military purposes. When the government requested a prototype vehicle be delivered in 49 days, Evans was prepared to deliver and committed to the project.
On September 23, the Bantam prototype was delivered to Camp Holabird, Maryland for testing. The Army rigorously tested the vehicle, and it exceeded expectations.
By the time testing was completed, both latecomer Ford Motor and Willys had finalized development of their own version of the “Jeep”.
In the end it was deemed that Bantam could not produce the required volume to support the war effort. Ultimately Ford and Willys fulfilled the Army’s contract for the 600,000 units used in World War II.
At the end of the war, the government requested Bantam to scrap the tooling and dies used to build the original prototypes.
Bantam ended up producing 2,675 jeeps based on their “Bantam Reconnaissance Car” (BRC) prototype design but never produced another vehicle after that.
In 1946, Roy Evans sold the company, but the original factory building still exists today. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission placed a roadside marker on Hansen Avenue in Butler, commemorating the birthplace of the original Jeep.
The Bantam Jeep design was the first iteration of what has evolved to the vehicle we know today; you could call it “The Jeep Evolution”.
Fast forward to 2023, we pay tribute to the American Bantam Car Co. Being that the original Jeep design was created right there on Hansen Avenue, Butler PA, it is only fitting we recognize the humble beginnings of such a great iconic brand!
Hansen Motorworks offers the enthusiast something unique that makes your Jeep stand out from the rest. We proudly introduce the Hansen Motorworks “Signature Edition”.
Now you can have the best of both worlds...rugged image with sophisticated styling. We have bridged the past with the future, honoring the iconic Jeep!