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Despite being a great moment sacrifice and uncertainty, the Second World War was also a time of tremendous innovation. Many things we take for granted today were developed as part of the war effort, as we faced two fronts with sophisticated and determined enemies. With amphibious assaults playing important roles in the Pacific, Italy and France, the US military has developed a way to allow jeeps to exit a vessel and submerge when close to shore, making them yet another flexible threat. The way this was done was simply genius.
See How One Company Gives the Modern Toyota Tacoma a Throwback Look here.
According to a War Department video, this method allowed the jeeps to drive down to about 3.5 feet of water for up to 6 minutes. This may not really look like but at the time it was revolutionary. Keep in mind that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before and it is obvious that this innovation evolved over time.
A film we’ve included below guides soldiers through the waterproofing process. There are several steps, so this is not something done with the press a switch. We’re not sure the average car owner could even begin to try something like this, since most people these days seem incapable of turning a wrench.
To the horror of many, a key component of the waterproofing process is an asbestos compound. You see a soldier in the video working the compound like clay using his bare hands. Is it any wonder that so many WWII veterans died from cancer?
Another fun component of the Jeep waterproofing kit is a flexible tube that doesn’t look much different from the one with which you can extend your rain gutter gutter. This was essentially the predecessor to modern off-road snorkels, a device that not only prevents your rig’s engine from ingesting water, but can also place the air intake opening above the dust line if you drive on dirt roads frequently.
Sealing the different components under the hood of the jeep was something a military man could not rush or do carelessly. Insufficient coverage with the asbestos compound would result in engine failure, making the Jeep an easy target in the water. After all, one of the reasons jeeps were so annoying to the Japanese, Germans and Italians was their fast and agile nature. The driver and passengers are exposed to small arms fire, so they are not designed to take many hits.
It’s incredible to think how revolutionary this somewhat tedious waterproofing process was for the time. Even more surprising is how far we’ve come since then with innovations that allow off-road rigs to drive in deep water without a series of temporary modifications made at the last minute.
Check out the process for yourself.
