The Jeep Forward Control was a truck produced by Willys and then Kaiser Jeep from 1956 to 1965.
The Forward Control Jeep (FC) was produced from 1957 through 1965. FC-170 Dual Rear Wheel has a heavy duty suspension and brakes. The GVW was increased to 9000 lbs.
Willis produced utility vehicles that remained almost unchanged since 1947. As the marketplace grew more competitive in the 1950s, management developed a new range of modern cab and body trucks. Designer Brooks Stevens used styling cues from full-size cab-over-engine trucks. Engineering was based on existing CJ-5. Power came from the Hurricane F-head and L-head 4-cylinder engines.
The Forward Control models were primarily marketed as work vehicles for corporate, municipal, military, as well as civilian use. Regular pickup box beds were standard, but customers were offered a large number of "Jeep approved" specialized bodies from outside suppliers. These ranged from simple flatbeds to complete tow trucks, dump trucks, and fire trucks.
FC-150
Introduced in 1956, FC-150 models had a 81 inches (205 centimeters) wheelbase with a 78 inch (198 centimeter) bed.
FC-170
Introduced in 1957, FC-170 models had a 103 inches (261 centimeters) wheelbase with a 108 inch (274 centimeter) bed. This model is significant as it was the first time the length of the payload box (9 feet - 2.7432 meters - with the tailgate up) exceeded the wheelbase of a truck. This was achieved by the forward cabin layout.
FC-170 DRW
This was a 1-ton dual-wheeled rear axle (dually) model with a 10 foot (3.048 meter) load bed.
MILITARY
Aside from Forward Control Jeeps being built for civilian use there were also four models manufactured for the military.
M676 - Basically a civilian FC with minor modifications
M677 - A four door crew cab with a canopy over the bed
M678 - An FC with a van body
M679 - An M678 refitted as an ambulance
Willys built an estimated 600 military FCs in four different body styles, including a crewcab pickup (M-677), the window van (M-67
and a windowless ambulance (M-679) for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
About 50 of the M-67x series FCs are known to exist today, according to a pair of military FC registries, the bulk of them M-677 crewcabs. David Berg seems to be the online authority for these Jeeps, with a website dedicated to what makes them unique and to his own M-678 project, but a variety of other FC sites have information about the M-67x series as well.
Numerous other versions of FC models most of which were not available in the domestic market, were manufactured in many other nations under collaboration agreements with successive owners of Jeep: Willys Overland, Kaiser Jeep, and American Motors (AMC).
Easter Jeep Safari 2012 shows the release of a new concept Jeep with inspiration from the yesteryear FC.
XJ Cherokee
HG Premier
Jeep FC - Forward Control
