WILLYS CJ3B HISTORY
Our Jeep is the PECJ3B, it was manufactured in Zaragoza (Spain) by “Material Móvil y construcciones de Zaragoza”, a subsidiary of CAF (Constructions and Railways auxiliary) of Beasain; licensed by JEEP CORPORATION.
We specifically have the unit with manufacturing number 6625, built and registered in 1979, thus forming part of the spanish army automobile service with number 71698.
This Jeep replaced the first generation of Jeep-Viasa CJ3B, being a model unified by the army and providing service in its multiple configurations to the three armies (Air, Sea and Land). Later it would be repalced by the more modern Land Rover 88M.
Thanks to our colleagues from Castellón military museum (www.aulamilitar.com), we have learned that our unit was assigned to the 2nd battalion of the mixed infantry regiment (RIMT) “Flandes-30” located in Vitoria (Spain), and that in turn, he belonged to the “L-II” Motorized infantry brigade “Navarra Nº5” Mountain Division, serving until the dissolution of the regiment in 1996.
Once it reached the end of its useful life in the army this vehicle passed into private hands, with the purpose of restoring it and returning it to the state of running it was deserving, however, due to personal difficulties it was never carried out and was left in a state of “abandonment” in a haystack in Zamora (Spain). 25 Years later the vehicle was discovered by members of PREMVE, who after a period of negotiations acquired the vehicle with one condition: That the vehicle would once again work safely and reliably, just as this precious vehicle deserves!