Willys-Jeep is Actually Transfomers’ Bumblebee in Disguise
Willys-Jeep MB used as the alt-mode of Transformer hero in upcoming film has a 2.1-liter Willys L134 Go Devil inline-four.
No matter what era a given Jeep comes from, you know its character allows it to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Hollywood certainly knows this, whether it’s an olive green Willys used to transport the wounded in M*A*S*H, or a white Golden Eagle CJ tearing up the dirt roads in The Dukes of Hazzard. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a bit of Hollywood in your garage like those Jeeps?
Well, your dream might come true. Transformers fan site Seibertron reports the first alt-mode of Autobot Bumblebee in the upcoming 2018 film Bumblebee, a World War II-era Willys Jeep MB, is among the many movie and TV props that were auctioned off.
Per the auction listing, the Willys Jeep MB has its original chassis, but has a new body from the Philippines. Under the hood is the 2.1-liter Willys L134 Go Devil inline-four, whose 60 horses might not be enough to use on the highway, though its 105 lb-ft of torque can help the MB plow through most terrains, especially with the three-speed manual on board to deliver the power to all four corners.
Bumblebee’s time as the Jeep is short-lived before he becomes the Volkswagen Beetle we all remember him as from the Transformers cartoon series (or the Camaros he transformers into in the films directed by Michael Bay). That said, we think it’s awesome he was a Jeep first.
Whomever wins this Jeep will need to put in some work to make it mechanically sound, as it is leaking oil. It still runs and drives, however, and there’s plenty of neat touches that make this more than a mere Willys MB, from the painted-on dirt to the bright pink tape used to help place the CGI effects in post-production. This is definitely one movie prop we’d love to have in our garage.
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