I’ve never seen an FC-170 with duals on the rear and a flatbed. It looks so much like a proto-Isuzu cabover, or other similar modern trucks. Of course compact cabover trucks have been around for ages in Europe and Asia, where space is a premium. But in the wide-open USA, that was not the case in the fifties or sixties.
This one is rated to haul a 5,200 lb payload, and on a mere 103″. A miniature giant indeed.
Here’s another one. The FC-170 was the longer wheelbase variant of the family, with wider tread and other genuine truck features compared to the FC-150, which was basically a CJ3 with the forward control cab.
We did an in-depth feature on the FC-170 a few years back here.
And on the minivan prototypes here
When these first came out I was a teenager. I thought they were cool – despite being so noisy when you rode in them! Jeep really did have a good idea.
The Jeep FC got a second life in India when Mahindra buyed the tooling rights of the FC and continued to built them into the 1990s
https://cj3b.info/World/Mahindra1972.html
https://www.drivingline.com/articles/the-jeep-forward-control-truck-kicked-off-a-brief-cab-over-revolution/
I’ve seen a few of the pickups but never the longer versions in real life. Wonder if they were primarily for export, like Nash’s trucks?
It was a good idea at cross purposes with Jeep’s branding and image. Without 4WD – and with an even tighter turning circle allowed by a non-driven front axle – it would’ve made an ideal city delivery truck. For most uses that a one-ton 4WD was bought for circa 1960 the easier servicing of a conventional layout was more of an advantage.
Seen a few FC-150’s over the years, but never one of these. At least the 170 has the larger 6 cylinder engine. Isuzu offers 4WD versions of the NPR in Asian markets.
I used to see a Jeep FC in gasoline station I passed every day, it has manual transmission but not sure if it was 4×4. The first cab forward Isuzu Elf (N-series) was introduced in 1959 in Japan. It was very popular with small businesses during the economic boom of Japan back then. But to be honest I don’t want to be the one in the cab in any collision. Otherwise, the N series makes a lot of sense as a small working truck rather the Ford F350 and up. Anyway, I increasingly noticed it, along Fuso and Hino, is the common sense in NYC delivery business. Again, I don’t think its driver feels comfortable in Cross Bronx and BQE.
Chevy still sells a rebadged isuzu as the Chevy LCF. Peterbuilt has introduced their own cab over truck design within the past year.
And some of them have GM gasoline V-8’s too.
I guess you’re referring to the Peterbilt 220. Actually, that’s a Renault design. Also used by DAF, Kenworth, Renault (of course) and Volvo.
I’ve seen the occasional Jeep FC around Oregon, since they don’t rust as fast. I’ve thought they were cool since I saw the Corgi model around 1970. Jeep must have agreed since they built an FC concept several years ago.
The closest modern equivalent in the US is the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter 4×4 (FE160 in the US) which has a market niche with landscapers and as the basis for “overlanding” campers like the Earthcruiser. Their US office is in Bend Oregon and I see one like this parked on a side street all the time.
21/2 tonner isnt huge in the world of cabovers thats for sure but a cool wee unit no mistake Isuzu build from that size up to linehaul tractor units on COE
Here is a video of the FC-170 righting a tipped over piece of construction equipment: https://youtu.be/GkeNR33mYUA
Also…..”Willis”?