Willys introduced its new 3/4 ton FC-170 on May 27, 1957. To date, this was the heaviest truck in terms of gross weight (7000 lbs.) which Willys had produced. This really placed them in competition with the "Big Three."

The FC-170 had a wheelbase of 103.5 inches and tread width of 63.5 inches. This allowed for a long 9 foot (107.25 inches with tailgate up) pickup box, the first time a pickup box exceeded the wheelbase length of a truck. Willys touted the vehicles strengths. Greatest cargo area (45 cubic feet) in its weight class and greater payload (3,510 pounds) to weight (3,490 pounds) ratio than comparable 4-wheel drive trucks with a G.V.W.R. of 7,000 pounds.

The FC-170 was equipped with the Willys High Torque "Super Hurricane" L-Head inline 6-cylinder engine. The engine displaced 226.2 cubic inches and produced 105 H.P. at 3600 RPM and 190 lb.ft. of torque at 1400 RPM.

The 226 engine started out as the Continental first used in passenger cars in the late 1920s. The engine was used in the Graham-Paige automobile until about WW-II. Joseph Fraser, the president of Graham-paige made a deal with Henry Kaiser, forming the Kaiser-Fraser company after the war and the engine went into Kaiser automobiles as well as the Aero Willys of 1954-55. Additionally, the engine found its way into Checker Cabs and various industrial applications into the 1970s. When the Kaiser-owned Willys Motors needed a 6-cylinder engine for its trucks and wagons, the 226 was an "off-the-shelf" option. (This is a simplified account. For a more detailed history, see Dick Datsun's, "The Total Performance Jeep Engine Book, 1993)

Tom Bassett sent the following information which should correct and enlighten the previous information: Continental engines were used in many per-war cars and trucks, but not the 226 version. Most of the applications were smaller. I believe Graham used something like a 186 cubic inch. The 226 didn't appear for automobile use until K-F (kaiser-Frazer) started putting it in their 1947 cars. The 226 was originally designed as a stationary power plant ( K-F wanted a bigger engine then what the pre-war Grahams had used). The 226 was adapted for use as an automobile engine under a joint effort between K-F and Continental Engineering. The Continental engine was selected by K-F because, at the time, Continental Motors was a subsidiary of Kaiser Industries. The 427 cubic inch Continental engine is the biggest flat head six built by Continental (as far as I know). It looks just like the 226 only bigger.

Servicing the FC-170 was quite easy with generally complete access to the engine compartment available between the seats. A small cover just to the right of the driver's seat allowed access to the generator.

Like the FC-150, the FC-170 was equipped with the T-90 3-speed transmission. However, according to Willys Service Bulletin 360 (Preliminary Service Information, Forward Control Jeep FC-170 Truck) "...a four speed transmission will be provided at a future date as optional equipment, Factory Installed Only."

	The FC-170 like the FC-150 was produced with two slightly different cab designs. The first was produced through serial number 61568-14992 and had a stepped-down tunnel running through the center of the cab. The transfer case lever in this cab extended through the "riser" or vertical surface of the step.
In 1959, after 61568-14993, an engineering change designed to improve engine cooling resulted in the center tunnel being raised almost level and the transfer case lever extended through the horizontal top surface of the tunnel. In addition, louvres were cut into the front wheelwell side panels to allow cooling air to escape.

As with the FC-150, a buyer could purchase a cab and chassis and go elsewhere for a body such as a dump, utility or even a backhoe. And like the FC-150, the FC-170 was available in a number of configurations to accomodate special bodies. The possibilities seemed endless...

61168-XXXXX	61368-XXXXX
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61X68-XXXXX	61568-XXXXX

Like the FC-150, a platform stake body version of the FC-170 was available from Willys.

One interesting option available for the FC-170 was dual rear wheels. The FC-170 DRW was equipped with a Spicer 70 semifloating axle having a 7500 pound capacity. Standard gearing was 4.88:1 with 5.38:1 optional. The FC-170DRW could be equipped with either the T-90A 3-speed transmission or the T-98A 4-speed transmission. With the former configuration the vehicle had a GVWR of 8000 pounds and with the latter, 9000 pounds.

Until the introduction of the Gladiator series of trucks in the early 1960s, the Forward Control FC-170 was the heaviest truck built by Jeep_®.

See Hubert Cossard's drawings of the FC-170

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