VIASA-JEEP
VIASA Vehiculos Industriales Agricolas Sociedad Anonima 1956-To Date Zaragoza, Spain
Around 1954, a factory was opened in Zaragoza a city at the foothills of the Pyrenees, produced utililty and offroad vehicles inder licence and under a franchise from the Americans giant Kaiser-JEEP Corporation, also known as the KJC Company. In 1963, a series of lightweight offroad utility vehicles with a trambus cab was added. By 1974 the vehicles made by VIASA began to be distributed by the much bigger mAnufacturer Motor Iberica S.A. based in Barcelona, the makers of present EBRO-NISSAN general commercial vehicles. The VIASA name still exists and is now part of the giant American JEEP empire the original manufacturer of the AMC JEEP company.
THE HISTORY OF VIASA COMPANY
AFTER WW2, the sparsely populated, mountainous and semi-deserted, covered Iberian Peninsula was in the need of serious offroad vehicles. Between 1960-1982, the Spanish produced the famous WILLYS MB CJ3 4X4 Series, including the now rare CJ3S (S for short model) and the better known CJ3B (stretched model), powered by the locally made Perkins Diesel P4 4 cylinder 3150cc engines with 60bhp. Alternatively customers could choose another Spanish engine from the Madrid-based truck company Barreiros, who supplied their own Barreiros Petrol 4 cylinder 2199cc 52 bhp, were both available for these models, these engines existed between 1956-1963.
In the late 50's, Willys Overland gave exclusive rights to V.I.A.S.A. to allow them to build the original American designed and made Univesal Jeep 4X4 in our country under licence. In 1959 the first permit to import parts and machinery was given by the Trade Ministry, in order to assemble the first units in the V.I.A.S.A factory located in Zaragoza. These units weren't launched until 1960 and production was more involved into the new VIASA-JEEP CJ3B 4X4 with several changes done to the Spanish version. Not long after another licence agreement was secured successfully to to BRAVIA a Portuguese lorry manufacturer who were granted to produce and distribute in Portugal a modified KAISER-JEEP Universal 4X4 assembled from American CKD versions in Lisbon by BRAVIA SARL.
VIASA starts in the 1950s, originally as a manufacturer of farm equipment and other similar machinery in a workshop at Zaragoza a pictoresque and pretty historic, large town in Northwest Spain, but by 1968 they moved to a much larger and modern factory at Cogullada an industrial estate of Zaragoza, and the factorysite has an adjacent railway next to it that was connected to the Zaragoza city railway, where the Jeep Comando model was made, so VIASA later became a parent company and was owned by a company called CAF Railway Rolling Stock that made Railway locomotives and carriages, that was owned by RENFE the Spanish Railways company.
The vehicles were called Willys Viasa, and later, Jeep Viasa CJ-3. The first few were apparently built with the "Go-Devil" L-head gasoline engine and labelled as "MB-CJ3B", but most used diesel engines by Perkins and Barreiros. Other differences from the Willys CJ-3B included the gas tank on the right side on some diesel versions, conical (not flat) steering wheel, lighting control levers on the steering column and not on the dashboard, and no tool compartment under the seat.
Much of the production was earmarked for the Spanish Army who acquired many dozens of these utilty vehicles. VIASA also produced a long-wheelbase version they called a CJ-6 (a similar version to the CJ-4 was developed and also made by the Mahindra company in India)and produced a total of some 25,000 Jeeps.
THE VIASA-JEEP Comando
The original JEEP Jeepster Commando was about to enter production at Cogullada, under another licence production granted by the Americans at the KJC company and by 1968, but had to be modified in name and mechanicals. So the new model now had these engine options that could take underneath: Diesel Barreiros C-65 2000cc, or else a Diesel Perkins 2710cc 66bhp. This model shared several components and many parts with the EBRO JEEP BRAVO. Until the Spring of 1976 all the models were distributed by VIASA and sometimes sold under the name VIASA Bella Bestia Comando as it was a luxury convertible version, and also sold under the EBRO Jeep Comando Lujo, but to avoid further complications with both these models, they were renamed to just "Comando" to help catch up their sales.
Different versions included the "Berlina", an all-metal 3 door, hardtop model estate car, the " Cabriolet" (French name for "Convertible car") a 3 door canvas roofed model and the " Comando" a 3 door a two seater model with a large boot. All these models were themselves sold under the other name of EBRO JEEP BRAVO that belonged to the MOTOR IBERICA S.A. motor company.
THE EBRO JEEP Bravo
The designation "Bravo" was a later name for the Perkins diesel CJ-3B. (A prefix of HU before the model number indicated a Hurricane gasoline engine.) The Jeep had a complete makeover to face the new sport-utility market, including a roll bar, optional fiberglass hardtop, and bright colours, especially yellow and orange. The Bravo was produced under the EBRO and later the Avia brand name. The Bravo L was the LWB CJ-6 version.
In the late 1970's, VIASA was absorbed by EBRO (truck division of Motor Iberica), who continued to produce the Comando. EBRO's final version of the Comando (15K JPEG), designated the HDI, was slightly longer than the earlier versions, and the top was also higher. See more about the Comando on the website of the Club Jeep Comando de España.
By 1974 these vehicles were given the designation, JEEP EBRO BRAVO 4X4 and apart from these two mechanicals, customers could choose other improved running gear with more power less torque this time, a Perkins Diesel 1760cc 58bhp engine or an improved Perkins Diesel 4108cc 65bhp option. These engines were coupled with a 3 Speed gearbox and a new 4 Speed optional appered soon. Both transmissions were shifted manually, with a Second, Third and Fourth gears all synchronized. The Jeep Universal also featured a 2 Speed reduction and optional FWD axle. Both axles were rigid, with eleven halp-elliptic springs with drumbrakes fitted to all models. These vehicles could carry between 1190 lbs to 1598lbs of cargo with passengers on any ground thanks to the special JEEP chassis and offroad axles.
These models were only avaialble in the 1960s to the early 1980s and better known as EBRO JEEP BRAVO 4X4 or VIASA JEEP WILLYS 4X4 depending who would handle the distribution to all corners of Spain, and MOTOR IBERICA along with VIASA-JEEP had connections with the AUTOTRADE company, the Spanish motorvehicle network distribution company, who would transport any MADE IN SPAIN vehicles to all 6 corners of Continetal Spain & Islands, who worked closely with these two wellknown large manufacturers, MOTOR IBERICA and VIASA-WILLYS among many other Spanish motorvehicle manufacturers. So these VIASA-JEEP BRAVO was available in two versions the JEEP BRAVO an open metal body and another version with canvas removable roof. The VIASA CJ3S were also being sold and became part of the MOTOR IBERICA EBRO model range and had a famous marketing slogan that was known as: " There Is Nothing It Cant Do."
THE END OF THE EBRO/VIASA JEEP PRODUCTION
EBRO Jeeps were also exported to England and France, among other countries (see Jeeps in Colombia). In 1985 however, Motor Iberica was bought by Nissan of Japan. Nissan apparently continued to build the Jeeps into the early 1990's on a custom-order basis, with Perkins diesels, 4 and 5-speed gearboxes, large brakes, and in some cases power brakes and steering. The VIASA/EBRO parts stock and apparently the tooling for the CJ-3B, still exists in Zaragoza and in a warehouse in Valencia although MOTOR IBERICA bought all the remaining spare parts and moved them to Barcelona wanting to be the only current stockist of these components in Spain.
Surplus, new and remanufactured parts, F-head engines, and Jeeps are widely available in Spain. It's difficult to licence military surplus vehicles for civilian on-road use, however because of several burocratic laws and other delaying terms and conditions. Back in the 1980's, largely stock Jeeps competed in the Jeep Cross, an all-terrain competition organized by Motor Iberica S.A. Later in 1983 the EBRO JEEP BRAVO model range became obsolete and was replaced by the much more modern EBRO-NISSAN PATROL 4X4.
THE OTHER VIASA MODEL RANGE, THE VIASA SV UTILITY VEHICLES.
Made between 1963-83, this model range was another product and the result of one last licence manufacturing agreement,that American KJC company agreed to VIASA to manufacture a new batch of commercial vehicles, instead of the worldwide famous JEEP models, and these new vehicles consisted of an original utility vehicles aimed for rural work and industrial companies in a very similar way the other local company EBRO produced original vehicles that used some Japanese NISSAN components and mechanicals. The VIASA SV Model Range were Vans, Pick up trucks, Minibuses and Militatry trucks all with improved & updated parts that were launched in 1963 and their production soon started. Of course these models were inspired by the JEEP Forward Control FC Truck 4X4 an American military vehicle which was mildly modified and the design was given to VIASA to start manufacturing it in the 1960s and had to fit separate running gear which was up to the Spansh engineers to choose and install any suitable mechanicals they could fit for the new VIASA-JEEP SV 4X4.
Perkins Engines Limited a British engineering company opens in the 1950s a facility to produce all kinds of diesel engines for most types of vehicles, and were the company chosen to supply VIASA with new running gear. VIASA SV 4X4 Utility vehicles were available with a Perkins Diesel 3150cc 4 cylinder 64 bhp linked to a 3 Speed manual transmission and a reduction, but later came the improved Perkins Diesel 3330cc 4 cylinder 72 bhp with new 4 Speed manual transmission with a reduction and disconnectable FWD axle, bodies were made of steel and seating varied per model from 3 to 12 passengers. These vehicles could reach a top speed of around 110 kmh and were also known and sold under the "Jeep-Avia" marque. Production ended in 1983 with about 10000 VIASA SV 4X4 utility models produced and the last 5000 units, used the new Perkins Diesel 40002cc 86bhp engine with a new 5 Speed manual transmission and had a new large restyled steel bodywork and there was no Petrol engine version available. AVIA S.A. based in Madrid, which was another local motor vehicle manufacturer also produced these vehicles in the 1980s in more updated and more modern form with EBRO-NISSAN mechanicals.
THE VIASA-JEEP SV 430 Model Range (1963-1983) were as follows:
The VIASA CAMPEADOR, a platform truck, 2 door, 3 seater tiltcab with Perkins engines and 4 speed transmission with 4WD JEEP axles.
The VIASA DUPLEX, a doublecab pickup truck, 4 doors, 6 seats, with the similar running gear but 5 speed gearbox and 4WD JEEP axles.
The VIASA FURGON, a four door van with 3 seats with new improved Perkins Diesel engine, 5 speed manual gearbox and 4WD JEEP axles.
The VIASA TOLEDO a luxury minibus with 2 doors plus 2 sliding doors on each side 9 seats and similar mechanicals and 4WD JEEP axles.
VIASA Motor Company present day
Meanwhile the VIASA large factory at Zaragoza, although they stopped production of the famous VIASA JEEP CJ Series by 1982 due to its old age but still produced many other special orders and other parts for external manufacturers, the firm needed another replacement model quickly to keep them busy, so they started to build modern & updated 4WD vehicles and not just one model, but no less than three different vehicles arrived for the 1990s: The new & modern JEEP CHEROKEE 4WD, the tough & small JEEP WRANGLER 4WD and the largest & luxurious JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 4WD all arriving in CKD form ever since and could be bought in many versions that were being made in Spain from 1990 and the Americans made sure this factory was reliable and kept at fullwork, so they figured they were soon able to conquer the Portuguese and Spanish automobile markets soon enough and VIASA also started to exports their models to Portugal where a local firm called Nipral Motorsport from Lisbon, imported and attempted to sell these JEEP 4WD units starting with just two models the JEEP CHEROKEE 4WD & the JEEP WRANGLER 4WD, as these only existed in Petrol versions from 1993 but sales were only moderate from the start. Since 1996 production has been concentrated on modern and updated American Jeep 4WD Model Range with old and current models have left this factory and since the Zaragoza railway station is nearby, most vehicles are sent by train with help from RENFE to all parts of Spain. The current original American production of all these models is similar to those made at the VIASA factory, although these have minor differences and may carry/may not have other extras than those fitted to their American brothers. However, standard present motorvehicle production of all Americans and Spanish new generation JEEP 4WD models these days include the sharing of modern & new generation CRDI DIESEL and OHV V8 PETROL mechanicals with new automatic & manual transmissions.
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