(photos by Stephanie N.)
This Jeepster Commando convertible is a rolling relic for more reasons than one. In addition to just being scarce, especially in such original condition, this one lacks the V6 emblems that graced the majority of them. So instead of a 160 hp Buick-sourced V6, behind its traditional seven-bar grille sits the 75 hp Hurricane four, an F-head version of the original 134 cubic inch Go-Devil Jeep four. By the late ’60s, at a time when greater performance was sweeping all corners of the automotive market, this gnarly little four was already a relic then, and the lowest power American car available at the time.
Given that the Jeepster was advertised as being “Racy and Rugged”, that’s what might well be called a half-truth.
The Jeepster Commando that appeared in 1966 was clearly a response to the International Scout, which had arrived in 1963 and pioneered a new look and concept to the burgeoning 4WD sector as well as the upcoming Bronco. It broke away from the military-primitive look of the Jeep CJ and offered more room, modern styling and a variety of body styles. All of these were present and accounted for in the Jeepster Commando family, which included a hardtop, pickup.
The convertible was obviously not new and modern in concept, as it very much harked back to the original Willys Jeepster VJ, built only between 1948 and 1950. That was a dud, selling only some 20,000 times during its three years. But its unique styling and perhaps its scarcity made it a collector car from almost the time it went out of production, similar to the ’55-’57 2-seater Thunderbird. There was something about its jaunty looks and unique format that really appealed to some. One of its faults may have been that it was only available in 2WD, but then 4WD back then was largely the preserve of serious and gnarly work trucks, like the Jeep CJ itself.
It’s not like Kaiser-Jeep had to spend a lot of money to cobble up the neo-Jeepster; its new body tub and front end sat on the 101″ extended wheelbase CJ6 frame, chassis and drive train. That explains why the Jeepster’s wheels look a bit lost under the body, as they’ve got the same narrow axles.
That included the standard CJ Hurricane F-head four, which first made its appearance in 1950 in the Jeep truck and then in the 1953 CJ-3B, which had a substantially raised hood to accommodate the taller F-head engine. This would be the final development by Chief Engineer Delmar (Barney) Roos of an engine that first saw the light of day in 1926 in the Willys Whippet. Roos had done his magic to double its power output from 30 to 61 hp in the Go-Devil four first used in the 1939 Willys cars and then in vast numbers for the WW2 Jeep (rated at 60 hp), but that was as far as its flathead design would allow.
We have an in-depth article on the F-head engine here. but the very short story is that by placing the inlet valve overhead it was a cost effective way to improve breathing on a flathead engine at very minimal expense, as much of the original block is retained, with the original inlet valves being now used as pushrods for the overhead one. The exhaust stayed in its original position. This new head, with a quite large intake valve increased horsepower from 60 to 75 hp, and torque from 102 to 114 lb.ft. This was a meaningful increase in the little Jeep CJ in the ’50s, but it was showing its limitations by the mid ’60s. Its last year was 1971, just after AMC bought Jeep, and by 1972 AMC engines replaced both the four and Buick V6.
Here’s how the Hurricane four looked when installed in military Jeep. The low exhaust manifold is the tell-tale of the side valves. The Hurricane engine was also license built (along with the Jeep) by Mitsubishi in Japan, and Mitsubishi even developed an ohv diesel version from the basic block, and later a 6-cylinder version of that. Mahindra also built the CJ-3B in India, and kept building an updated version with a diesel engine through 2010, that last flat-fender Jeep.
Not sure exactly how this all worked back here, but presumably there was some inside storage under that fiberglass tonneau cover, but the spare was hung out back. The other versions stored it inside.
The front end styling was a bit cobbled up, trying to mix the elements of the JC with a full-width body.
That’s still a lot more successful than its 1972 replacement, now just called “Commando”. It needed a longer nose to make room for the AMC inline sixes, and the result was a botched rhinoplasty. These sold in even smaller quantities as the Ford Bronco had shown the way forward. It looks like what should have stayed as a styling exercise that was rejected.
As a lover of all things crude, slow, rugged and oddball engines, I’m very attracted to this Jeepster. In this day of jacked up and dressed-to-the-hilt Jeep Wranglers, this makes a terrific antidote. Just the thing for exploring the rugged forest roads near Port Orford or the high-desert tracks of Eastern Oregon. And there’s nothing like the sound of a long-stroke four hard at work, especially when it has an F-head.
Related CC reading:
Automotive History: The Curious F-Head Engine
Curbside Classic: 1950 Willys Jeepster – Another Brooks Stevens Beauty
Curbside Classic: 1972 & 1967 Jeepster Commando – Jeep Gets Stuck
Curbside Classic: 1963 IH Scout 80 – The Advance (SUV) Scout
Curbside Classic: 1969 Ford Bronco – The Mustang’s Bucking Sidekick
That’s an endearing little vehicle. One just like it, but with the V6 just sold on BaT for $20K, and that looks close to the going price. That seems a bit high to me, so perhaps one with the 4 cylinder would be less.
There’s a guy down the road from me who has one of the Willys Jeepsters (I’m not sure what year) that he keeps in pristine shape.That’s always fun to see too and looks like a lot of fun with the top down on a nice day.This more modern version would likely be even more entertaining.
It’s interesting how the owner of the car featured here added a roll bar. That, and the cooler in the back seat, indicates to me that this one gets used a fair bit.
This one looks sharp to me .
I realize these didn’t handle well, that’s okay .
Nice to see a survivor in such good shape .
-Nate
“Botched rhinoplasty”. Well put.
I always had a soft spot for these, although they were not seen often in my area that had a decided IH presence. This may have been the best looking of any 4WD up to that time.
I had forgotten that the F head 4 was in production that late.
Early Harleys and some other m/c makers commonly used F-head engines, their inlet valves were not mechanically opened and closed, but were suction activated by the pistons, an inefficient layout that was abandoned by Harley when they eventually adopted cam activation then to all side-valve (flathead) engine designs around 1930, and finally to an all-OHV “61” with the cool-looking “knucklehead” in 1936. The flathead and bulletproof Harley WLA “45” persisted to became world famous as the “Liberator” in Europe during WW II. Pic is of an early Harley F-head.
I only saw these Jeepsters in magazine adverts the market for Jeeps collapsed here after WW2 once the war surplus stuff was sold off the Landrover appeared and was everything Jeeps were not and took the market, then Toyota and Nissan began building 4x4s and Jeep really never came back until the modern Cherokee.
Paul, been a reader here for quite sometime. Always love to read when your name is attached to it, because I know it’s going to be interesting and informative. Do you still see the 1962 C10- Saint Patina of Goodwill truck? Any updates on it?