Channaher uploaded these excellent pictures of this 1971 Jeepster Commando and after being teased with seventy degree temperatures this past weekend, they’re a necessary reminder that it will get warm once again (it’ll be about fifteen degrees tonight and it snowed this morning).
Luckily, this is a pre-1972 model, and retains its original face. I can’t say I care for the widened grille and hood, but it’s otherwise quite charming and, in convertible form, fulfills its role as a roadster-cum-4×4 well. Those badges in front of the doors, incidentally, denote that this carries the 225 “Dauntless” V6, which most will more readily recognize as the Buick V6. They also indicate that this is a 1971, making the badges odd addition for an engine in the process of being phased out by then-new parent, AMC.
It doesn’t appear that this example does duty as a daily driver, even though that was part of the model’s appeal when launched. As this picture appears to be taken in traffic-dense Northern Virginia, it’s probably best that it stay under wraps. After a rough mid-Atlantic winter, the owner was probably more than happy to bring it out for a quick run, providing relief to the relentless suburban landscape, much as the Jeepster was intended to do 43 years ago.
Related reading: 1967 & 1972 Jeepster Commando
WOW. What a beautiful score! And while this thing could claw thru the worst snow and winter nastiness, exposing ANY classic iron to roadsalt is a deadly sin. Jeeps up thru the AMC era are notoriously susceptible to rust. Its not an issue of the quality of the steel (GM was notorious for using recycled steel in those days, brand new rigs were rusting straight off the line) but more of the method of construction. There are nooks, crannies, and pockets galore where mud, salt and moisture can tuck up out of sight and then fester into a body-killing patch of nastiness.
I agree, the widened mutant-CJ grille on these is kind of an eyesore for me. Other classic Jeep addicts usually like it better than the ‘bullnosed’ version which looks great straight on, but equally cobbled up from the side. The good news is a period CJ grille and hood will bolt right up and that’s how the truck SHOULD have been done all along.
These Commandos have a pretty unique charm all their own, and the chassis actually was based on the CJ-6 and later returned as the Scrambler CJ-8. The ’03-’06 TJ-L Wrangler Unlimited shares a little of the same basic concept as well.
Awesome write-up, Perry!
Another Commando fan, here. Though I am normally more of a Scout guy, I have always really liked these (though have never been inside of one.) I even like this one in yellow – it’s like a throwback to the original Jeepster that always seemed to be in this same color. Great find.
I think this is my favorite Jeep, and it’s the perfect color. A guy down the street had one of these for a short time, in much worse condition. Neat car!
Sweet find. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these on the street.
That’s beautiful! Although it isn’t a real convertible – the real ones had roll-down quarter windows – it’s very nice, and these in general are extremely rare.
I had for a brief time in 1975 a 1968 model with the steel top, and used the quarter window pockets for the speakers I installed, for there was no quarter glass in them because the steel top models like in the featured car did not have those windows. Mine had the Buick V6 as well, and it was pretty peppy! Fun to drive, too. Sometimes I wish I would’ve kept it, but when I was that young, 24 yrs. old, life got in the way, and I wasn’t working a real job yet, and just didn’t have the resources. Plus, I still was fooling around in my feeble attempt to restore a 1957 Bel Air. Sold that, too… in boxes 4 years later!
Yes, these along with every other Jeep rusted away like crazy, much worse than any other OEM except for the first Honda Civics, which rusted before one’s very eyes.
I seriously looked into buying one of these about 6 years ago, but any good ones were either in Colorado or on the west coast, and I wasn’t about to pay $1,000 to have it shipped, plus the expense of going to check one out – but I was sorely tempted!
I bought a 1992 Wrangler instead, and kept it less than 2 years. The Jeepster Commando C101 I had is below, though I’ve shown this before.
I liked (and like) these but they sure bring back some strong memories. When I was about 7, my family plus my best friend went beach camping at Assateague, MD. The family in the next campsite had one of these and I thought it was so cool compared to our smoky Saab wagon. It was a memorable trip though and that Saab may have saved Dad’s life. My mom had a medical emergency, so my dad had to drive her to a hospital and had to leave us kids with our new friends with the Jeepster. (Would anyone do that now?) On his way back from the hospital late at night he got rear-ended by a drunk driver in a land yacht at 70+mph. The Saab was drivable, but the land yacht wasn’t, and the cop told my dad that he probably saved the guy’s life, as would have driven off the road had he not hit my dad.
Terrible luck during that trip!