Photo: Mecum
The Second World War brought an American company by the name of Willys incredible notoriety. Sure, that notoriety didn’t last long enough to ensure the company’s survival past the 1960s, but it was enough to get its hopes up and enjoy some wonderful post war years.
Having flooded battlefields with a vehicle that became known as the Jeep, Willys was after the war in the unique position to profit from the success that machine had while in the hands of the military. One of the products it hoped to do that with was the Jeepster, a phaeton/convertible meant to act as an intermediary between the war Jeeps and a more civilian-oriented lineup that was already rolling.
Introduced in 1948, the Jeepster stayed in production for twelve years, during which time, despite the level of equipment and luxury fittings it had to offer, failed to draw enough customers to keep it going.
Decades later, there aren’t that many Jeepsters left in the world, and most of those that are still around are not in good shape. The Jeepster we have in the gallery above, made in 1950, is not of them. The subject of a restoration process that brought it quite the number of improvements, the car waits to be sold during the Mecum Eddie Vannoy collection auction at the beginning of June.
Sporting a bright yellow body meant to be reminiscent of the Jeepster made back in the day, and a spare tire mounted in a visible place at the rear, the car sports a Chrysler 5.9-liter V8 engine linked to an automatic transmission, and rides on a Ford 9-inch rear.
The interior has been upgraded also, offering yellow body panels, bucket seats, floor-mounted shifter, new instruments, and an AM radio.
Mecum does not say how much it expects this 1950 Willys Jeepster to fetch, as the car sells with no reserve, meaning it will go to the highest bidder regardless of price offered.
Introduced in 1948, the Jeepster stayed in production for twelve years, during which time, despite the level of equipment and luxury fittings it had to offer, failed to draw enough customers to keep it going.
Decades later, there aren’t that many Jeepsters left in the world, and most of those that are still around are not in good shape. The Jeepster we have in the gallery above, made in 1950, is not of them. The subject of a restoration process that brought it quite the number of improvements, the car waits to be sold during the Mecum Eddie Vannoy collection auction at the beginning of June.
Sporting a bright yellow body meant to be reminiscent of the Jeepster made back in the day, and a spare tire mounted in a visible place at the rear, the car sports a Chrysler 5.9-liter V8 engine linked to an automatic transmission, and rides on a Ford 9-inch rear.
The interior has been upgraded also, offering yellow body panels, bucket seats, floor-mounted shifter, new instruments, and an AM radio.
Mecum does not say how much it expects this 1950 Willys Jeepster to fetch, as the car sells with no reserve, meaning it will go to the highest bidder regardless of price offered.
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