Vehicle Description
1949 Willys Jeepster finished in a yellow paint covering a
beautifully refinished tan leather interior. This Jeepster is
powered by the original 4 cylinder engine that has recently gone
through a complete overhaul mated to a 3 speed manual gear box with
overdrive. This well optioned version features the rear mounted
spare tire, front grill guard, and AM/FM radio. The cloth
convertible top and side curtains are nearly new and in excellent
condition. Odometer on this Willys reads 96,169 miles(title reads
exempt). No matter what type of classic vehicle enthusiast you are,
this Jeepster is a must have in any collection. These are becoming
more rare by the day and the skyrocketing valuations on these is a
reflection of where this beauty is going. If a Jeepster is on your
target list, this is the one you don't want to miss. You certainly
wouldn't be far from the mark if you said the Jeepster was the
original "crossover" vehicle, since it was indeed an attempt at
being a passenger car while still maintaining some of the
traditional Jeep traits and appearance. Willys-Overland, the owner
of the Jeep trademark, started producing the CJ (which stood for
Civilian Jeep) in 1945, right after WWII ended. The company then
introduced the Jeep Wagon in 1946 and added the Jeep Truck in 1947.
All three of these models, however, were still very utilitarian
vehicles and lacked the finesse, softer styling and amenities of
traditional passenger vehicles. The company decided it needed a
vehicle to fill this gap in their product lineup, so the Jeepster
(known as the "VJ" inside the company) was introduced by
Willys-Overland in 1948. While the automotive press was generally
enthusiastic about the Jeepster, it was less than a stellar success
among the buying public. Its distinctive boxy styling (the creation
of noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens) was decidedly
"Jeepish" and to many GIs who had served overseas during the war,
it was reminiscent of German army.
