1950 Willys Jeepster SUV

This 1950 Willys Jeepster was offered for sale at the 2007 RM Auctions held in Amelia Island, Florida where it was offered without reserve and estimated to sell between $25,000 - $35,000. It is powered by a 148.5 cubic-inch L-head 'Lightning Six' cylinder engine capable of producing just over 70 horsepower. There is a three-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel drum brakes.

The Willys vehicle aided service greatly during The Second World War. Its versatility and toughness helped it traverse various types of terrain. By the close of the war, 362,841 examples of the Willys MB military vehicles had been created. Ford had created 277,896 of the Willys-designed General Purpose Willys (GPW).

After the war, Willys decided to resume civilian production. Many returning servicemen were eager to purchase one as they knew first-hand the vehicle's capabilities. A two-door Jeepster, designed by Brooks Stevens, was introduced in 1948 and shared a chassis with the Jeep station wagon. For 1950, there were minimal improvements such as to the front end, a new center-gauge dashboard design, and a wraparound rear bumper. It was offered with either a four- or six-cylinder engine and optional overdrive.

This example shown is one of only 1778 examples fitted with the six-cylinder engine. It has spent much of its life in Texas. It has been treated to a full restoration in the early 2000s. At the auction, the car found a new owner selling it for $44,000.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2007