Soft top or hard top: that is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous roof leakage, or… just go with a hard top. To paraphrase Shakespeare. I believe this color is Empire Blue Metallic and this 1968 Jeepster Commando Station Wagon (hard top) is posted here on craigslist in Longmont, Colorado. The seller is asking $5,500 or best offer, here is the original listing, and thanks to Mike F. for the tip!
The seller says this Commando was restored in the 1990s but is starting to show its age again and is showing some rust and bodywork issues. There’s a big area on the hood that appears to be from the hood flying up and slamming against the top of the front window frame, but we don’t know for sure. If a person has a decent welder, they should be able to bring this one back to looking as nice as it once did.
The Jeepster was made to compete with other small SUVs of the era, such as the Bronco, Scout, Land Cruiser, and similarly-sized 4×4 vehicles. They were made from 1966 for the 1967 model year until 1973 and the Jeepster name lasted until 1972 when they became the Jeep Commando and it lost its classic Jeep vertical grille. This one is set for backcountry trails with the auxiliary gas can, and here’s how the rear hatch opens.
Here’s a full photo of the rear cargo area, you can see it’s as well-used as everything else is but looks pretty clean. And nice job with the photos, seller! For a craigslist ad, this one is great. Seat upholstery is easy and the rest of the interior looks pretty nice. Some of the details could use work, such as the door seals, flooring, maybe a dash crack or two, but that’s only if a person wanted a fully-restored Jeepster Commando. The winch on the front may have to be removed if anyone had the idea of turning this into a plow truck.
The engine is a Buick-sourced Dauntless 225-cu.in. OHV V6 with 160 horsepower and 235 lb-ft of torque when new. Backed by a three-speed manual sending power to the rear wheels or to all four when needed (just lock in those front hubs), this one is said to run, shift, and stop great, and at this price, it’s hard to beat. Any thoughts on this Commando?
Hardtop, no question and takes more than an auxiliary gas can for the back country. The winch is more like it. The battery hold down a nice touch, and other bits of cobbilization, but the price is right, and if there is any attraction to these, it should be gone by now. Like it or not, we’ve seemingly turned a corner as to what people actually want today, maybe I’m not so far off with my views after all. If it was an automatic, I’d trade my YJ in a minute.
My 1967 Jeepster had a similar battery hold down…Looks good for the price.
Never seen you comment on the red one couple days back your slipping Howard
If this was closer, and I was looking to buy something this would be fun.
Back in the 70’s before ATV’s you saw these, and cj’s and International’s at many a PA hunting camp. They could make it up narrow rutted logging roads, and haul your deer out. Most in PA rusted out decades ago.
Definitely worth fixing up, dont see many.
I like Jeeps and I’ve owned several. I can’t put my finger on it, but this one just feels wrong. Even at this price a close personal inspection is needed.
Interesting looking winch, looks substantial.
Many years ago I found a 68 wagoneer in a rural salvage yard. I could always buy interesting stuff cheap but he had certain things he wouldn’t sell, one was a 68 Wagoneer, 327 AMC engine, GMC 400 Turbo trans, buckets, console, floor shifter and tilt steering and a factory front mounted winch. The owner committed suicide after his wife died and a son took the yard over. I should have bought the Wagoneer complete but didn’t have a good place to store it so I bought the steering column, console/shifter and the factory winch. The car was flat on the ground, I had no jack and no way to raise the car so I didn’t get the PTO. I dug under as much as I could and tried to remove it by feel but didn’t know what it looked like or how it was mounted. Somehow driven off the side of the 400 Turbo. When I next made it out to the yard the son has crushed the whole corner where it was located. I still don’t know how the factory PTO worked.