1949 Willys Jeepster

1949 Willys Jeepster VJ3 463 Convertible The Willys Jeepster was an ingenious design by Brooks Stevens, which combined a four passenger phaeton with soft top that evoked the appearance of the wartime Jeep. The model was introduced in May 1948 with the thinking that returning GIs would be sentimentally attached to the appearance. Most GIs however, were looking to move beyond the military, and sales were disappointing. The Jeepster has an undeniable charm, though, and has nearly universal acceptance among car enthusiasts, equally welcome in the company of hot rods as it is at Pebble Beach. Thx Hagerty.com  For consignment, a 1949 Willy Jeepster VJ3 463 convertible showing 43,137 miles, but the true miles are unknown. The VJ3 was a mid year production change that resulted in a bit of a facelift with a new grille featuring five horizontal chrome bars. This example comes to you with maintenance records and an extensive list of upkeep replacement parts completed during the consignor's eleven year ownership.  Exterior Jeepsters wear yellow better than just about any car, and this example in Michigan Yellow is proof! It's contrasted by a glossy band of black that highlights the passenger compartment, trimmed in stainless for further emphasis and tied into the black canvas top. The grille features bold horizontal bars backed in black, and a chrome bumper guard arches over the bumper itself, all in good condition. Polished domed hubcaps with a red center W badge covers the 15-inch wheels with the black painted steel wheels underneath showing. At the back of this vehicle is an additional hanging spare white wall tire with hubcap in a continental kit style mount between simple round tail lights and brake lights. Imperfections noted include some surface rust on the top sides of the grille bars, some metal pitting elsewhere, a hazy plastic rear window, some deglazing on the vent windows, rattle can spot fixes, chips and inclusions throughout, orange peel, bubbling, seam paint wear, scratches, and rust blistering.  Interior Our interior begins with black vinyl cards on the yellow inner doors, tidy with a touch of utilitarian simplicity Jeeps are known for. The front seats are split and have a 70/30 configuration with smooth black grain vinyl and there's a bit of wear on the top part and piping. The rear bench, also in black vinyl presents cleanly. A black steering wheel with center cap logo shows some patina and fronts a tan painted dash with center cluster that includes a speedometer over square condition gauges and some knobs in a classic and deco-inspired design that shows a bit of age. Low pile black carpet with vinyl edges covers and also would benefit from some restoration.  Drivetrain Driver quality conditions are found on the 148ci Lighting F-head incline six rated at 72 horsepower and fueled through a 1-barrel carburetor. It's mated to a 3-speed manual transmission with overdrive and power is routed to the Dana 23 in back with 4.88 gears.  Undercarriage Driver quality here as well with plenty of surface rust and residual oil on the pans and rear differential. We note some invasive rust in the frame in front of the rear axle as well. Drum brakes are at all four wheels and the single exhaust runs through a stock style muffler before exiting in back. Suspension includes a transverse leaf spring in front and leaf springs in back.  Drive-Ability On to the test loop we go with this part road car, part safari car, and always interesting car! The experience is pure analogue of course, and while not the fastest car on the road, the open air vibe is a ton of fun.  We note the clutch slips a bit, the AM radio is not working, and the brake lights don't illuminate. Beyond that, all functions work as they should and now we have to decide whether to put this vintage crossover in the car area or truck room! While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot