Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

Kaiser Jeep Jeepster Commando V6 Hard Top on 2040-cars

Year:1968 Mileage:81110
Location:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
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I purchased this Jeepster on eBay in the summer of 2008 for $7K from the second owner in Tupper, NY.   My goal was to find a “simple” car that I could understand and repair myself [I am a female, an independent contractor, and though I like to buy tools, they should be for house renovation, not car repair].  A Jeepster was just the thing I was looking for.

Pickup required a one-way ticket from Pittsburgh to Boston then on to Saranac Lake in a tiny six-seat airplane.  As the plane wandered in and out of cloudbanks a rainbow went all the way around the plane a few minutes before we landed - it was magical.  The previous owner picked me up and drove us the 45 min. to Tupper.  Excited by the celestial rainbow [thanks Grandpa], I hardly looked at the car before I set off driving late into the night to get back home to Pittsburgh.  I named her Josephine and she required a few mechanical repairs to become the daily driver I needed.

In the winter of 2010-2011 I had her fully restored [off-frame].  A second vehicle was purchased [$2K] and its chassis and body were used, with Josie’s original engine and interior.  Key improvements were addition of a spare tire holder in the rear interior behind the driver’s seat – out of view and not in the way.  A tow hitch receiver was added – I’ve hauled a 9x12 flatbed trailer carrying construction materials/plants/garden waste. Also I added a roof rack that has been used to carry sheetrock, piping, rebar, etc.

She is my only vehicle - I drive her a few times a week and use her for hauling stuff inside, on the roof and by trailer.  Once a month, at least she goes 300 miles to see my folks in West Virginia.  My husband and I use Josie for vacation travel [as his Crown Vic doesn’t have a hitch for the bicycle rack and doesn’t look nearly as good].  Her front differential and manual lock out hubs work fine for driving on snow covered roads.  Josephine looks incredibly cute carrying a tree on the roof at Christmas.  

The top is bolt removable – though I’ve never tried it she’d surely look great as roofless.  She passes Pennsylvania’s safety inspection and does not require an emissions test.  The current PA sticker is good until February 2015.  I have a regular license plate, not historic since she has been an everyday vehicle and carries ‘normal’ insurance.  My husband and I have agreed to sell both of our cars - relying on bicycles, public transit and Zipcar [they have trucks as well] for getting around.

This has been my only foray into antique car ownership.  A fan of square cars, I owned a series of old body style Isuzu Troopers. When I bought my fourth Trooper, my husband made me agree that this would be my final Trooper [parts were getting harder to find].  When the fourth trooper started dying by computer problems, I decided I wanted nothing more to do with such things.  All the other Troopers had blown head gaskets, which I would duly repair, but frame rot was a terminal condition for the first three.  I was not going to move into the new generation of computer-infested vehicles and instead went backwards.  

It was a choice between the Commando and the original style of Landcruiser, the iron pig.  Advice from a jeep fanatic friend about the ease of part procurement for jeeps and a preference for a metal dashboard over plastic won the day for a jeep.  It was a good choice, the jeep nation is large and I have gotten plenty of support from the jeepster commando club forum and the three big part houses, all online.  Enough parts are available at NAPA to make many repairs same day or overnight.

Josephine has always been parked on our street within walking distance of downtown Pittsburgh.  Some rust has returned since the restoration [see photos of the tailgate and windshield framing].  She burns a quart of oil every 1K, though there are no external leaks/drips.  A section of the rear bumper, 2x1 inch, was removed; seemingly to have been for a CB antenna mount.  The chrome is good/very good. The renovated frame was upole coated [like Rhino liner] underneath and is in perfect shape and solid [see pics].

Keeping the car stock has been important but a few changes have been made.  Some changes in the electrical systems, such as extra grounding or fuses are not stock but easy to find.  Electrical diagrams in the Jeepster manual are still accurate.  The wiper motor is not OEM. The rear wiring harness was replaced at restoration.  All lights, gauges and signals work properly.  Glass is clear, no fog, minimal scratches; windshield was new at restoration. Lap belts were added to the front seats to give a sense of safety.  Since I’ve had her I’ve replaced the carburetor, points, water pump, starter, fuel pump as needed.  Because I am not a mechanic, keeping the car true to the OEM manual has always been important.  I have strived to make this car easy to transfer between mechanics.  You shouldn’t have any weird ‘previous owner’ surprises.  

Mileage on the road is 17-19 mpg, tires are 75%. She can travel with traffic at 75mph but gas mileage is better at 60mph.  In town mileage can be as low as 13 mpg but usually 15 mpg.  Clear title.  How many total miles is unknown.  I’ve not turned it over, I think the previous owner said it was on 300K – current odometer reading is 81,110 and I think I’ve put on 40K miles in six years.

Original or stock items:

  • Interior, some tears, some repairs
  • Engine, V-6 Buick Dauntless 225
  • Three speed manual transmission, on floor
  • Ross steering [see Note at bottom]
  • Gauges are OEM and in working order
  • Dash controls, in working order
  • Jack and lug wrench
  • Brake system
  • Beauty rings and hubcaps
  • Lock-out hubs from Harvester International installed by dealer in 1968, still operates
  • Stock paint colors
  • Keys, one set original in leather wallet.  Locks in doors and rear hatch are original and matching.  Ignition is new, key doesn’t match doors. No key to glove box but it is operable.
  • Rubber jeep flooring
  • Window washer fluid bag

Improvements:

  • Front lap belts
  • Radio is USA-1, 100 watts, with mp3 hook-up.  Still one speaker [replaced 2010]
  • Fuel tank, side fill, from jeepsterman.  No crazy bent fill pipe to crack.
  • Bullet dash light and floor lights with door switch, a normal option for Jeepsters but not original to this car.
  • Manual choke
  • The front seats have been moved back about four inches, making this a much more pleasant car for this tall family.
  • Exhaust system [spring, 2012] with exhaust pipe moved to passenger rear corner.
  • Rear seat modified to roll forward for cargo space.  Not designed for human occupant in rear seat, dogs okay. No seat belts in rear seat which is not bolted to floor as designed.  Modification could be reversed.
  • Two inch hitch receiver, 4 or 7 pin electrical hook-up
  • Cargo area was upoled [like rhino liner]
  • Roof rack is a universal rack from the 80’s, eBay purchase
  • Custom-made spare tire rack is great! - will NOT fit a larger sized tire.  Folds down to remove tire.
  • Antifreeze overflow catch container

Extras that come with purchase:

  • Wheel rim (in addition to spare)
  • Additional rebuilt carburetor by jeepsterman
  • Rubber seal for rear hatch
  • Gasket collection
  • Original owner’s manual and service log
  • Proper mechanic’s manual and a few other books
  • Restoration photo album of process, suitable for car shows, also CD version
  • Bulbs, gauges, misc parts
  • Most work orders and receipts
  • Dog cover for rear seat
  • Ball hitch
  • Great custom-made center console.  Made of leather, holds drinks, lots of stuff; exhibits Jeepster bling on the lid.
  • Cute first aid kit and hazard kit from 1968

Where Josie needs some TLC:

The upholstery is fairly worn on the driver’s seat with smaller amounts of damage on the passenger side.  The rear seat is nearly perfect. 

A manual choke was installed this spring and has solved my cold flooding issues but the cable has too much movement in the install and when it is required in cold weather doesn’t reliably close the choke completely.  Until the temperature is below 50F, it is not required.  I haven’t bothered with it since the weather improved.

The barrel of the cigarette lighter is too skinny, modern day [phone] chargers don’t fit - neither does the original lighter.  This barrel was in the replacement body and it wasn’t tested for fit until after the original body was gone.  I haven’t gone looking for a replacement, but assume it’s an easy fix.  The nipple plug behind dash should fit a properly sized lighter barrel.

The left rear gate latch comes open when the car is twisted while traveling on rough road.  Gate does not open or become any kind of danger.  It’s just something that happens, the correct spring within the latch would fix this.

Body rust is minimal and can wait a few years.  The tailgate is a mess and could be removed for repair while the rest of the car could be used.  The same goes for the roof and the windshield frame if you wanted to strip it down that far but still drive the jeep. The frame and undercarriage are in excellent shape - no rot like you'll find on other cars or this age.

The roof paint failure is surface – pretty much concentrated above the gutter rails.  It’s pretty obvious the restoration garage did not take as much care with the top as the body.  There is no primer under the failed paint spots above the gutter rail.  I ripped the paint off with a high-pressure car wash wand. 

My dog hates the car, too rough a ride and he can’t get into the corner of the backseat to wedge in.  He travels in other cars very well.  Luckily doesn’t get carsick.  I have to pick him up and put him in the jeep, he won’t jump in.  Really, it’s time to sell this car. 

This vehicle could be driven home without problems.  I am willing to discuss driving it to you.

Note - a few words about Ross Steering:

It is a much maligned technology.  For this car, which was intended to be staying on the road, not off-roading, Ross is fine.  Saginaw is the better steering system.  Traveling under 25 mph there is no return to center action in the steering.  This is normal operation.  Residential driving can be exciting/different/rewarding when the wheel must still be turned ‘out’ of a turn.  If you back out of your drive swinging the rear of the car inline with traffic, a lot of unturning of the wheel is still needed to move forward.  Parallel parking is a vigorous activity.

Most pictures taken August 20, 2014. Other photos are from the restoration shop, part of a CD that comes with the car to document the restoration process.

Would be willing to discuss delivering this vehicle to you and returning home via train or plane. Or I could pick you up at the Pittsburgh airport, 30-40 minutes away.  Spend the weekend, catch a Pirates, Penguins or Steelers game if you like – we’re a short walk from the stadiums.  I will post all questions and responses.

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