Jeep Jeepster (VJ)
Willys could not stamp deep, curvy panels, so Brooks Stevens built the Jeepster from mostly flat panels and parts already in use: the Station Wagon's Planadyne independent front suspension, drivetrain, steering, and brakes, and the truck's flat-topped rear fenders. Introduced in April 1948 at $1,765 with a long list of standard features, it was praised for its looks but hurt by a weak Go Devil four, a price close to that of a V8 Ford convertible, plastic side curtains, and no four-wheel drive. Willys cut the price and added a six for 1949, then gave it a new grille and the F-head Hurricane four in April 1950, but sales never recovered. Production ended in 1950, and leftover cars were sold as 1951 models.
Engines
| Engine | Power | Torque | Fuel | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willys L-134 Go Devil L-head I4 63 hp per Wikipedia (Arch Brown); JeepTech rates the L-134 in wagons and trucks at 60 hp. |
63 hp (47 kW) | — | Gasoline | 1948 to 1950 |
| Willys L-148 Lightning L-head I6 Added in mid-1949 (July, per cj3b.info) for the six-cylinder VJ-3. |
70 hp (52 kW) | — | Gasoline | 1949 to 1950 |
| Willys F-134 Hurricane F-head I4 From April 1950 (473-VJ); rating from JeepTech for 1950s Hurricanes. |
72 hp (54 kW) | 114 lb-ft (155 N·m) | Gasoline | 1950 |
| Willys 161 cu in I6 673-VJ. Wikipedia calls it the L-161 Lightning L-head (75 hp); cj3b.info calls it a short-lived 'Hurricane 6'. |
75 hp (56 kW) | — | Gasoline | 1950 |
Transmissions
- 3-speed manual with overdrive (Borg-Warner T-96) (1948 to 1950)
Sizes and weights
| Measure | Size |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 104 in2,642 mm |
| Length | 174 in4,420 mm |
| Width | 69 in1,753 mm |
| Height | 62 in1,575 mm |
| Curb weight | 2,392–2,468 lb1,085–1,119 kg |
A range covers the body styles and trims of this generation.
Trims and editions
- VJ-2 (1948 to 1949)
- VJ-3 (1949 to 1950)
Worth knowing
- Standard equipment in 1948 included whitewall tires, trimmed hubcaps, sun visors, a locking glovebox, a cigar lighter, and a covered continental spare.
- Early 1950 cars were coded 463 (four) and 663 (six); later 1950s became the 473-VJ and 673-VJ.
- Nassau Cream yellow became a popular Jeepster colour.
- Kaiser revived the Jeepster name in the late 1960s for the Jeepster Commando.
Year by year, newest first
- An April facelift brought a V-shaped grille with horizontal chrome bars and a new instrument panel.
- The F-head Hurricane four (473-VJ) and a 161 cu in six (673-VJ) replaced the earlier engines, and a cheaper model with less standard equipment was added.
- About 5,800 sold, about 1,700 of them sixes.
- The price fell to $1,495, with some formerly standard items moved to the options list.
- A six-cylinder VJ-3 with the 148 cu in Lightning engine joined in mid-year.
- Sales fell to about 3,000 to 3,400.
- Introduced in April 1948 at $1,765, with the Go Devil four and overdrive as standard.
- About 10,300 sold.
Notes
Yearly sales are 10,326, 2,960, and 5,836 per Wikipedia; about 10,000, 3,400, and nearly 6,000 per Jim Allen; Norton Young's factory list shows 3,352 built in 1949 and 5,845 in 1950 (1948 output is mixed in with the wagons). Wikipedia lists the L-148 for 1948 in one article and for 1949 to 1950 in another; cj3b.info dates it to July 1949. Curb weights (2,468 lb for the four, 2,392 lb for the six) are as Wikipedia gives them. 'VJ' is the internal code for the whole run.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Willys-Overland_Jeepster
- cj3b.info /Siblings/Jeepster.html
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/models/vj/
- cj3b.info /WOfigures.html
- en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Willys_Lightning_engine
- en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Willys_Hurricane_engine
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/hurricane134/