16 Jp jpmagazine.com

One of the things we love

most about off-road events is

that we get the chance to see

lots of different vehicles. And by that we

mean lots of different Jeeps. For instance,

so far this year we’ve encountered every-

t h i ng f rom ’40 s f lat t ies to 2020 Glad iator s

when out and about on the trails. We like

t hem a ll, even Y Js. However, we have to

ad m it, we have a lways been especia lly fond

of the Jeepster Commando. Kaiser started

production of the Jeepster Commando

(C-101) in 1966 as a nod to the original

Classic

Commando

The ’66 to ’71 Jeepster

Commandos are

unique, and this ’

owned by Todd Dunn is

a classic crowd-pleaser

By Stuar t A. Bourdon

[email protected]

Photography: Stuar t A. Bourdon

Jeepster produced by Willys-Overland.

It was thankfully continued when AMC

took over in 1970. The word Jeepster was

dropped for the ’72 model year, and it was

known simply as the Commando (C-104).

Although it was given 3 more inches (104)

of wheelbase and a choice of an I-6 or V-

option, enthusiasm for the redesigned

body waned, and after the ’73 model year

it was a goner.

This example of the Jeepster

Commando is a ’69. Owner Todd Dunn

says, “The easiest part of the build was

buying the Jeep stock. It was a clean slate.”

Todd had a lot of work to do, and he didn’t

want to be dealing with anybody’s messed-

up mods. The chassis was the first hill to

climb. With help from Lance at Rice’s

Performance in Perkasie, Pennsylvania,

the factory suspension was exchanged

for a Dave’s Customs Unlimited Jeep CJ

Full-Width Axle Kit and combined with

Rubicon Express 1^1 ⁄ 2 -inch spring-over-

axle leaf springs front and rear, Rancho

shocks, and custom spring mounts to

give the rig room for full movement of

40-inch tires and 17x8-inch Dodge

Ram 2500 steel wheels with no rubbing

anywhere. The chassis gained a couple

The front 1980 GMC CUCV Dana 60 axle was rebuilt, stuffed with a 4.56 Aussie Locker, tipped

with Superwinch manual locking hubs, and then slung under the Jeepster frame using a Dave’s

Customs Unlimited Jeep CJ Full-Width Axle Kit, Rubicon Express 1.5-inch SOA leaf springs,

and Rancho shocks.