1972 Jeep Commando

This truck, Lot 409, sold for $20,520, including buyer’s premium, at Silver Auctions’ “Arizona in January” event at Fort McDowell, AZ, on January 29, 2016.

Something new from something old

With the International Scout and the Ford Bronco entering the personal off-road market in the mid-1960s, Kaiser-Jeep figured that their evergreen CJ-5 “universal Jeep” was about to become yesterday’s news.

In a way, all that new competition for the Jeep wasn’t really competition at all, as they were essentially different products. The Jeep was more akin to a horse or tractor and used as such. These new Multi-Purpose Vehicles were nimble off road, yet offered comfort and convenience features that bested the CJ — not the least of which was keeping the elements out. Regardless, to counter the competition, Jeep took a card from its former product deck and updated it — the Jeepster.

Designed by Brooks Stevens right after World War II, the Jeepster was actually classed as a car. While it did borrow styling cues from the famed G503 Willys MB/Ford GPW jeeps from the war, this was basically a new body on an old platform. But with rear-wheel drive only and essentially no cargo capacity, the phaeton body (lacking crank-down windows, so it wasn’t a convertible) was more playful than functional. It was also lethargic, with the Go-Devil four that was designed before the war. By late 1949, an inline flathead six was available, but it didn’t stave off the inevitable. When the new-car post-war boom market stabilized, the Jeepster was dispatched in 1951 due to lack of sales and more refined products.

Getting it right

On this second go around, Jeep was determined to get the 1967 Jeepster done right. Internally called the C-101 (the number being its wheelbase) and named the Jeepster Commando, it was based most closely on the CJ-6 chassis of the same wheelbase. This time, it was four-wheel drive exclusively.

Styling was similar to the original Jeepster. Plain rear bodywork channeled the original Jeepster not only in looks, but also in ease of tooling. The front clip was similar to the CJ family, but not the same. While the front fenders were similar to those on the CJ, the Jeepster Commando had a wider grille and hood that went over the fenders for the full width of the body. It comes off almost as a cross between the CJ and the Gladiator pickups that Jeep was building at the time — sort of tying two parts of the family together.

Initially, body styles consisted of a basic convertible, a deluxe convertible with bustle back and “Continental” spare tire, a wagon, and a pickup (albeit with a cargo area smaller than some trash cans). The wagon was the most popular style, maintaining that status for the duration of production.

The Buick-sourced 225-ci V6 was an option from the start, which ensured complaints about it being underpowered were a moot point, unless you stuck with the standard 132-ci F-head four. Also with an eye more towards the turnpikes rather than the trails was an optional automatic transmission.

Evolved body, better engines

AMC’s purchase of Jeep in 1970 all but guaranteed some product changes were going to occur, and the Jeepster Commando was no exception.

The second generation of the Commando was introduced for 1972, offered only in wagon, pickup, and soft-top basic roadster configurations. The Jeepster name was dropped, with AMC going only with Commando from here on out.

The wheelbase was stretched ahead of the cowl, and the body was fitted with an all-new front clip, dispensing with the Jeep-esque look for a plain aluminum full-width grille. There was a good reason for that modification, as more room was needed up front for the best changes to take place for ’72: AMC engines.

The 232 inline six was standard, with the 258-ci version and the 304-ci V8 available as options. With those mills, the Commando finally had the power to be loaded up with the options that were being fitted onto Blazers and Scouts, such as power assists and air conditioning.

The model designator was the only major change for 1973 (C-104), and with lagging sales (only 9,583 that year), the Commando was discontinued for 1974. Essentially, it was replaced by the 2-door Wagoneer-based Cherokee, despite that rig being larger and heavier than the Commando.

The misfit Jeep

For decades, Commandos (especially the later-year models) were the red-headed stepchildren of Jeepdom. CJ fans didn’t feel it was a “real” Jeep, being not as nimble off road.

Cherokee/Wagoneer/J-series truck fans felt it was too car-like and flimsy to be a serious off-roader.

As essentially an early SUV, most were bought not to leave the highway. They were used in climates that had real winter and salt to deal with snow, so the vast majority rotted away before Reagan was president. Between that and not feeling the love from the Jeep community, they’ve all but vanished from the landscape.

But despite all that, there has always been a small, close-knit group of Commando enthusiasts who like the pleasing simplistic styling and compactness of the package.

Time to go Commando?

Vintage SUV values have been on the rise over the past few years, and both interest in and values of Commandos have started to increase with them.

Considering that Jeep has since had a few “clunkers” as far as off-roaders are concerned (Liberty, Compass, and the hackable FWD current production Cherokee come to mind), Commandos are now welcomed in the vintage-Jeep community. Today, the biggest challenge is actually finding one, and if you do, it will more likely be one that was either put out to pasture needing serious restoration, or like our featured unit, it’ll be one of the rare few that managed to be preserved essentially intact.

Since a popular use for them was as a dedicated snowplow rig (especially the pickups), be aware of low-mile examples that may be patched-together rust buckets. However, this example seemed to be a straightforward, long-term cared-for Jeep from suburbia.

I got a good look at this truck out in Arizona, and while the restoration may have been more of a cosmetic nip and tuck, the bones seemed quite good. The repaint got lackadaisical on the interior and the original brightwork was showing its age, but the selling price was a bit steep to just buy it and give it a concours restoration, or to spend double to turn it into a wild off-road machine.

The most appropriate scenario here is that this will be driven occasionally and upgraded as time and funds work out. Regardless of which route the new owner takes, it’s a unique example from the formative years of when the Multi-Purpose Vehicle was evolving into the omnipresent SUVs and CUVs of today. Overall, I’d call this correctly bought and sold for one worth buying.

(Introductory description courtesy of Silver Auctions.