Willys pitched the 1948 Jeepster as "America's greatest value in sports cars" — despite rear-wheel drive only, plastic side curtains instead of roll-up windows, and a modest 63-horsepower engine.
Lead trim: Jeepster 134.1 cu in Go-Devil I4 (63 hp)
Willys JeepsterVJ · 1948–1950
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Willys Jeepster yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactWillys pitched the 1948 Jeepster as "America's greatest value in sports cars" — despite rear-wheel drive only, plastic side curtains instead of roll-up windows, and a modest 63-horsepower engine.
The Willys-Overland Jeepster ("VJ" internally) was a rear-wheel-drive-only two-door phaeton/convertible built in Toledo from April 1948 to 1950 (some leftovers sold as 1951 models; almost 20,000 built), developed to fill a gap in Willys' line between its utilitarian trucks and the passenger-car market, marketed as "America's greatest value in sports cars!" with a "dual personality for city and country driving". Styled by Brooks Stevens on a common platform with the Jeep pickup and station wagon, and simple and slab-sided because Willys-Overland lacked machinery for deep-drawn fenders, the basic 1948 car included whitewall tires, trim rings, sun visors, wind wings, a locking glovebox and a continental tire for US$1,765. Engines: the 134.1 cu in (2.2 L) Go-Devil four rated 63 hp (1948–1950; F134 Hurricane four in 1950), the 148.5 cu in (2.4 L) Lightning six (1949–1950) and a 161 cu in (2.6 L) six (1950), with a Borg-Warner T-96 3-speed manual with standard overdrive; the name was revived in 1966 for the C-101 Jeepster Commando. Wheelbase 104 in, length 174 in, width 69 in, height 62 in.
Collectors Spotted in the Willys Jeepster Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Willys Jeepster yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
3 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeepster 134.1 cu in Go-Devil I4 (63 hp) | 1948–1950 | 2.2 L Inline-4 | 63 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Jeepster 148.5 cu in Lightning I6 (1949–1950) | 1949–1950 | 2.4 L Inline-6 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Jeepster 161 cu in I6 (1950) | 1950–1950 | 2.6 L Inline-6 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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