The Story

The ultimate survival tool! This 1970 Jeep Jeepster Commando was purchased new by the late owner from Dick Steele Chrysler-Jeep in Reseda, CA on 8/29/1970. The Commando was his pride and joy, always keeping it garaged, serviced, and built for survival. It originally came with the factory V6, which was due for a rebuild in 1992, but opted to swap in a rebuilt '68 Buick 350 and fresh automatic TH-400 transmission for more power and reliability. The owner worked at the GM plant in Van Nuys, CA where they built Camaros, Firebirds, and Buick Skylarks. He consulted with the Buick and Chevy engineers about which motor would be best for his Commando. They determined the Buick V8 fit the best with the least amount of modifications, as discussed in the video interview of his son. The owner was a B-17 Gunner in World War II and used his experience from the war to help build this Commando.

Build My Ride is representing this well kept Commando on behalf of the owner's family. There is a reserve price, so bidding will need to meet the reserve in order for it to sell.

What You Get

The '68 Buick 350 was rebuilt by Skercevic Automotive Machine in Ventura, CA in 1992 per the pictured invoice. The TH-400 transmission was rebuilt by A-1 Transmission with lower gear ratios on 1st gear (-21%) and 2nd gear (-6%). Both axles were serviced prior to being parked, according to the son of the owner. The front axle is the factory Dana 27A with open differential and the rear is a Dana 44 with with Trac-Loc, both with 3.31:1 gear ratio. Suspension is handled by locally built leaf springs with a 2" lift and Rancho 5000 shocks at all four corners. Poly bushings and Confer shackles complete the rear suspension. It has a dual battery set up with an isolator. It has everything needed to flat tow, including Smittybilt tow bar and plugs for light hookups. A trailer hitch is mounted to the rear bumper and frame.

The Commando underwent a cosmetic refresh between 2002 and 2007, where the rust free body was removed from the frame. The rust free frame was sandblasted and painted black. The body was sanded and resprayed the current shade of blue with all exterior badges removed, but are included in the sale. The top was in excellent condition already, but received preventive maintenance by filling in the seam that is known to rust and resprayed white. The floors were rust free and did not require any metal work, and were painted black. The roof has numerous front and rear off-roading lights, with a roof rack fitted with a shovel and pickaxe. A swing-away rack is is mounted above the rear bumper and contains a floor jack, small vice, and two ammo boxes with various items such as a winch snatch block. The front bumper holds the Warn Winch, model 8274 and looks near new. The front mounting plate for the winch was sourced from a World War II Half-Track from Normandy. The metal for the bumpers was sourced from Bethlehem Steel.

The interior consists of aftermarket Recaro seats and a custom dash, complete with Stewart Warner gauges. A complete Vintage Air conditioning system is installed with under dash vents. A Cobra CB radio is mounted below the dash, complemented with a Pyramid Phase III Antenna Matcher. There is a Panasonic AM/FM stereo mounted overhead, which appears to have a PA attached. There is a hand throttle lever attached to the shifter, which is not connected in the engine compartment. The rear seat was replaced with a storage box, containing a full size spare tire on a matching wheel, large storage area behind the front seats, and first aid kits. You always feel more secure knowing there is an RPG storage tube that is the perfect size for toilet paper rolls. An onboard air compressor is mounted in the rear of the cargo area. There are other electronic devices you will have fun figuring out what they do.

The owner kept meticulous hand written notes of everything he engineered and built on this Commando, as seen in the photo gallery.

What You Need

The Commando was in the middle of being rewired, so it will need all of the dash gauges, additional fuses, overhead console, and some accessories connected. There are some loose wires in the engine compartment that need attention as well. The wiring has midway blocks so that the connections are more secure and do not come loose when off-roading, which was a trick the owner learned in WWII. The son reports that the Jeep was running great prior to and during the early stages of the re-wiring project, being driven sparingly around town to test out the rebuilt engine and transmission. The family has not attempted to get the Jeep started, but feels that with new batteries, fresh fuel, and verifying the ignition wiring is in place, it will start. The fuel tanks should be checked for residue from sitting. The driver side fuel tank filler plate and tube need to be installed once the wiring behind it is completed. Both seats need to be mounted along with bases that are not included. The air conditioning system will need to be charged. The tires need to be replaced as they are unsafe to drive on due to age, but are acceptable for trailer transport. It was last registered for the street in 2009 and is currently registered as Non-op with CA DMV.