This Jeepster Commando is Dauntless
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 พ.ค. 2016
- “Sometimes, there are things that are a little bit unorthodox, or a little bit extraordinary in one way or another, that deserve to have their story told so people remember they exist,” says Sam Fankuchen. “This [Commando] gets mistaken way more often for something else than identified for what it is.”
So what is it? A 1970 Jeepster Commando, one of those domestic classics one doesn’t see too often. Over three generations from 1966 to 1971, only about 60,000 were made-and few survive today.
That hasn’t discouraged Sam, however, whose Commando is fitted with a rebuilt and upgraded Dauntless V6 underhood and a number of other aesthetic and performance modifications. He says parts are about $100 for “anything that might break” and the pair have driven just about everywhere in California-way off-road, of course.
“The gauges are not stock, but apart from that, nothing was added. In fact, things were subtracted,” he says. “I stripped out the all the interior and put [truck] bed liner in front to rear so I could just hose it out and not worry.”
Inside, Recaro seats from a Mk1 Volkswagen GTI were recovered in marine leather, making them impervious to the elements (and Sam’s wetsuit). As it sits, the Commando is about as simple and robust as 4x4s get.
“It was harder, more expensive, less safe to drive this thing every day, but I did it because I was committed to the project, I did it so that one day I’d be able to introduce my kids to cars like this,” Sam says. “When you’re looking at the future of our economy here, it’s really important to encourage an interest at a young age…”
“…the next time a little kid sees this car and it makes him really happy, I know it maybe ignited a sense of understanding or appreciation for math and science and mechanical systems, which I think are going to be really important for people to continue to care about.”
Drive Tastefully®
Petrolicious.com
/ petrolicious - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Please post more 4x4 episodes. K/5.. Bronco, Scout, BLAZER!!!..etc. This channel nails it. Clearly i'm biased.
The beauty of Petrolicious for me, is that it makes me watch and enjoy videos of cars, I wouldn't normally be that interested in. I've always been pretty open minded when it comes to cars, but I get a whole new appreciation of car culture as a whole watching these stories.
Absolutely. Me too. I like all sorts of vehicles. Love classic cars and motorcycles of all types and really like this channel for the variety of classic sports cars. However I understand the sentimental value in anything motorized that may have been a family fixture for decades and for many rural folks that's gonna turn out to be a 4WD truck or Jeep like rig.
Insane photography! Looks like a hi-end action film!
+jippalippa it really does. their videos just keep getting better & better
It's Petrolicious, dude)
Lol I used to have one to get around on my family's property when I was 13 or 14. That thing was a beast, never got stuck and is how I learned stick. Thanks for the memories.
Thanks Petrolicious, more classic Jeep videos please.
Cool to see that he stayed with the Dauntless V6 and didn't swap to an LS.
+MrSapper21 i wish the previous owner of my jeep had kept it that way!
+Justin “Juggernaut” Marhold what kind of jeep?
Jeep has always made vehicles with pretty good 6 cylinder engines
+MrSapper21 1967 Jeepster commando
what engine is in it now?
ps- no matter what you say, you still have a bad ass truck dude.
Petrolicious is one of the few channels that you can actually click "like" before you even watch the video. Insane cinematography and great content!
I had a '71 Jeepster when I was 17 (in the '80's). Drove it for 20 days on temp plates then parked it. Junked it in my 20's. Wish I still had it - had the Dauntless V6. I had a lot of fun in that thing. It was rust free and ran good, but had tranny problems, and only 3 wheels had brakes. Wish I had kept all of the cars I junked in my 20's! The '69 and '71 camaros are worth a small fortune now.
this channel is amazing , it really demonstrates that you love to do this
I love the 4x4 editions of petrolicious. Keep them coming!
If the Marlboro Man didn't die of lung cancer, he'd be driving this..
Extremely cool video. The guys face when he was off-road was priceless.
The cinematography is out of this world.
Awesome!!! I love the Jeepster and really enjoy your videos... keep'em coming!
TrailRecon You're up there too, sir! Your work is equal parts informative and amazing!
beautiful video and good job to the owner for presenting the car so well
This channel is like no other, so great to see people that love their cars, keep up the great work you do, please
who doesnt love a old jeep? As a jeep lover, seeing the video and the CJ3B video a few weeks ago is great stuff! Im glad to see this channel mix it up between cars and suv's. Great video again! great channel!
I have a 1969 Jeep CJ5 with the Buick v6, great motor, tons of torque.
This is just part of my weekly routine my brain just knows what to type in every Tuesday and the quality never drops
I'd love to own something like this. Its sound too sweet for a V6.
+Abid Malik Thats what i said, that engine does not sound like a 6 def a small 8
+Matt Jenkins (vwgolfer187) Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it has an odd firing order that results in said v8 sound.
nice
The engine sounds different from most V6 engines because it is an "Odd Fire" design. It is a Buick engine that Kaiser Jeep bought from GM. More info can be found with a simple web search.
I can really identify with this video as I have a 1971 Jeepster Commando. It was my first automobile at age 16. It needs a complete ground-up rebuild. This video gave me inspiration!
+zippo1965 I have a 67 225 commando owned since 73 at age 18. no rust many dents. wish I had bought more parts then. ran good 2012 video reminds me of many good times.
+chukkyup. Sadly, rust is next to unavoidable up here in Pennsylvania.
It is good to read your story, I've only owned my C101 since 2004.
Can we just talk about how brilliant that footage from 7:27 to the end was? The cinematography on this channel is phenomenal. Long time fan!
this is such a nice feature on this Jeepster & owner. nice job!
Great Video.. I have a '68 & '72..love the old school Jeeps!
Me too.
Found my 1968 Jeepster Commando sitting on the Mesa.. . $500 ! Two year, slow rebuild, and learning as I go, I'm very proud today how amazing this little Jeep performs on the trails, and how cheap and easy it was was to lift, and build out really tough. Surprised to see these small Jeeps going for $8,000 or more.... You don't need to pay a fraction of that cost to be driving like this guy! Awesome ride. Look up Jeep Tours, Taos NM
You want fairly clean and original that runs well,you will pay 8 grand minimum where I live,if lucky.Ive seen 6000 dollar rust buckets! Jeep 60-70's are starting to really go up,get one now while you can.
never thought the jeepdesign could be that sexy
love this channel! this piece made me buy an old Jeepster and start fixing it up!
I've daily driven my 79 Ramcharger for a while, 2 years at one point. But now it's our 3rd vehicle. Got 13mpg from San Diego to Moab and back with a mildly modified, carbed 360 magnum, NV4500 OD and 4.56/33". Needs a repaint and some dings fixed after 9 years of hard use. Redoing the wiring, building a cage and putting a soft top on it this summer.
Awesome old school jeep, great videography, this channel just gets better.
this video is why i love to watch this channel. KEEP IT COMING!
i have owned two of these cars ,they were a great ride ,one was a convertible with a continental kit the other was a removable hardtop
Awesome. I feel the same about my '77 Bronco. One of my favorite things about driving my Bronco is how it puts a smile on other people's faces.
Jeep videos are the best videos
I have a '68 model half-cab version of this Commando. Slowly getting it road ready again, but it was and still is kinda rough. Neat rigs for sure, and more room than the CJ's.
I actually have one of these!!!! it has a 1975 chevy v8 swapped in by previous owner, and i wish he had left the 225 dauntless v6 in there! my truck is still a project, but this video will push me to get it done!
another video by petrolicious like one of my old cars was the honda crx si. i had one of those, but it was rusted out :(
cant wait to see more!
+Justin “Juggernaut” Marhold There's one (engine) for sale on "ht tp : // www . reachoo . com / ads / 57925039" (i broke the link with spaces because TH-cam likes to make these comments spam).
Based on one of your videos you're from Wisconsin, the guy is in Minnesota. Good luck with the rebuild regardless, it's a really nice car and a neat piece of history, worth putting effort in to.
Good work mate. Love your passion
I always have liked JEEP Commando! Very nice to see something unusual & different!
Had 1 of these so much fun.
Simple like my old Land Rover, and with the best sounding V6 I've ever heard.
+John Askew Sometimes it sounded like a V8, but later on near the end it actually sounded like a V6. IMO
Having the top down on a classic such as this is a total freedom feel. A simple pleasure.
Excellent. Really enjoying the 4x4 videos so please keep them coming.
Awesome video! I have been looking for a Jeepster Commando for a while. Have owned a lots of classic American cars over the years, I wanted a post war classic Jeep like the Commando. After watching this very professional made video many times, I finally just found a 71 Commando Hurst, that is, short of the interior, completely rebuild! It will be in great company next to my other vintage car.
Well done,you will love it.
I can really relate to your view of it being a well constructed useful machine, and at the same time a piece of metal art work.
Thanks for sharing this video,very nicely done.
I also have a jeep commando back home that makes me relate so much to this video. Nice commando dode! Mine is a C104 Bullnose.
Good video ! Love those old Jeepster !
Always loved the Jeepster!
It's amazing the owners and vehicles you guys at Petrolicious find, look forward to EVERY video! I never heard of these and I'm from Detroit, LOL.
Beautiful vehicle. I also think where you are driving is stunning. I have watched this video 5 times just to try and get that feeling of being out there free in your vehicle with no traffic. In Europe we have the Almeria desert in Spain, so I will get one of these, or a VW Baja and keep it out there. But the USA is amazing, you have such nice places to drive.
Great episode
Maaaaybe still my favorite Jeep on the internet. There’s one that lives across the street from my old house, just sitting, but they weren’t selling. Same orange.
Great photography as always - I recall riding around in one of these in Helena, MT as a kid - neighbor's car. It seemed a bit more useful and comfortable than my dad's CJ5. But hey - I was a kid - what do I know.
+Ian Corrigall the nose knows...
You were a smart kid.it is more comfortable than a CJ-5
Thanks for sharing enjoyed your video
What a beautifully made film. Another great car too preserved for posterity, but still running.
Love the Jeepster. My favorite Jeep of all time.
Wow that's a beautiful Jeep man! 👍
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Timeless utility -
Sam, Thanks for the commitment and such a well defined, insightful outlook and sensibility -
"...preservation and! enjoyment..."
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Thanks "P"
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+Finn Blu thanks for the kind words!
What size tires on that?..32x11.50 ...or ...33 x 12.50? Looks like a nice size for daily driving...
Nice rig!
Love this C101! I'm driving my '67 today! Great video guys! And yes, mine has been called a Scout multiple times. 😓😂
For ones always, AMAZING video. Love the channel, and love it more when you do vintage 4x4's. Especially Jeeps! You guys NEED to do an old full sized Cherokee, OR a Grand Wagoneer! They're on the rise... That video would gain a ton of publicity! Anyways, keep up the great work!
In Addition there is the spanish commando, manufracturated by VIASA and EBRO there are a few much around spain, most of them with Barreiros and Perkins Diesel Engines with a top power of 80 horse power. They are equal than the US commando, just change the engines, and they sound quite racing with straight pipe :D
very cool! I'm a Land Cruiser guy myself but have always admired these. This is a very clean example and I would to tear up the trails with it in my FJ40 since we're neighbors. :)
Nice job
Love the Jeep
Awesome Jeep! I love it!
Great video as usual!
This was great!
AWESOME Jeepster!
first commando i ever saw was a bullnose. in 1998 i was working 1200 miles from home in clewiston fl and i saw it for sale on side of a road. i still have it and its awesome to see some one having the same experiences. its a hard thing to explain, video does a good job of that
Cool video. Brings back a lot of memories. Had a '69 C101 in high school, late 80's. 3 speed with the Dauntless V6 and a half top. Buddies called me Marlin Perkins when I drove with the lid off. I don't recall ever seeing a Commando on Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, but it was a awesome off road machine nevertheless.
I grew up as a Willys tinkerer with a M38 and CJ2A with a Dauntless conversion, and my grandfather had a Jeepster Commando that was completely trashed. I've become a Series 2 Land Rover guy now, but this is one of the few trucks I'd be just as happy to own. That's a gorgeous example.
I love it! I emember the first time I stumbled across one of these on Craig's list. It'd either be one of these or a scout.
Awesome Jeep!
love the engine sound
I daily a 1972 commando with a 304 v8. I'm 17 and it's my first car but I'm keeping that thing forever
There some fun trailers back there. I was back there a few months ago at night with my Raptor.
Nice little C101. The Dauntless is a Buick motor. A 225 that became a 231 in the 70s Buick's.
I love Jeepter Commando I had 3 - 68 - 70 and 73, this is a good car.
best sounding v6 ive ever heard
Nice jeep. well done.
I've got a nice '95 Cherokee Xj, but Damn do I want a Commando
Petrolicious can make me have a soft spot for any type of vehicle I had never considered. Now I wanna google around for old jeeps and just learn how to work on them...
Exactly, I want to own basically every car they make a video on.
Spot on. I went from being one of those JDM guys, then went to supercars, then made my way to retro sports cars, 80s turbo charged race cars, vintage cars and now I just love every car.
Yeah. I know, right? Found my Jeepster sitting outside 20 years.. interior was cherry, and paid just $500!
great looking car dude nice
Beautiful
I have owned 3 different jeeps 2 Wranglers and a 2 door Cherokee/last year for amc . But i have never even seen one of these for sale or i would have bought one .
Jeepster Commando, beautiful in its simplicity...
Love it !:)
Please tell me what mufflers and diameter of mufflers are you running? Thank you.
Simply priceless
Fantastic
Very nice definitely a rare model.
Sam, Is there anywhere I could get specs on your Commando to help with my build? Lift components, wheel brand, size, etc?
love seeing Jeepster on the road, I have a 67 all original commando fun to drive teaching my youngest son's to give in it. thinking of installing a new motor any ideas. you said parts are available and inexpensive were do you go. do you have original brakes
Man, I want that thing!
cool car. man, machine and mother nature. ... what a combination!
what a beautiful car 😍👌👌
Learned to drive on my grandpa’s farm when I was 13. The Jeep rusted away to nothing but I grabbed the dauntless v6 for my Willy’s cj2a
Man this is cool..
This Jeep looks good
I second that jeep motion
that is lovely