1950 Willys Jeepster Phaeton
America’s last production phaeton arrived as Willys attempted to transition their wartime Jeep success into civilian markets. Brooks Stevens designed this four-passenger convertible during World War II, combining military Jeep DNA with leisure vehicle appeal.
The 1950 model featured a distinctive V-shaped grille with five horizontal chrome bars, a redesigned dashboard with center-mounted gauges, and a wraparound rear bumper.
Standard power came from the 134.2 cubic inch F-head “Hurricane” four-cylinder engine producing 63 horsepower, replacing the earlier L-head “Go Devil” unit. An optional 148.5 cubic inch “Lightning” six-cylinder developing 72 horsepower was also available. Both engines were paired with a three-speed manual transmission with optional overdrive.
Despite its innovative crossover concept, the Jeepster struggled commercially due to limited weather protection from side curtains rather than roll-up windows, modest highway performance, and a relatively high price of about $1,500. Only 5,836 examples were built for 1950, contributing to total production of just 19,132 units before discontinuation in 1951.
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