1967 Jeepster Commando - Jeep Autopsy

The SC was the Sport Commando...        read full caption The SC was the Sport Commando ('71 and '72), a package that included special striping and paint.

The '72 Commando: The beginning...        read full caption The '72 Commando: The beginning of the end.

The Transmission
The '48 Jeepster ran a three-speed manual Borg-Warner T-86 transmission with Overdrive, although Overdrive went optional in year two. The Jeepster Commando, meanwhile, debuted with a three-speed synchromesh, floor-shift manual (the Borg-Warner T-90 for the four-banger, a Borg-Warner T-14 for the V-6) as the standard, while a three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic (TH400) automatic transmission (a trans trademarked by General Motors) with vacuum modulator was the alternative for the V-6, also found in the Wagoneer and Gladiator. Having a console shifter ("sporty inclination") with either transmission was optional. The auto tranny was a pretty noteworthy deal at the time, as it made the Jeepster Commando the only wagon out there with a V-6 and automatic. By 1972, the available trannies were the standard three-speed (still the T-14) and the optional TH400 (for the 258 and 304 only) or heavy-duty, floor-shift Borg-Warner T-18 four-speed for sixes.

The Transfer Case
The early years are easy: The Jeepster was a two-wheel-drive model only. Once it graduated to the big leagues in 1967, it gained a two-speed Dana 20 T-case with 2.03 low range.

The Suspension/Axles
Under the '48-'51 Jeepster was independent front suspension (planar type). Spring-wise, the front had transverse semi-elliptic leaves, the rear conventional semi-elliptic. The rear axle was a Spicer 23. The Jeepster Commando used multileaf front and single-leaf rear springs for the '67 model year, with the rear springs being mounted off center in an effort to maintain a comfortable ride and make it better at towing. A Powr-Lok rear differential was available, as was a heavy-duty suspension that featured a higher spring rate (stock front springs were 160 lb-in; the upgrade was 183 lb-in) and beefier rear springs, which went from one leaf with a 188 lb-in spring rate to six leaves at 266 lb-in.

The heavy-duty package also included 11-inch brakes (versus 10-inch) and stronger shocks, all adding up to a 3,500-pound towing capacity. The front axle was a full-floating Spicer 27 until 1972, when it changed to a Dana 30. Out back, it started as a semi-floating Spicer 30 (for the four-cylinder); the same year the front switched, the rear became the formerly optional Dana 44. Optional Trac-Lok diffs existed in 1971.

With the Hurricane and three-speed transmission, the standard ratio was 4.27 (5.38 was optional), and equipped with the Dauntless, gearing was 3.73 (4.88 as the option). With the auto tranny/Dauntless combo, 3.31 was standard, but 3.73s were available.