1967 Jeep Commando

Imported from the sunny, dry climes of Las Vegas by All American Imports of Bristol, this incredibly rare left-hand-drive 1967 Jeep Commando is UK-registered and ready for recommissioning after being laid-up for 12 years ‘Stateside. 

With just 29,000 miles on the odometer and believed to be the only one of its type in the country, it needs some titivating but is solid and in need of TLC rather than a full restoration.

The V6 Dauntless engine means that she can lift her skirts and run with the best of them, and the four-wheel-drive chassis offers the promise of some greenlane fun should you be so inclined.

Only being sold because the owner’s time and money is now committed to another project, he’s keen to show the Jeep off to prospective bidders, so please feel free to get in touch with him if you have any questions or would like to make an appointment to go and see it.

The non-original metallic gold paintwork is nicely weathered, a bit tatty in places, and has started to crack with age. But, and this is the important bit, the bodywork is very solid and in need only of paint whereas any similar UK-registered-from-new four-wheel-drive would either be a crumbling heap of iron oxide or a trigger’s broom. This vehicle, on the other hand, is solid and still decently presentable; if old Land Rovers get better looking as their patina develops, then why can’t the same apply to their American cousins?

The offside and nearside rear lower quarters will need some minor work, as will one sill, and the offside rear wheelarch. However, we’d strongly encourage you to go and take a look at it for yourself as we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how solid it is.

The correct lights and badging are present and correct, and the front and rear chrome bumpers are in pretty good shape too. The car sits on a set of modern alloy wheels, and the tyres are new BF Goodrich All-Terrains; the wheel-and-tyre combination alone is worth a couple of grand.

The original folding roof comes with the Jeep but it’s probably fair to say that it is best utilized as a pattern to make a new one, perhaps taking the opportunity to have one sewn in something more luxurious like mohair perhaps? 

Brilliantly, the two front windows wind down taking the upper frame with them, leaving a clean, frameless look to the vehicle when the roof is down. Speaking of which, one rear window will need to be made too but it’s a flat surface, so it shouldn’t be too hard or expensive to have someone cut one to fit from toughened glass.

The spartan interior appears to be all there, even if it does need some renovation in places. The front and rear seats are very good, being free of rips, tears and other damage, but the top of the dashboard has cracked in the sun, and the two interior door-mounted armrests and the two sun visors have seen better days too. But, all the parts are there to be renovated and even a half-decent trimmer should be able to sort them out at minimal cost.

The wipers, heater and lights are said to be in working order, although the owner hasn’t been able to test them. The three auxiliary gauges and the modern stereo could be removed very easily should the new owner prize originality over function. 

Oh, and the metal gearlever shroud, which is sitting in the rear of the car, will need to be modified, painted and fitted; the previous owner fitted a rare, heavy duty gearbox and so the gear lever now comes out at a different point.

The chassis and underside both have a veneer of surface rust but a day spent wire-brushing it followed by a coating of something from Bilt Hamber would see it fit to weather the next half-century with impunity.

The good news continues, as the twin exhausts looks new (good luck finding one of those on the shelves of your local Kwik Fit – in fact, good news finding anything at Kwik Fit these days now that it no longer stocks anything…) as does the alternator. Someone has spent some money on it recently, even fitting a heavy duty towbar, although you will need to contribute another £100 or so to buy a replacement battery.

The dampers looks dry too, as does the fuel tank, V6 engine and gearbox. In fact, while the old girl does need a new clutch (the old one was taken off prior to it being shipped here and the guys Stateside simply ran out of time and so were forced to just bolt the gearbox back on as a temporary measure) there is no reason to believe that the rest of the mechanicals are in need of anything bar a decent service and tune-up because the Jeep was sold to the vendor as “running nicely” bar a leak from the exhaust manifold. He was also told that the brakes work and the steering is “excellent, even with the massive wheels.”

Obviously, the battery and clutch issue means that you will need to trailer it away, but we could sort delivery for you and would be happy to provide quotes to do so. The owner also told us that he is happy to store the vehicle for up to three months after it has been paid for should the new owner want him to do so. 

The Jeep comes with a State of Nevada certificate of title plus a UK V5 registration document showing no previous UK keepers.

It has never had a UK MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

This Jeepster Commando makes an brilliantly left-field alternative to the ubiquitous Ford Bronco or International Scout, both of which are brilliant in their own right but becoming somewhat passé now. The Commando, on the other hand, while recognizably a Jeep, is different enough from its contemporaries to draw glances and comments wherever it goes. 

(Plus, you get to tell people that you drive a Commando; our inner eight-year-old selves find that incredibly appealing…)

Even better, the classic Jeep scene is alive and thriving over the USA, which means that parts shouldn’t be too much of problem; simply flex your credit card via the might of the Internet and the parts will be sitting in your garage a week or so later – and because this is a simple, straightforward car that was built by real men using simple hand tools, it’s going to be a simple job, albeit one that’ll require good old imperial spanners, just the way God intended. (None of your communist metric nonsense for this good ol’ boy.)

So, a weekend to fit a clutch and a battery, and another to give it a good seeing to with a fresh set of filters, fluids and engine consumables would almost certainly see it back on the road and fit to enjoy what’s left of the summer. Or, given that it is a left-hand-drive vehicle, it would make awesome holiday transport for your Spanish villa or French gite.

And then, if you prefer your vehicles minty fresh and sparkling, a winter’s worth of part-time labour should be enough to fettle the underside, body and interior; the whole lot looks to be straightforward, although we can’t help thinking that the Jeep’s rarity and condition would warrant a professional paintjob in the spring, perhaps in a more period authentic colour.

And how much is this little slice of fried gold going to set you back? Well, it’s guesswork really as there are no others with which to compare it but we think something that nudges, but probably won’t breach, five figures should be enough to make it yours. So we estimate it at £5000 -£8000. 

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Lewes; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive. 

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.