Mark from the JeepsterMan and I'm going to talk today about my favorite vehicle and that is the Jeepster convertible and notice I said Jeepster and not Jeepster Commando because a lot of people don't realize that but the very early especially 67 some of the 68 and definitely 66 if they were a convertible many of them were a Jeepster convertible not a Jeepster Commando convertible so it really distinguishes a convertible and there's two types and we'll talk about that in a moment but this is what's called an 8701 this is a deluxe model convertible deluxe model convertibles can be noted by several things number one they're going to have this really cool Continental kit you can see right here and also they're going to have this rear deck this rear deck is another feature on the 8701 deluxe model convertible and as you can see right here it's going to have some trim now most of the time this aluminum trim separates a two-tone paint Scheme but some of these are a single tone you could have a white on white something like that I've also seen them red on red but for the most part they're going to be a two-tone but either way they're going to be separated by this piece of trim right here that goes all the way around the body so where a lot of confusion happens is a convertible top the convertible top on an 8701 is different than the convertible top on an 8702 so what is an 8702 it is also a convertible when we say convertible we'll talk about true convertible in other words it's got a top mechanism a frame that folds down and folds up just like you would see in a Mustang or an early Camaro or something like that there's an aftermarket soft top a lot of people call convertibles but that's not a convertible a convertible will have a VIN starting with 8701 deluxe model or 8702 now what's different about an 8702 they're not quite as dressed up or dialed up and they were meant to be like oh just a little bit of a more cheaper more value version for people looking for something a little bit more austere so you would not have this trim piece here you would not have this rear deck and you would not have this Continental kit and what would be different because the tops are different the top would come all the way down to the back of the tailgate this tailgate is non-functional on an 8701 it's where 18702 they are functional you can't open them because they don't have the Continental kit so a lot of confusion around them but just to really kind of summarize this for you in 8701 you're going to have the Continental kit you're going to have the trim you're going to have this rear deck the top is different on an 8702 you're not going to have this Continental kit you're not going to have this trim and you're not going to have this rear deck and your top is different in that it comes all the way down and fastens back here so that's that's the the main things to know about an 8701 and 8702 really awesome Vehicles probably the only convertible four-wheel drive that jeep made in that era uh just a really really valuable really nice vehicle to have thank you to get a free copy of the Willys and Jeep restoration parts catalog from the Jeepster man go to www.theJeepsterman.com and order your free copy today.
