1950 Willys Jeepster and Overland Trailer
Mike Burleson added newfangled features to a vintage 4x4.
Mike Burleson's 1950 Willys Jeepster and overland trailer were a hit at the 2021 Four Wheeler Overland Adventure, where 20 participants explored the incredible backcountry of southern Utah. Read on for more on this exciting vintage Jeep build.
If you haven't figured it out yet, we love vintage 4x4s, too. Mike Burleson's '50 Willys Jeepster definitely falls into that category. Mike grew up 'wheeling in the deserts and mountains of Southern California with his father and a crowd of Jeep enthusiasts, and the bug that bit him early in life has never let go. A Colorado resident for many years now, Mike has gone through a few Jeeps, but the bright yellow Jeepster you see here, and its 1946 Bantam trailer, have been his focus for quite a while. Mike joined us on the 2021 Four Wheeler Overland Adventure and that's where we photographed his rig. Mike told us, "The original 4WD conversion was done by Bob Sievert of Cascade, Colorado. Bob was a veteran Baja and Pikes Peak racer. I bought the Jeepster from his wife a few years after Bob had passed away." The Jeepster had been parked outside for several years and the Colorado winters had taken a toll on the rig.
To say the Jeepster needed a lot of work is a grand understatement. According to Mike, "it was in pretty bad shape." He rewired it, replumbed it, regeared it, and resuspended it. Then he replaced the wheels, tires, interior, exhaust, and all of the engine-driven components. Mike added lockers, radios, and new windows. The Jeepster now also has a custom onboard air system, a new cooling system, and new lighting, switches, and gauges.
Mike's favorite upgrade might be the emergency brake system he set up using an E-Stopp actuator. One of the Jeepster's unique features that caught our eye was the roll-up glass windows in place of the vinyl and cloth button-up skirts that were original to the vehicle. The bright color-pop was one of the last things Mike created, and it's why his wife nicknamed the Jeepster "Daisy."
1950 Willys Jeepster Build Specs
- Owner: Mike Burleson
- Stomping grounds: Colorado
- Build time: 5 years
Drivetrain
- Engine: Chevy 350ci V-8
- Transmission: BorgWarner T-18 four-speed manual
- Transfer case: Dana/Spicer 20 w/PTO
- Low range ratio: 2.46:1
- Crawl ratio: 63.7:1
- Front axle/differential: Dana 44, 4.10 gears/Eaton Detroit Locker
- Rear axle/differential: Dana 44, 4.10 gears/Eaton Detroit Locker
Suspension
- Front: 4-inch-lift Rusty's Off-Road leaf springs, Bilstein 5160 reservoir shocks
- Rear: 4-inch-lift Rusty's Off-Road leaf springs, Bilstein 5100 shocks
Tires/Wheels
- Tires: 35x12.50R15LT Falken Wildpeak M/T
- Wheels: 15x7 U.S. Wheel steelie w/baby moon caps
Miscellaneous
- Steering: 1979 Jeep Wagoneer steering wheel, drop Pitman arm, Bilstein stabilizer, power steering system w/cooler
- Lighting: 6-inch KC Lights halogen Daylighters, 5-inch KC Lights Pro Apollo, LED auxiliary backup light
- Armor: Homemade rocksliders, homemade brushguard on stock steel Jeepster front bumper, custom transmission and transfer case skidplate
- Cool stuff: Dual fuel tanks w/35-gal total capacity, full custom aluminum rollcage, front of frame lengthened 6 inches, roll-up glass windows, Ramsey 9,000-lb PTO winch
