This unique 36-page Jeepster sales tool aimed at the Willys-Overland sales force likely underscores a general lack of understanding about the Jeepster. It was a different enough vehicle from the utilitarian wagons, trucks and universal jeeps that the sales force may have had a challenge selling it to their standard clientele. That’s the only reason I can think that W-O created this document. I have not seen similar documents for other models.
Note that at one point the document argues that the Jeepster is NOT a convertible and NOT a sedan, but a SPORTS PHAETON. Bill pointed out to me that, like him, I always pronounced Phaeton “Fay-ton”, with an accent on the first syllable. However, he saw a newsreel the other day and the voice-over pronounced it more like ‘Fay-et-on’ or ‘Fay-uh-ton; distinctly three syllables.
Moreover, the dictionary suggests that a Phaeton is pretty much a convertible or a touring open air car, rooted in a word for an open air four-wheeled wagon. Perhaps some more knowledgeable can distinguish between a Phaeton and a convertible??
Some of these pages worked better when shown together, so I’ve sewn together a few of them …
The last page states “There is no such thing as a customer who won’t pay the price If the salesman knows how to sell quality”. This sales promotion must of had a long term effect on the sales staff. Having been printed sometime in the late 1940’s 1950, this frame of thought lasted well into the late 1960’s when I was shopping around for a new Jeepster Commando. When my friend “Bruce the Moose” spotted the sticker price on a bright red Jeepster convertible ( excuse me, PHAETOM) and asked the sales man, who is going to pay that price? the Mide Motors salesman replied, ” There’s an
A_ _ for every car”. Obviously, this sales technique worked.
If you go back to the 1930s when manufactures were building phaetons and convertibles at the same time, convertibles had roll up windows, and phaetons ( and roadsters with just a front seat ) had snap-on curtains . I believe Webster gives phaeton 3 syllables .
Terry: Thanks for that info … The snap-on curtains would be consistent. Maybe that’s why the Jeepster Commando was never deemed a “phaeton” despite the re-use of the brand (that and it was too much of a vintage term by the 60s I imagine). I should have checked the dictionary for pronunciation…
Mike: And that’s so true even today, there’s an a__ for every jeep!
I have had one of these booklets for nearly 40 years, very rare find anymore! Several things were crossed out as standard equipment on one page, because those items became optional in 1949 with the VJ3 models. 1948 VJ2 models had those items.