1958 Willys Commuter concept - A Van Before its Time. Introduced in 1956, the Willys Forward Control pickup series offered a wealth of possibilities for upfitting and modifications, thanks to its cab-forward layout and simple, rugged chassis. Independent designer Brooks Stevens, a frequent Willys collaborator, envisioned a compact passenger bus, an executive transport if you will, based on the Willys FC platform, which he named the Commuter. This early version of the Commuter while still in the drawing-board phase sports an airy, open greenhouse with a hardtop-like appearance, a design element that didn’t make it to the working prototypes. Full wheel covers, whitewalls, and a two-tone paint treatment contribute to the civilian passenger-car look. As a cost-saving measure, the six-door body employed interchangeable doors front and rear, while the center door pressings were also interchangeable left and right. Stevens selected the coachbuilding firm of Reutter Karosserie in Stuttgart, Germany, noted body supplier to Porsche, to construct the Commuter prototypes on production Willys FC-150 chassis and forward cab sections. Reportedly, three vehicles were built. Built on the FC-150 chassis with 81-inch wheelbase, the Commuter was of familiar compact van proportions—roughly similar to the Ford Econoline and Corvair Greenbriar introduced a few years later in 1961. Note the distinctive Stevens flavor in the tail lamps and elaborate bright metal side trim. While Willys Motors did produce a few hundred panel-type variants of the FC series for the U.S. military (M678 and M679), their bodies share nothing in common with the Stevens prototypes. Source: macsmotorcitygarage.com #jeepwillys #willysconcept #jeepconcept #jeepthing #throwback #workingtruck #workingtrucks #history #vintage #missthosedays #13yearsago #rustytruck #rustytrucks #throwbackpic #yearago #thosewerethedays #throwbackthursday #ayearago #throwback🔙 #cdljob #cdljobs #cdlhunter 🚛 Follow @cdlhunter 📲 Call or text us at (347) 878-2591 for a driving job www.CDLhunter.com (at 4 Wheel Concepts) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChHeizcOlfJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
