I have been thinking of putting an original straight axle into a 41 willys coupe I have, and removing the mustang II..however...I would like to have cross steering as well as newer brakes. Has anyone out there upgraded one of these front ends with these items and how was it done? What did you use for a steering gearbox? <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
all catalog stuff nowadays. i say get rid o' the mustang crap n build that willys the way gawd intended. should be no problem to find the parts necessary.
that makes 2 all catalog stuff nowadays. i say get rid o' the mustang crap n build that willys the way gawd intended. should be no problem to find the parts necessary. [/QUOTE]
as in which companys? I am not aware of someone selling retrofit components for an original axle <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
i hate to admit it but speedway in lincoln ne. sells EVERYTHING you'll need to put it back in order. may not be willys branded but a straight axle has no idea what brand is stamped on it anyhow.
Your talking about using a Willys axle? If you want to cross steer it you will have to fab everything yourself. I would be interested to see if anybody has used an original Willys axle as a cross steer. Aftermarket axles or Fords you can get everything you need from a catalog.
Yes, the ford axles and stuff parts are available. What you are saying about having to make some parts sounds right. If anyone here has done just that maybe they have some pics to show what they did too. Speedway is all aftermarket parts, I am talking about using an original axle. <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
looky there! dave even gave ya a blueprint in his avatar picture!! you ohio guys DIG that gasser look dontcha?...
if you buy a tube axle most of them use the early chevy brakes like 49-54 chevy. so i know you can get disc brakes for those spindles. so that explains it all right there.
Oh, you bet! Wonder if that is Dave's car...or is going to be!!!! <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
seriously man it's just a matter of WANTING to build what ya want. if you want to do it, anything is possible. and personally, i find a stang suspension under a willys an affront to my delicate sensibilities!
hell, mine started as an un-identified tube axle.. took awhile to figure out what it is but that was half the battle. i stuck '59 dodge PU brakes on a mid '30s plymouth axle with nothin more than hoggin the kingpin holes on the axle for the truck size pins. steered with a vega box hooked to a honda steering column... i know i know, sue me! it was the right length and free. steers great and stops like it hit a wall o' jello with them big ol' truck drums!
Contact Don Waldren at Rods West. He can hook you up with a straight axle, cross steering, disc brakes, etc. etc. etc.
So what the hell's the difference? If you are putting cross steering, might as well have discs up front. Puck it??? What the hell?? Let's not be completely silly!!
puck... the brake pad. "puck". you've never heard em called pucks? discs just scream WE DONT BELONG under this car! cross steer doesn't stick out like the proverbial turd in the punchbowl. .. disc brakes do. just an opinion man, silly or not, it's mine.
The Willys axle in my opinion is one of the best looking axles out there! Problem is the king pins and spindles are small, the cars were just over 2000lbs new. I dont think there is enough meat there to put in larger king pins and heavier spindles. For normal driving with a small block they are fine, but with a Hemi and Ohio pot holes I would worry a bit as I have seen several break. I wonder if you could weld larger ends on a Willys cast axle? I decided with my blown Hemi and street driving to go with a Don Long clone axle with Ford ends for safety, but for looks I wanted a chromed drilled Willys axle.........my .02.
I put a cross steer rack & pinion from Speedway in My Anglia. It replaces a Vega box. It works very well, but the Anglia is lite. I don't know how well it would work in a bigger, heaver,Willys Buzz
I used a 525 Saginaw box in my 55 Chevy. 3/4-36 spline input shaft like the Vega, just few inches longer. I wanted something a little stronger since I had the weight of the Hemi on the front end. Look for '60s/early-'70s A-body GM cars (Chevelle, Cutlass, Skylark) with manual steering. Speedway Motors (and others) sells a pitman arm that fits. Good luck with your build.
So the SWC Willys, Big John Willys, Ohio George Willys all of which ran "pucks" are turds in the punch bowl???? We are talking Willys gassers, not 32 Fords.
I am using the Unisteer 28-32 Cross steer w 1" drop bracket rack n pinion box in my Scout gasser. (part # 8000660 $385.00) It went in really well, looks great and works well. All it took was a bit of imagination, lots of measurements and a fab'd cross shaft. I solved that by using a chome moly rod threaded at each end. One end is reverse threaded so it can be adjusted without taking it out of the truck. As soon as i get home I'll add a picture to this post
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