Did you know, if you take a Willys wagon out bunney crashing there is a good chance you will break the glass bowl on the bottom of the fuel pump? And it will happen out in the middle of the desert outside of Fallon Nevada? I do now,,,
my brother has had a 53 pick up since the 70's, and a few here and there in between, wagons and panel trucks as well. he owns one that is an ambulance too. not sure if this picture is exact, but close enough..
This reminds me of Wally Parks and his Willys he built during WWII, equipped with a V8-60. "Things are going fine and my little V-jeep is really a peach. It really goes, and I claim to have the hottest thing on the island." - Wally Parks
If you were a kid growing up in Cincinnati this is where you wanted to go every august. https://gravelrama.com/ So, yes I had a “Jeep” phase
About 20-25 years ago I bought this wagon for $250. It had a 170 Ford motor out of a falcon with an automatic and I was able to actually drive it home. Removed the offending ford junk, had a reversed eye front spring main leaf made for it and got it all ready for a 301 chevy I built. Was then the realization I had no title for it slammed home and I sold it...kept the 301.
Extremely popular swap for these trucks even when they were still "late model". Usually nothing too extreme, they trucks were commonly used for jungle riding even after the swap. @Ryan when I was still in high school one of the fellas managed to land a surplus military keep at an auction. The engine. transmission, and transfer case came in a wood crate with the body and rolling chassis. The engine was locked up but the kids mom had a wrecked '64 Buick Special which we pulled the V 6 out of. There was actually an adapter on the market for the swap. I helped him with the fabrication. When he got it running he came and picked me up. With it planked it would run an honest 80 MPH. Maaaaaannnnnnnnnn you have not lived until you have been in one of those at 80. No doors no belts no top.
Living in the NW old 4WD’s are a very common thin. I am into early 4x4’s as much as I am into hotrods. And they share a theme- traditional. I like my early 4x4’s pretty stock, with tall skinny bias tires and stock height. These aren’t Willy’s, but hell this is off topic, right? And yes, they are fun in the snow. Some of mine, I’ve had quite a few
YES.....yes......love the traditional 4wd stuff with the original tall narrow stock wheels and tires. My 1953 Willys CJ3B has the original 16 inchers with lug tires. Your stuff looks great !!
I love some of the "stuff" that the older Willys included........I bought a Willys parts Jeep from a farmer just outside town.......when I was cleaning the 4-5inches of accumulated farm stuff from the floor and interior......there was a never used Hurst saddle engine mount for a Chev under the passenger seat !......must have been planning for a re-power and just never got there. Bought another Willys parts Jeep at an estate/farm sale that had already had a Chev V/8 installed in it.......which included a pristine Steward Warner 120mph !!!! vintage tachometer in the dash.......hand on tight
The utility wagons were super advanced for the time. Brooks Stevens did that design in the mid forties. Back when the big three could not do that without lots of timber. Had a utility wagon and that is what was cut down for that pick up in the picture. Great trucks if I find a good one will have another. Oh and if you want to go modern it is easy to swap on newer jeep chassis just a bit of stretching.
Flathead powered Willys! Here's the description: The drivetrain is flathead V8 adapted to a C-4 automatic adapted to Dana 18. Front axle is Dana 27 w/Corvette discs….rear is Dana 44 with one piece axles and Lock-rite geared 4.27.
My wife's 51 Willys is no poser, it still does work... My 47 CJ 2A doing what Jeeps do.... https://www.flickr.com/photos/75289626@N08/8458916044/in/dateposted-public/ I swapped the CJ2A flattie Go Devil for a 4 cylinder Chevy 153 shown in the upper photo
I love the his and hers Willys !! I especially love the Chev II 153 in the CJ2A. I have two engines sitting in my shed that were leftover spares from some vintage dirt track midget race car projects. The F head in my 1953 CJ3B runs like a swiss watch, but I would like to do a swap into something.......maybe a need a truck like yours !!
Novak has an adapter kit to mate the 153 SBC type bellhousing to the orignal tranny, includes the longer clutch shaft...You may have to trim the housing for front drive shaft clearance. The 153 can buzz along at 4000 rpm with no sweat, with noticably more power than a flattie or f head.