In another life on another forum I have to admit we (family) are ate up with jeeps. I sold my 60 willys recently to focus on the truck. I am glad to see the pic from Hotrodjeep I too think of such a twisted animal. There is a leftover 337 flathead from an F7 truck I envision sitting in my version.
....here's a 49 p.u. I put a Camaro sub under (cuz they told me I couldn't) and a buick V6 / auto. Sold it a few years back to a friend north of Chicago; he drives it everyday.
Hey Desert Rat... I am looking at that Willys Wagon you have.....maybe some bright red wheels and some wide white walls....Oh my gosh, that would be sick wouldnt???Maybe it would look a little more traditional. Whatya think??
Opinions wanted. My 53 Jeep wagon is a 4 x 4 and I'm having thoughts of converting it to a 2 wheel drive, mustang independent front suspension, power rack and pinion, automatic, and different rear end, possibly 8" Ford. Will these changes kill the value of the truck or make it Un-wanted by any future owner? I want to drive it at highway speeds. I don't want to ruin a nice truck. Gary
You do what you want,it's your truck.Changes like that will make it have value to those who like em,and little value to traditional 4x4 guys. In my opinon,when you alter the vehicle with major suspension changes or a frame swap,it's no longer the vehicle it once was.It now becomes more like the vehicle the parts came from.Some call that a hot rod,some call it a belly button street rod.
I just have to go wipe myself up after grooving on all these cool Willys pickups! Thanks for posting these, guys!
The 134 cubic inch F head is pulled for rebuilding a few days ago.Pretty traditional shit here,this engine traces it direct roots back to the WW2 Jeep engine and that engine devolped from a 1930 Whippet engine.
This is my 63 pickup...worked on it for a couple of years...painted with Rustoleum red industrail spray cans...came out OK for a daily truck..all original has the 225 Tornado OHC engine..it's a work horse..My plate has been retired and it's on the wall in the garage...
I painted moms willys jeep last year, first we did blue then she she wanted red. now i'm stuck trying to find a L134 motor for this . the one in it needs to be totally gone through and probley sleeved too. she loves this darn thing so much, and after i started working on it it grew on me too.
good to see some Willys Forum guys here too,mine is a 55 pu w/327 & 4 speed,no beauty queen but a lot of fun,cruise nights are a lot of fun,kids don't know what it is and everybodys uncle had one.....Jim
In '76 I pulled a rusty 2WD 48 Willys-Overland station wagon out of a Texas lake. Cost me $35 for the pleasure. I bought a '60 Chevy with 283, cast iron Powerglide and dealer-installed air for $175. The motor and tranny went into the Willys along with nuts, bolts, plumbing fittings and sheet metal patches. When I was done I had a swiss cheese 60 Chevy and a done station wagon. Took 3 months of weekends and after work working in the parking lot of my Texas apartment complex with almost no tools (but a tiny oxy-acety setup). Also installed a 67 Camaro 10 bolt rear that bolted in; $50. Drove that vehicle for over 100K miles all over the country and including commuting 85 miles a day. Then gave it to my sister as her first car. Many more years of service. It finally rusted a lot, patches and all, and in a moment of stupidity I junked it. Still have the grille as garage art.
I've got quite a variety of vintage Willys but here are my Two Favorites. 1946 Willys-Overland Wagon has a Buick 430 , Turbo 400 and Dana 44's with Detroit Lockers. The 1950 CJ3A has an Odd Fire 225 Buick V-6 , SM420 4 speed, Locked 5.38 axles and a Warn Overdrive. Both very fun. Took a 250 mile trip this weekend in the Wagon and my kids got a Kick out of all the people's reponses ...... Some don't look ... and others can't stop looking. Nice to drive something thats different !
i have a willys pick up in front of my house for a christmas decoration right now, i built a pick up back in the 80s with a 350 and a spring over, now i have a cj 3b and a pick up and a wagon, that pick up i built in the 80s is here for a shave and a hair cut this winter,
Todd landers at endangered species jeep in holyoke mass has a cool barn fresh 2wd hot rod panel truck for sale!
My 56 Wagon still a a long ways from done hers pic of it now and then the red one is a photoshop pic of what i want it to look like when i am done
I see this thread had recent life, so I'll add to it. Here's my Willy's, YJ, 39 Chevy 4.5" chop, Caddy 500, TH400/Spicer20, Sterling 10.25/D44, 4 linked front and rear, etc. I wanted something that would be fun to drive, fairly cheap to build (have all receipts they total less $2500), and most importantly 4wd. Live in Wyoming and operate a 4wd shop so it was kind of necessary.
My first car was a 51 Willys wagon with a flathead Studebaker. I eventually put a 289 that I built. Crane cam, Holly intake and carb. It had a C4 behind it with a trans adapter for the transfer case. With the original gears in the rearend it was a blast at the stop lights in town. Top speed was about 65 and screaming.
Back in the late sixties and early seventies the 2wd pick ups & wagons were very popular in the Phoenix area. Custom wheels and a small block made for a very nice & quick Hot Rod.
Hey TruckedUp I think we have an old Willys forum in common. I have a 1960 Willys Jeep truck and a 1953 channeled and Z-ed Chevy pickup (about 1/3 done). I love rust and the smell of the inside of an old truck. My dad (when I was a kid) always had smelly old trucks and my mothers dad was a logger and he always had something crusty hanging around. If it is old and rusty (American made of course) I'll look at it. my 2 cents thats all
Buddy of mine has a '57-ish pickup with plow that has a 283 Chevy in it. Wierd thing is it has a Studebaker bed on it, shortened and the rear wheel arches cut to the angular shape to match the old Willys fenders. I picked up a '55 4x4 wagon from a Hamb'er over the summer intending to swap it to the same guy for a '56 Olds, but he lost the deal he needed another plow for. I debated about redoing the brakes and using it as a plow truck myself - it runs pretty good, although the electrical all needs redoing and the carb linkage is goofed up. I don't mind keeping it, I've always had a soft spot for these little trucks. Don't know why -
If you are into wagons and trucks, Moab is the place to be in May... It's the 3rd Annual Willys Overland Moab Rally, May 18-20, 2012. Check it out at www.willysrally.com Pete
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