1932 Willys...barn find to runner in thirty days.

Yes i'm not going to force anything, thought maybe i could get a couple bucks back on my investment if some restorer was in the market for one. Kinda have a couple other things to do for the next 28 days.

 

i always like this point in the build...the point where you look around and say " now all we have to do is everything. "

 

Sure looks like a Knight engine, I'm trying to free this one up using Marvel Mystery oil. It's been sitting for about 15 years. I'm sure your has been sitting just a tad bit longer. PM sent.

 

Ralph, can't get the damn winshield out, the crank on it is froze and can't get it open enough to get at all the retaining screws on the hinge. Have any pictures of yours open so i can see what i'm up against? Any ideas how to get it open more? Don't want to wreck it, figured if i can get it off the car i should be able to free it up. Been squirting it now for a week to no avail.

 

I'd leave it just the way it is and just pretend it's done and you're having fun driving it. Just think of the money you'll save. Just kidding. What a great find and what a great project you got there. Ill be looking forward to seeing it done. Good luck guys. You guys do great work.

 

Let me take a look at it tonight and see if I can snap some pics. Do you want pics of the crank area or the hinge or Both?

 

Both if possible, think i may have got it to move about a 1/64" tonight. Wow progress !!!

 

Thanks Rick, hope your doing well.

 

Steve,
OK, it turns clockwise as your sitting in the drivers seat to open. It's hard to see but I'll attach the pics anyway. It looks like if you take off the handle and then the nut holding the worm gear that you might be able to get it loose that way. If not then you can at least put some WD40 in it to try and crank it some more. When I opened this one it was tight and real slow in opening until I got it to about mid range(window open a couple inches) and then it got tight again. After a couple shots of WD it started to get a little bit better.
Hope that helps.
P.S. the pics of the crank mechanism are upside down as I had to hold the camera against the windshield to get those shots.
Later,
Ralph

 

Thanks Ralph, now i know which way i should be turning it. That is a big help, at least it clears up that part of the mystery. I've had the handle off for 4 days and squirt it 2 times a day , so i'll just keep trying. I need new glass in the windshield so i thought about some heat but don't know if there is anything in there that could melt. Think it's all steel but not sure.

 

Small update,after going through the junk ( parts ) in my garage i've decided to go with a 1963 283 C.I. chevy that was Quote/ Unquote gone through. Got it from a Ford guy that wanted nothing to do with it 5 years ago. We'll see how gone through it has been.

 

Look under the back seat; machine guns, money from the 1930's....

 

None of the above , but a ton of mouse sh#t.

 

Cool build! That thing's a monster. Have you determined what huge size tires are gonna make it look proportionately hot roddy?

 

Well the style of rim( Artillery ) i'll be using is only reproduced in 15" sizes. Don't want to get too crazy on width and thinking 15x5 or 15x6 up front and 15x7 or 15x8 in back. Gotta get the fenders back from the blasters before i can measure for backspacing. The rearend back in and the rotors on on the spindles would definely help also. As far as tire size , as tall as i can find and still fit on the rims. Hopefully by the end of this coming weekend i'll have that figured out.Also it's not as big as it could be. This is the 113" wheel base model, they made one 121"!!!

 

Will update with photos tonight. Finally got the damn windshield to open, only took a week and two cans of lube.

 

How about a "29 day build" instead and bring it to the Cheaters Show.

 

You are gonna build a runner in 30 days and it took you a week just to get the window open?

Cool car - I almost bought a 31 last winter off of CL here in WI. It was a fully restored stocker and stupid cheap. Soft economy and 4 doors scared me off for resale - should have bought it.

Love the grill and horizonal louvers in the hood sides. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

 

Damn,
I want one. I'll sell my 30 a sedan for one just like yours.
Damn, I want one, really I do.........Damn.

Great build by the way.
Jeff

 

It'l be okay, relax and have a cold one !

 

If possible we'll try to be there. You could use some long haired, gray bearded old farts there anyway, ha ha. We're trying but keep in mind i'm the young one and i'm 50!!! Will post pic's tonight.

 

Well things are moving along, sometimes not as quick as i'd like but... Gas tank is being made as is a new radiator using the old tanks and sides. Glad the weekend is coming cause need more hours in the shop! Got lots of help coming this weekend, something to be said about calling in old favors. The windshield saga continued, took two of us an hour to get it out of the body, between the wood swelling and moving and it being set in one place for 77 years was a bitch, but we won.Here's the lastest pic's and will keep you updated, Scruff

 

lookin good. ill keep my fingers crossed for that 283.

 

Yep, that and the trans. I'll be pulling the pans on both Saturday morning checking them out and HOPEFULLY buttoning them both back up. Figured a new rear seal and filter for the trans and a new rear main seal ,timing chain and crank snout seal for the 283 with any luck. See what we find.

 

Go man Go!

 

She's coming right along. Are you going to give it any custom touches? Like say a 4" chop, fill the roof, etc.

 

Holy crap, I see you're stripping the body. You're going to try painting it too?

 

Why of course, other wise we'd just be wussies. Aim high shoot low, or something like that.

 

Cool, I'm going to like this build up. She looks in pretty good shape as well!

 

Wow. I can't wait to see it when you're done. Subscribed!