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Willys Truck 4x4 Wonder

Discussion in 'The Antiquated' started by Ryan, Feb 17, 2021.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Ryan submitted a new blog post:

    Willys Truck 4x4 Wonder

    [​IMG]

    Continue reading the Original Blog Post
     
  2. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,032

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    That's super cool! I wonder if it was factory built (body) or a Willys panel conversion?
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  3. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    I'm not sure... I know so little about the Willys nameplate that I didn't know if this was typical of their trucks or some kind of a conversion. I don't have power or I would have researched...
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  4. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,032

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    I did a quick search - It appears to be a conversion, which to me seems better looking than their normal pickups.
    The wagons are pretty cool, as well.

    1954-Jeep-1-ton-pickup-4x4.jpg

    CC177-FEAT1-01.jpg
     

  5. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Yep... I bet it was converted from the wagon... Given that I was able to find a photo so easily, I'm guessing this was a fairly common conversion?
     
    turboroadster and lothiandon1940 like this.
  6. NoSurf
    Joined: Jul 26, 2002
    Posts: 4,461

    NoSurf
    Member

    Oh man. I love Willys pickups. When me and my brothers were teenagers, we got ahold of a '61 Willys pickup with the hurricane 6. It had 8 ply military tires on it. We would use it to cut firewood out in the woods. You couldn't stop that thing. We also had a plow on it and we would all take turns plowing my Dad's whole 3 acre yard. then we'd pull each other around on an old car hood.
     
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  7. NoSurf
    Joined: Jul 26, 2002
    Posts: 4,461

    NoSurf
    Member

    Here's one for you Ryan:

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    I'm bored... only have power every 30-minutes and a shitty internet connection. Can one of y'all do the research and tell us what's up with that unibody version? I need something to read and learn from!

    Hell, if anything... one of these would make a cool beach truck for Hawaii...
     
  9. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    Never seen one of that version, but man I like it way more than their standard truck offering. One is sitting at mom and dads. the guy it belongs to wont ever touch it. Someday I just might build it into my daily driver.
     
  10. Jeep trucks are cool, the old body style (as pictured) especially. That is definitely a converted wagon, Jeep didn't make a 'fleetside' until the later body style came out.
    SBC, Stude 6 and Stude V8 conversions were very popular (and aftermarket supported) in them. I bought one for my Mom when she lived on a sandy-beached stretch of the Columbia River in the 70's and set it up for sand use (10" wide wheels and agricultural (smooth) 11.00 X 15" tires). It had a Stude V8 engine, stock drivetrain with something like 4.56 gears. No speed demon, but sure good on the sand or mud/snow (with different tires).
    They kept that old-timey body style into the early 60's until they brought out the "Gladiator" body design/series. They are kind of cozy for more than 2 people, but definitely cool. I'd have one!
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  11. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,094

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    @porknbeaner had a pickup version with a sbc and knobby tires. Ive always thought they were kinda cool
     
  12. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Starting a pic thread I guess... I like this conversion the most, but the stock trucks can be decent looking as well I'm finding....

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    I definitely think TALL and narrow knobby tires are a must...
     
  13. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  14. AmishMike
    Joined: Mar 27, 2014
    Posts: 968

    AmishMike
    Member

    Loved my old Jeep truck. Dragged it out from behind gas station where it had been for years. Cleaned gas supply & carb, tune up & ran great. Fixed vacuum line “quadtrac” system. Hooked & cooked in snow all four spinning. Miss that truck
     
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  15. I really liked my '62. It was a very old small block conversion (283 and offy adapter).

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    They are better for modern use with later drives. GM or later CJ drives work really well. But the original drives are stout enough. This one had the optional 4.88 gears. Most had 5.somethings. :D
     
  16. Rolleiflex
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,243

    Rolleiflex
    Member

    I've seen a lot of the step side ones over the 25 years I lived in Washington state, but I've never seen that unibody style!

    I know it's somewhat off topic, but ICON has built some badass Jeep Wagons. Including this 1960.
     
  17. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,032

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Here's a different take on a Willys panel. This is owned by a life-long friend. My dad worked for him for over 20 years at his autobody shop. As a kid, I recall it sitting behind the shop and pretending to drive.. making engine noises and all. It was stock body and frame w/ early Ford Bronco axles / engine / drivetrain.

    Now it's on a custom chassis, body has had all kinds of custom metal work done.

    67493621_2491181040933904_6209922763214290944_n.jpg
     
  18. silverdome
    Joined: Aug 23, 2007
    Posts: 556

    silverdome
    Member

    My brother had a Jeep pickup of that body style with a slant 6 in it. I always wanted it but didn't have the room for it. He sold it to someone who did.
     
  19. Guy Patterson
    Joined: Nov 27, 2020
    Posts: 372

    Guy Patterson

    Ryan I think I saw that truck as A kid in Beaumont it sure looks like one that came into my dads body shop for some work
     
    tractorguy and Ryan like this.
  20. For as high dollar as that Icon rig is (they are ALL just stupid expensive), I'd be pissed if I was the "client" (for Christ's sake, what kind of a car guy says "client" instead of "customer", must think he's a doctor or lawyer) and spent high-six figures to get all those rattles you can hear on the vid!
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  21. Here's a (semi H.A.M.B. friendly) '55 Willys Pickup that's been "Traditionally Hot Rodded" (i.e., note the vintage Paxton centrifugal supercharger):

    1955 Willys Pickup with Paxton Supercharger.jpg
     
  22. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    To me, these things look way better if they AREN’T over done with crazy nice paint, etc... Single color, a tad bit rough around the edges, black steel wheels, military knobbies, etc...

    Another neat motor choice for these would be that small aluminum V8 that Buick put out and that Range Rover still uses...
     
  23. continentaljohn
    Joined: Jul 24, 2002
    Posts: 5,504

    continentaljohn
    Member

    Being a old jeep guy I have been a fan of the old Willy’s wagons cj or trucks. What’s cool about them is they are kinda a woody wagon as some had that trim package. The jeeps came with a number of transmissions and depending on the one you have T90,T98, sm420 or t18 a V8 swap is super easy ... I love them bone ass stock !
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  24. tractorguy
    Joined: Jan 5, 2008
    Posts: 894

    tractorguy
    Member

    Ryan.....Welcome to the world of Willys......and not just those wheelstanding gassers ! I'm sure that the beautiful rig you encountered was a very, very well done marriage or conversion of an early Willys panel or wagon with a Willys pickup. I found it very interesting that you used the two words "simple"....."purposeful" in your description. Can you think of two words that more succinctly also describe early "traditional" hot rods ??

    I am the proud owner of an original barn find 1953 Willys CJ3B Jeep. I acquired it after finally giving up on my 1929 Model A roadster project when I realized at age 75 that I needed a Willys "roadster" that would be a little slower and more forgiving . It shares space in my shed with my 1928 Chevrolet speedster project.....my vintage Solar dirt track midget (sadly until it left last year)......several 1950's-60's Chev smallblocks waiting to be warmed over ......and my old Case tractor workhorse. They all fit right in and peacefully coexist.

    I divide a little of my non-productive ?? time each day between the HAMB and www.ewillys.com. Dave Deilers does a great job with that sight. There are also forums for specific models that spin off that sight. I suspect Dave could direct you to some "experts" on the vehicle that you sighted.

    Again......welcome to the Willys world of simple and purposeful vehicles.......and they are great in Texas snow !!
     
    Ryan likes this.
  25. Must have been a popular conversion, as I pulled this 63 283 out of a Jeep wagon chassis up in the VA mountains.
    Runs like a top.
    $200 with a Hurst front mount.

    IMG_2775.JPG
     
    lothiandon1940 and Jungle Jalopy like this.
  26. Owned my Willys 1948 CJ2A flat fender for over 40 years now. Best flathead engine you can find. Can’t begin to describe the fun this thing has seen. Also have a 51 wagon and used to have a 49 Truck. I own and have owned much faster vehicles, but none more fun.


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  27. 302GMC
    Joined: Dec 15, 2005
    Posts: 7,856

    302GMC
    Member
    from Idaho

    Wait'll you get to do a valve job on a FC 170 in your driveway ...
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  28. oldiron 440
    Joined: Dec 12, 2018
    Posts: 3,299

    oldiron 440
    Member

    I had a 65 2wd short box, thats the newer cab with the old box. It had a Tornado 6, thats a Nash flathead block with a hemi overhead cam head. One winter of trying to make it run consistently and out it came and in went a 440 torkflight combo. It ran 13.50@100mph in the quarter looking stock as a rock.
     
  29. I don't think I've ever seen one of those unibody thingies.
    I accidently bought this green pickup at a farm sale. Dragged it home, put a 62 Pontiac rear axle under the back and a "wavy" 30s mopar axle up front. Sold it to fiddy4 here on the hamb and he dropped a 455 Buick in it and painted it dark blue...drove it to the HAMB drags from Michigan one year. 49jeep_pu.jpg 49JeepPU.jpg
     
  30. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,245

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Excuse me, but "off topic"? A SBC in a Jeep pickup (with, so far, custom body work) is O/T? So then my uncle's little CJ back in 65 with the 327 in it was O/T as well. He could yank the front wheels at will. Terrifying when you're only 8yrs old. How much more TJJ/HAMB does it get when "our people" even set up their work stuff as badass. Just sayin, not picking a scab. Excellent topic and as on point as can be given the current habbenings.
     
    Guy Patterson and dirty old man like this.

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