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41 Willys Pick up

60K views 442 replies 21 participants last post by  mmhotrod 
#1 ·
Well, I thought I'd start a thread about the progress towards the sale of this truck. I've copied and pasted the following quote from a post by Vaughn; "get out in the garage routinely...and do something to stay engaged on the project...otherwise you can loose interest" which is exactly what has happened with me. I still haven't installed the Gear Vendors overdrive unit in my 53 but I thought I'm going to get this Willys where it runs, moves and stops under its own power because it'll be a lot easier to sell and will most definitely bring a better price if a potential buyer can get in, sit down, start it and take it around the block.
I purchased a pair of really nice (I think) recently upholstered bucket seats off Craigs list in November and threw them in the cab of the truck, put the cover back on it and forgot about it. I'm reading the posts from you other members and you're all still faithfully working on your projects despite the fucked up weather you have. Here I am where it's practically like summer and I'm not doing anything but going for motorcycle rides.
A quote from Vaughn in a recent post has been in the back of my mind ever since he posted it. So this morning I got up and decided I'm going to get something done today and decided to mount the seats. No rocket science involved just basic measuring, cutting and welding. Jesus, I sure work a whole lot slower than I used to.
Anyway, the seats came mounted on some nicely built and carpeted metal stands. So, I used some wood blocks to determine the seat height I wanted and cut the excess off. Took a piece of 1/4" X 1 1/2" angle iron I had and cut some mounting tabs. Marked the floor where the seats were going and welded the tabs in. Drilled some pilot holes through the stands and into the tabs. Next is just threading the holes in the tabs for 3/8 24 button head Allen bolts and it's a done deal.
I thought I'd start on some of the basic wiring just so the motor can be started so I put in the new HD ignition switch and marine grade starter button but my lower back started to bother me and I am supposed to go for a ride tomorrow so I called it a day.
Thanks Vaughn for those words of wisdom. I'd just lost all motivation to do anything on either car. Hopefully I'll continue to do a little more every week.
 

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#55 ·
Lash, to me the Hilborn style scoop has always been synonyms with a gasser as the go to scoop. I've always thought the "bug catcher" style was the three holer though and just don't look good on a gasser. As far as the "shot gun" style goes, it really has to be on the right type car to look good.
Vall, yeah I like this particular altitude too. I think it's kind of a teaser, sort of like a woman with a push up bra under a tank top; you want to see more.
 
#57 · (Edited)
Gassers, a pair

I got the driver side glass door aligned and got a good tight fit on the latch jaw assembly and fit the glass outer skin to the glass door frame and pop riveted it together. I turned the Willys around for ease of working on fabing the rear upper shock mounts and decided to do the same with my 53 for a photo op.
 

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#58 ·
Now that's a Purdy sight. 2 gassers in the same driveway and garage. Love it. The owner has good taste in cars.
 
#59 ·
Replaced a photo

The diecast gasser builder I know in Arizona calls his business "The Gasser Garage". He caled me yesterday to give me an update on the current car he is doing for me and I mentioned the progress I'd made on the Willys. He asked for a photo so I thought I'd add a little something extra to the photo. I just heard from him and he loves it.
 

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#63 ·
Hey Steve , the wife gave you thumbs up on the willys pu. LOL IM working it...........She wants to know how much......OH Boy.
 
#65 ·
Playing Catch Up With the Rest Of You Guys!!

I'm reading the various threads of all the builds and it seems everyone is making significant strides in progress except me, so I thought I'd better get something done. I sent two Aldan shocks back to Aldan to get them rebuilt and I'm supposed to be getting them back tomorrow. In the mean time I started working on the rear mounts. I had purchased some bottom mounts on ebay but the mounting stud wasn't long enough to put the shock out enough to clear the bottom u-bolt brackets so I cut them off, drilled them for 5/8" bolts, bought some longer grade 8 bolts, cut the heads off, welded them to the brackets and was able to space the shocks out. On to the top mounts. According to Aldan there needs to be between 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" difference between the ride height you want and the 13 1/4" eye-to-eye of the shock. So after I mocked everything up I found I needed to lower my top mount position by 1". So last Saturday I went to Industrial Metal and the best match I could find for what I needed was some 1 1/2" X 3 1/2" rectangular tubing. I brought it home and made my own. I cut a 12" section, scribed a 1/2" strip to cut out, went to work with a 4 1/2" cut off wheel, got the two halves, welded them together, ground the welds down and viola; I have my needed 1" additional spacing.
 

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#66 ·
One Last Photo

Here's the top mount. I haven't decided if I'm going to weld it on or bolt it on. It is always nice to have the option of unbolting a part if need be instead of cutting and grinding.
 

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#68 ·
Nice work Steve. Playtime while you wait is good. Good to see you motivated. Catchup is good on hotdogs. So is mustard.
Now get that willys Rollin. :)
 
#70 · (Edited)
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Well I just wasted a f---ing morning! I drove into Santa Ana to an industrial hardware store (left early because they close at noon on Saturday) to pick up some steel spacers and they're closed for the holiday, shit. Now is when I really wish I had one of those small hobbyists lathe/milling machines. There is a one good thing though, my rebuilt Aldan coil overs were here when i got home.
 

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#72 ·
Shocks, I got Shocks!!

Well, I finished the rear shock install and took the Willys out for quick trip around the corner. Man this car is squirrely! It takes absolutely nothing to break the tires loose. Of course the bed is off but that can't weigh more than a couple hundred pounds at most. Mario, I can hardly wait to hear about your MG the first time you nail it
I definitely need to get it to a front end place (we have a really good one not to far away. I'll definitely need to have AAA take it in) because I'm sure the front axle needs to be set. I may also need a new steering box.
 

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#73 ·
Nice steve. Shocks look great. Nice rubber on the road my friend. Lol
 
#75 · (Edited)
The Light Bulb Went Off

After driving the Willys and being very pleased with the way the rear end felt needless to say I was a bit disappointed with the steering. It almost felt like a fuel altered the way it was all over the street. I put all my shit away and went and got some lunch. As I was sitting there thinking about the way the truck was responding to steering corrections I thought to myself "myself, what are the chances that the front tube axle hasn't been welded to the perches either." When I got back home and looked underneath, sure enough; the axle had rotated about 15 degrees. Out came the tools, loosened the ubolts, turned the axle back to where the rotation marks started on the tube, locked the bolts down and put a couple good spot welds on it. Got back in it, drove it and it steers great. When it's lighting the tires up now it's not so much of an out of control burn out and those big, beefy Torsion Master style traction bars work great; absolutely no wheel hop. I'm going to get the tail lights (got some nice 3" diameter LEDs with dual intensity brightness) installed and wire up them and the head lights. Hopefully that will be done by next week so I can put some insurance on it, get it registered, put a for sale sign on it and take it to some cruise nights and see what happens. I must admit I'm really liking this Willys; even my neighbors wife across the street likes it, she thinks it's cute. But I need 4 cars and 2 motorcycles like I need a hole in the head.
 
#76 ·
Good thing you caught that too Steve. What else on the truck wasn't welded. Is the gear box anchored ok?
Starting to gro on ya isn't it? :)
 
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