48 Willys Pick Up

[Timd32]

So back in 1995 I bought a 1948 2WD Willys Pick Up for $700 it had a 302 with a C6 in it, was redone maybe in the late 70s or 80s, took a weekend to get it running, it was a fun truck drove it for a summer, Well as most kids do we took it apart in 1998 with dreams and the sort, my dad had a friend who could use the 302 and C6 so I gave that away, picked up a 1993 5.0 with a AOD and it bolted right up to where the C6 mounted. We started to redo it a bit, then as most stories go it sat a year then 2, now 20, it's at its 3rd home, been sitting since maybe 2002 behind a 40' storage container I have full of other stuff at a friends shop.

Well they are preparing to sell the building and were pulling stuff out of the weeds and noticed there was a slight issue with the Willys, I have not seen it yet, need to stop in and take a look and see what's left.

That tree has grown into the frame, not sure if it deformed the frame at all, my guess is yes, and its shot, it looks like its destroyed, folks there they said it's actually fine looking and might just be the way then pic was taken, will have to bring the chain saw down and see what's left.

Will have to make some decisions on all my projects down there, also have a pretty rough 1957 Chevy Suburban, bought that in 1992, it has a bunch of body issues but has been inside since 1992 either in the garage or in the 40' sea container. It's an old NAVY truck had a pretty neat brass plate that I have some where for it. It's just a shell no front end sheetmetal I have a fiberglass front nose for it, the things kids do...

Some old pics from back in the day.

The grill is just sitting in the frame it's not bolted up at this point.

Some frame shots, it had a Dana 30 in the back swapped that out for a Ford 9" but actually did not account for the fact it was a 4WD housing and that made some issues I traded the Dana 30 for some odd or end at some point. Not that it was a great rear but it drove and the drive shaft was all sorted for that set up.

Of course like all good projects I have like 3 hoods and 6 doors for it, it used to be if you found someone with a part you needed they would make you take the whole pile and before you know it the 40' container is filled up with stuff for 17 years and counting.

 

[brucejohnson]

I don't think the tree has sharp teeth. Looks like you should be able to sidestep the frame from the gumming clutches of the tree....And, that is one potential SWEET Willys.

 

[Wayne M.]

SAVE IT!!! That looked like a nice project with that 5.0 sitting in there. Any chance on picking up on the project or the ‘57 at this point?
I do think the frame would be ok. Have you seen the skeleton cars they’re saving today? Stuff that went to the scrapper are being worked on by these Jesse James wanna bes.

 

[JR]

What kind of shape is the body in now? I know those pics are very dated, but that Willys is in waay better shape than my 67 Land Cruiser...and it ain't goin nowhere. The frame in the current pic still looks good and solid from the limited view, paint and all.
I'd definitely save it if possible...who knows, maybe in another 20 years you'll have the time

 

[Timd32]

Been so long I forgot it was not originally a 302 with a C6, it was a 289 with a C6, must have been out of a truck at some point, my Dad had a friend who worked on 60's Mustangs and he gave it to him as it need all sorts of work and he had a project he could use it for or some of the parts.

I don't think the tree has sharp teeth.

I was more worried it pushed thru the frame some how. The part I was worried about is actually the drivers rear bed mount. It sits on top of the frame and just looked odd to me.

I was able to stop by today after some job site visits, its pretty amazing how the tree grew around it, also have a smaller one out back, it's pretty buried behind my sea container, but we can get it out for sure.
But yeah it's not like it's a rotted decaying tree it's pretty alive and well, will make some good fire wood in a few months time.

I still remember the can of paint we used on the frame was bought at our local Napa, it was a single stage called black beauty the frames been outside in NJ for over 20 years. It was wire wheeled down primed and painted, and we did it in a weekend.

When I did the fuel and brake lines I primed and painted using rustoleum primer and the heavy duty colors, then I painted the clips and drilled and tapped and used stainless fasteners, they really held up, except for the couplers, of course it's all shot, even had a small electric fuel pump mounted on it.

Motor is shot for sure not useable.

Those rear tires have zero miles on them were brand new rims, the fronts are the old ones I still must have the other 2 new tires and rims in the sea container, will be funny to see those date codes if any on the old fronts and the "new" old rears, we did not have the key or anyway to get the lock off, will look for that here shortly.

Also picked up a old big blue tool box has two large flip up drawers but no key need to look, it's feels heavy I dont have a clue what's in it.
Been maybe 15 years since I opened it, it was buried in the shop. Nice having a lift gate on my 2500, makes it super easy to pick stuff like that up on a whim.

The body I have a few fenders, door, and grills, the doors need bottoms I have the replacement parts for that. The cab the floors are good, I put in new floor supports and new rockers back in the day, I may have primed it at some point, the roof was always rough like hail damage or low trees from over the time and the back of the cab I have new corners for that.

I'm not that great of a body person, especially when between the body and supports they used wood shims, and remember that always caused some decent waves, will be interesting to see the welding job I did to those back in the day. I never intended this to be a show truck, I'm not big on trophies just like clean. Mechanically sound, stuff you can enjoy. I might make it an old school shop truck.

Can always get creative with the finish and put the $ into some better mechanical upgrades. We need to find the key or bust the old one off to find all the sheet metal and cab.

 

[Timd32]

Any chance on picking up on the project or the ‘57 at this point?

Willys yes, '57 Yeah it's way on the back burner, my guess is no, I remember the passenger side call it the eye brow above the windshield there is a large dent, quarters are shot, it has a rear tail gate upper and lower, missing the lower tailgate. Will be interesting to get that in the sunlight, it was the first thing placed in the sea container, I loaded it my self and the container is sitting on a slight angle, I got the back wheel up into the unit, then when I got the fronts over the hump it took off and rolled all the way to the back and slammed into the rear of the sea container, the unit is a beast of metal, made a good dent from the inside out. But there is a custom hitch welded on the bumper and tied into the frame, doubt there is any damage from it.

It also is like 5 shades of everything I think they used it as a school bus at some point and some one painted it with a brush at some other point.

Will see in a few months time maybe if I have to vacate the unit, right now the sign is not up for the building sale, might be Q1 of 2020.

 

[Wayne M.]

Food for thought on the Willys. A lots changed since you started that. Theres all kinds of cross breeding going on. On Binder boneyard’s Instagram, they’re showing a IH scout getting a Benz TD and Toyota 5 speed. Looks pretty neat.

 

[Timd32]

Agree on the driveline so much easier to repower this nowadays.

Yeah I have had a master plan for a while now of what I would like to do with this. The 9" rear is not correct for this build it's a 4WD housing and the offset is not correct it's really close where I have it and could spacer one side maybe 1/4" to make it right, but will give that to a friend who is into 4WD fords, I bought it from him 21 years ago, he will make good use of it. Figure out a decent rear for that.

Body wise I would get it rough assembled (maybe 3hr of work its 2 doors and done) put on some sort of rolling rig and bring it to the guy I got my 96 from, he owns a local shop and have him finish the 2 door bottoms and rear cab corners, that could take a few months alone as everyone I have ever talked to about this shop wise never wants to deal with old crap, but I have a feeling this cab will fit in the back of my '18 2500, so I could bring this back and forth from his place as he has time to do it, vs making it a burden on his side.

I actually was looking at the 2.8 Cummins Crate motors they use for the jeeps, it's pretty turn key and I could maybe take this thing on service calls in the local area would be a pretty cool marketing tool. We have a pretty good industrial relationship with the local Cummins folks might be able to save a few % off the package from the normal list, nothing huge but a few points here and there buy other small things, have to call in a few favors but they were really nice to me on my 96 parts.

I think if I did the 4BT route I could be really close to that package number you see on line, but might be disappointed in the final set up. I know a guy getting a 4BT getting ready for a 07-08 Ranger swap, he has a really good plan and wants it for a daily driver so when I get closer might have to swing by his place and see what all he has for ideas for his rig for final drive and rpms and the sort, he seems similar to my thinking wants it to be driveable.

Here are the details on the 2.8 package

 

[mfurrh55]

I had same truck except mine was 4x4 and had a flatbed on it, I was up in Utah hunting and my brother new a guy that was selling a 48 jeep , went to look at it and he had sold it, he had this 50 willys sitting there, he said he had just had the 4 cylinder 80 hp Hurricane engine rebuilt, we haggled a moment over price and I finally agreed to pay 500.00 for it, ran great but was rougher than all get out, anyway I painted and after about 8 months sold it for 2300.00, the 48 jeep I went to look at he had just sold for 400.00, the guy needed money to help pay for his DUI he had just got

 

[Timd32]

I had same truck except mine was 4x4 and had a flatbed on it,

Yeah they were really fun trucks, steering would get a little sloppy from the drag link set up, and the single master cylinder is always a little scary when you blow a brake house. But we ran it pretty much all over, I worked at a old school gas station doing tires and pumping gas, the head mechanic walked across the street one day and put a inspection sticker on it for me, working hard and showing up every day never did me wrong, just a different time and I'm not that old!

Had to use the master key got into that one old box, pretty good score of MAC air tools some SnapOn stuff, when I went to school in 95-96 MAC would sell to students at 55% off the list, I worked 3rd shift at a large fancy hotel downtown Nashville doing room service from 10PM to 6AM, then school 7:30 to 3pm, that lasted maybe 8 months, so I would buy stuff and have it shipped to my house in NJ. There was supposed to be a cut off for the limit but the sales guy never turned me away. Would pay him in like wads of $1, from my tip money.

Even found my Dads set of Proto 1/2 drive shallow in that blue metal case he bought that in 1967 when he returned from being drafted in the Army. Still has almost everything in it. Wonder how many times I left parts of his kit in the lawn working on my bike.

 

[brucejohnson]

[-QUOTE="Timd32, post: 2613179, member: 1019556"]Yeah they were really fun trucks, steering would get a little sloppy from the drag link set up, and the single master cylinder is always a little scary when you blow a brake house. But we ran it pretty much all over, I worked at a old school gas station doing tires and pumping gas, the head mechanic walked across the street one day and put a inspection sticker on it for me, working hard and showing up every day never did me wrong, just a different time and I'm not that old!

Had to use the master key got into that one old box, pretty good score of MAC air tools some SnapOn stuff, when I went to school in 95-96 MAC would sell to students at 55% off the list, I worked 3rd shift at a large fancy hotel downtown Nashville doing room service from 10PM to 6AM, then school 7:30 to 3pm, that lasted maybe 8 months, so I would buy stuff and have it shipped to my house in NJ. There was supposed to be a cut off for the limit but the sales guy never turned me away. Would pay him in like wads of $1, from my tip money.

View attachment 116994 View attachment 116995 View attachment 116996

Even found my Dads set of Proto 1/2 drive shallow in that blue metal case he bought that in 1967 when he returned from being drafted in the Army. Still has almost everything in it. Wonder how many times I left parts of his kit in the lawn working on my bike.

View attachment 116993[/QUOTE]
That is cool!
Ah Yes, the brake single master cylinder...offered a lot of excitement sometimes. Depending on the leak source fast pumping only emptied it faster...but hopefully gave enough braking to slow you down for a less of a "bump" stop.
Hey! That last picture of the box of tools looks exactly like my old Indestro tools I bought in 1968-69 at a local jewelry store for $19.95, only I got screwdrivers and a bunch of other stuff in the kit for that price. Still use them today.

 

[Timd32]

Yeah there were a few loose ones, gotta a kick out of this corporate branding.

Made by the New Britain Machine company that has a interesting past supplied tools for a ton of people over the year, goes way back, but my guess is this is from the late 60's.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Britain_Machine_Company

 

[mfurrh55]

I bought the wyllis in 2002, wish I'd kept it now, sold to a ranch, guy wanted it to put hay out in pasture with it, I had to make him take the title, said he didn't care if it had one or not, it also had an 8,000 lb shaft pto driven winch on front

 

[Timd32]

Started to build a rough order of magnitude for this project cost and time wise, part of that I downloaded the install guide for the Cummins R2.8 and started read thru it and see some odd stuff in the book on the data plates, wonder how much is made and assembled in China?

Might need to do some more research on this motor and get some real world feedback as t some jeep shows maybe. That's what they are mostly geared towards. Wonder how much is assembled in USA?

They now have a 2 year warranty, of course not made for daily drivers nor would I actually have that many miles on this thing.

This is from a website not Cummins....

From the install book for the R2.8