jeep rods

a while back i saw someone post there idea for a hotrod made out of an old willys jeep. well i have the opportunity to get a decent 52 willys truck for cheap and was thinking about kinda going this rout. maybe setting the body on an s-10 frame and a mild chop. i guess what this post is about is i was wondering if anyone else thought of making a hotrod out of a jeep? i know i've seen a couple at various shows, what are your ideas on this.

 

You could do alot with a Willys P/U, and can get them for realatively cheap. I had a '56 twelve or so years ago that I had to let go. I wish I still had it. Still have the flat head 226 from it though. Im keeping it for my 'someday' project.

-Jeff

 

I think TINGLER is doing something like that.

 

pictures of anything people are working on or have seen would be awesome.

 

To my knowledge, the trucks were never offered in 2WD, but the wagons were. You should be able to put the truck body on a wagon ch***is w/o too much difficulty if you choose to go 2WD. You can't just swap the wagon 2WD front end onto a 4WD ch***is as they're completely different. Of course, you could run any number of straight axles or IFS setups too.

If you choose to keep it 4WD, consider a frame swap with an early Bronco, Blazer, or Wagoneer - they all have similar wheel bases & track widths. Of course, you can adapt damn near anything to the T90 trans & run the original drivetrain - gearing may be an issue though & ODs are available that help some.

I think the Willys trucks/wagons are a nice looking vehicle - especially the '50 & up ones with the peaked grille & fenders. They are prone to rust and most were used & abused for their intended purpose, so can be beat up. Nice ones are fetching good money.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151967&highlight=jeep

 

I don't know the owner but we see this one around town.It's cammed up,lots of rump in the idle.Sounds healthy as all hell.

 

Tingler's Willys
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=121206&&showall=1

 

Been waiting forever to see something like this, in fact I was thinking about grabbing a model kit just recently to make a mock up similar to this. I've been interested for a long time about how a flathead v8 would go since I believe it was a common swap in the 50's. Im between vehicles at the moment but have already started looking for my next when the money comes up, I'm leaning towards an early jeep or more likely a pickup or wagon model. You cant lose with these-they're simple, cheap, plentiful and have ample parts available.

 

I vaguely recall my Dad telling me about a guy he knew with a Cadillac V8 in a '50s Jeep. I always thought that had some potential. Dropped axle in front, frame Z, wide whites with caps and rings...

Kinda like a Jeep Surrey, but not as flamboyant...



-Dave

 

I dig those Willy's caps on that Surrey, though. Looks good with the wide whites. Looks like a good 5" of room to lop out and then cut the windshield frame down about 3".

I did Jeeps as a kid and always wanted to do a 2wd version, like a DJ (Delivery Jeep aka Mail Jeep) but stretching the front a bit to fit more motor in. At least it is all flat so body work is minimal. Gas tank already in the back and out of the way, easy to throw blocks in the back to drop it, plenty of radiator room...

My neighbor has a Willy's truck. I think I'd better call him...

 

Yeah, I dig the 'caps and the paint. The stance needs adjustment and I'd like to see a bit cut out of the base of the windshield (bring the gl*** closer to the cowl, like the OD one). The top definitely has to go, however. And, while the interior colors work, the vertical stripes are a bit ice cream parlor for me.

I could see something like that being a great summer runabout: simple and cheap, but cool nonetheless. Sort of like a Model A RPU fifty years ago.

-Dave

 

I've always found the jeepsters to be way too cutesy for me but they have a better stance to start from and are better enclosed. Probably the closest I would consider for a year-round roadster in canada. Still love that OD jeep though, minus the OD

 

sounds like a cool a cool project and ive got a few s10 frames if anyone is intrested!

 

...here's a 49 pickup I put together a few years back, Camaro sub, Buick V6, etc.

 

only ***s and long hair hippy types build and drive a willys PU rod. . .
wait, never mind... forget i said anything.

its a jeep thing

Mine

 

Oh yes... mine was. OG 2WD front end too. factory claims they stopped production of the 2WD PU's in 51, but there were a few around in 52 like mine that used up some axles i guess.

i suppose that means the jeep snobs REALLY ****in hate my *** now eh?

 

thats another option i was kinda playing with, i could do the same thing with this as i did my 57

 

Yep I did it and still got it.
48 willysjeep Pickup.
Pacer front end fit right up to the jeep frame.
Small block FORD 260v8 to mercury comet 3speed trans with floor shifter.
Galaxy rear axle.
Duels exhaust, power steering and power brakes.
electric door locks and nice velour interior.
bed built from scratch.
Used 76 pinto front and rear bumper as they were right width.
Two of the three kids drove it to high school.
The youngest didnt like pus so Ibuilt a 57 nomad for her.
Yeah Ima a good dad.
thing is building all the other rods seems to keep pushing mine to the back burner.

 

Hmmm - not that I doubted you, but I did double-check my manuals (I've got several old Willys manuals) & here's what it says about 2WD models:

F4-134 4x2 - This is a 2-wheel-drive vehicle with either a Station Wagon or Utility Delivery body. It has a four-cylinder, F-head, engine. It was formerly designated as model 475 and Model 2 x 475.

L6-226 4x2 - This is a 2-wheel-drive vehicle with either a Utility Wagon or Utility Delivery body. It has a six cylinder, L-head, engine. It was formerly designated as Model 6-226 2x4.

Not quite satisfied - I searched acouple of my fave websites & found 2WD pickups listed from '47 to '50, so since my manual is actually a '53 manual, I'll defer to your 1st-hand experience & the website with production numbers! I stand corrected!

As for 2WD production ending in '50 vs '51 or '52, I found this:

The visual differences between '50-53 were very minor, so yours may actually be a mis-***led earlier one, it could be special order?

 

external visual differences in the cabs were slight if any from around 48 till mid 50's... the big difference is in the dash/gauge panels and the grills/shells themselves.

mine has the dash and grill shell of a 52, and most definatly had the front axle under it. that said, restorit (tom) whom i bought it from DID put the axle under it. . . however, a call to northstar willys here in MN when i was doin some reasearch for the build and i got the info here, paraphrased but the gist is:

"untill 51 or early 52, if the VIN number stamped on the data plate on the firewall did NOT have the prefex "4-WD-******" then it was a factory 2WD version" my original VIN does not have the 4-WD prefix, and the cab itself had the factory "delete cover" on the original trans tunnel where the transfer case lever would have been...

that said, as far as the state of MN knows it WAS a 4WD version, and built in 49 but we already covered the dificulty in telling them appart from across the street

yea, getting information about late 40's early 50's W/O pickups, wagons and FC's is a pain in the ***, and its always conflicting with someone elses "best information from a guy who knew a guy who had an uncles buddy working for W/O"

 

Anyone remember Ed Lenarth's Holy Toledo Jeep Funnycar? Now, there's a bad *** hot rod.

 

its a jeep thing

Fiddy, you got any pics of that truck all together? Looks neat, about like mine only with better paint,...no wait!, mine had better paint!

 

i got pics from every step of the build, almost weld for weld, hole for hole and bracket by bracket

whatcha wanna see?

 

PS. . . the thing never DID get totaly "together" before the engine decided to eat the back half of the frame and 4-bar crossmember and brackets. . . it was running, driving, stopping and had all the "legal lights" on it... its last voyage the tuesday before the drags was a night mission

i DID drive it last fall, but i guess i did too many "hard launches" away from stoplights

 

Just a thought.

 

what kinda tub is that?

 

The only Jeep hot-rod, completely traditional, and can qualify for any gay-pride parade, or a fake 'Nam hollywood movie

 

i cant even look at that thing. . . LMAO

looks like something ricardo malteban would drive around fantasy island

 

I'll admit that I was ignorant on this one...till I visitied Bakersfield for the first time in 05...too cool. I could see a street version.