Just wondering. Can the front clips from Willys cars, (American bodied) be swapped between years? Like a 39 front guards and bonnet on a 38 body, 40 on a 39 etc. Cheers, Glen.
Glen, even the Aussie bodied stuff should interchange. Both the Holden and T.J. Richards Willys used front end sheetmetal from the US. My brother and I have a Holden bodied 37 ute with a spare set of front end panels that came off a Richards bodied 37 five window coupe. I purchased the front panels off the coupe when the owner switched to a 40 front end so it should all interchange. Roo
Not positive, but I think 41 is alittle different. If your making a g***er it wont matter, but the 41 wheel base is a little longer, I think it has to do with the front clip. Again, I am not positive of this.
37-39 Willys have a 100" wheelbase. 40 Willys has a 102" wheelbase. 41-42 Willys have a 104" wheelbase. Chances are the wheelbase increase was done in the front clip but a Willys expert would be the one who can tell you for sure.
I have a 42 and a 37, the wheel base is changed in the rear, the frames are longer in the center area. The 37 has hood hinges all it's own, 38-42's will interchange as they are just a piano hing style. hope this helps, later, Rusty.
Chances are the wheelbase increase was done in the front clip but a Willys expert would be the one who can tell you for sure. ////////////////// Is also wrong: 1940 Commercial bodies like the pickup used the earlier 100" wheelbase ch***is as they did on the 1940 sports tourer. Maybe Rooman has a 38 Hood to go on his 38 Holden Bodied Ute Cos unless you want change the Hood Hinge from either side to Piano style Centre, it ain't gonna bolt on, I have both types of Hoods at home, 37 and 38, Holden didn't build a Ute in 37 , for more good Aussie Willys info and pics, go to the web site below www.willysworlddownunder.150m.com Seeya Willysbill
Willysbill, when I purchased the ute in Adelaide in 1984 it was advertised as a 37 and that is also what the registration papers listed it as. My dad worked at Holdens prior to WW11 but he said that his memory is a little sketchy as to the model variations and production years. If a 38 has the piano hinge deal then that is is what it is. Roo
a '38 model willys DEFINITELY has a piano hinged hood. I am real curious as to how many non 40-41 Willys were reclipped to be a 40-41?
I believe 37-42 front clips will interchange on all models...coupe, truck, sedan, etc. Coupe doors will interchange as well. Rear fenders will of course bolt up on all the coupes and some of the sedans but I THINK the 41 sedan might be different. The wheel opening is a little different between the years (rear fenders) due to the wheelbase change. As a side note, the same is true of front clips on the 33-36 Willys. They'll all bolt up to the different years. Even the doors are all the same on coupes, trucks, and fronts on sedans. They liked to have a lot of interchangability back then, as they were considered an economy car. I had heard that they even made the 2 door sedans by welding the rear doors shut and leading the seam! -Scott
Thanks people! Still just thinking aloud, but my first car was a 41 Willys Holden bodied sedan with an 8BA in it, I wish I still had it now! Scott, I also read somewhere ages ago that 2 door and 4 door American bodied Willys are identical except the back doors were welded shut to make a 2 door body. Kirk, I think a lot of 38-39 coupes etc would have been 'updated' with the much more popular and probably under-hood spacious 40-41 front clips when they were g***er kings. I believe I know of one coupe downunder (very rare) that had a 39 clip on it when bought and now wears a 40 clip. Roo, that could be a 37 or a 38, or even a 39 ute. My mum had a 38 sedan when I had my 41, and the clip was the same as that, but Google 1937 Willys and that's the front clip that comes up. I also believe that the same front clip was available in 1939 as a 'budget' model while the 'overland' clip was the one with the half shut eyes. Cheers, Glen.
Kirk, I think a lot of 38-39 coupes etc would have been 'updated' with the much more popular and probably under-hood spacious 40-41 front clips when they were g***er kings. I believe I know of one coupe downunder (very rare) that had a 39 clip on it when bought and now wears a 40 clip. Cheers, Glen.[/QUOTE] That's exactly what someone did to my coupe. Technically it's a 1939 model 39, but it has a 41 front clip. I was happy, because I think the 39 front end is about the ugliest of the series. -Scott
Glen, my dad had a 39 sedan prior to WW11 and put it up on blocks when the **** started to fly. After the war when cars were in short supply he used it as the downpayment on a house. It had the "half closed eye" headlights. For those on the US side of the Pacific, if you look at the photo of the ute you should be able to see several major differences from the US Willys. THe Holden bodied versions had no exposed sill under the door, the bottom of the door rolled under and covered the edge of the floor. Also the door upper frame is a channel rather than part of the door skin stamping. The windshield opening is also different and the roof countour likewise. The sedans and coupes built by T. J. Richards were closer to the US deal but the coupes used the sedan front door and were a five window configuration. Roo
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