Slim Jim Joe
12-31-2018, 03:51 PM
Greetings,
I am a third time Willys Wagon owner. The first was a '62 that I had when I lived in Colorado. It was pretty close to stock with the exception the the snow plow on the front. That one now resides in Texas with one of my dad's neighbors (the plow still resides in Co.).
My second was a '61 that I got when I moved to Arizona. It was stock with the exception of a GM 283 mated to the T 90. It ended up magically turning into lawyer's fees somehow and last I heard is in the process of getting the body dropped onto a mid eighties Blazer frame.
With this third one that I now own I must pay tribute to a previous owner who did a number of things to this '55. There is a tight running GM 283 in it with an Edelbrock carb and intake. It exhales with a duel custom system that is well laid out and protected- and it sounds great too without being annoying. Behind the motor is a GM 700 r4 transmission with an NP 208 transfer case (it is a bit odd not stick shifting this ride.). Custom drive shafts go to the stock axles. It also has a custom front tube bumper with a 2" receiver built in and a rear 2" receiver built into a cross-member that tucks nicely under the original bumper. That cross-member is part of the previously mentioned exhaust protection. As part of the sale I got a cargo area loaded with the stock Willys parts that have come off, two Saginaw steering assemblies, and two power brake boosters and associated parts. It is apparent that there were plans to convert to modern axles but that seems to have been left for me to do with a good head start.
I have been on this forum before when I had the '61 and always appreciated the ideas, links, and motivation that I found here. I made a promise to my son when I sold the '61 that when we were back in the position to own another wagon that we would get one. It is good to be back with both a fulfilled promise and renewed enthusiasm to undertake another Willys Wagon journey. I am thankful for the resources, the pictures, the plans, and the hard work that has taken place with all the forum members here.
Thanks for reading.
SJJ (formerly BRM)
I am a third time Willys Wagon owner. The first was a '62 that I had when I lived in Colorado. It was pretty close to stock with the exception the the snow plow on the front. That one now resides in Texas with one of my dad's neighbors (the plow still resides in Co.).
My second was a '61 that I got when I moved to Arizona. It was stock with the exception of a GM 283 mated to the T 90. It ended up magically turning into lawyer's fees somehow and last I heard is in the process of getting the body dropped onto a mid eighties Blazer frame.
With this third one that I now own I must pay tribute to a previous owner who did a number of things to this '55. There is a tight running GM 283 in it with an Edelbrock carb and intake. It exhales with a duel custom system that is well laid out and protected- and it sounds great too without being annoying. Behind the motor is a GM 700 r4 transmission with an NP 208 transfer case (it is a bit odd not stick shifting this ride.). Custom drive shafts go to the stock axles. It also has a custom front tube bumper with a 2" receiver built in and a rear 2" receiver built into a cross-member that tucks nicely under the original bumper. That cross-member is part of the previously mentioned exhaust protection. As part of the sale I got a cargo area loaded with the stock Willys parts that have come off, two Saginaw steering assemblies, and two power brake boosters and associated parts. It is apparent that there were plans to convert to modern axles but that seems to have been left for me to do with a good head start.
I have been on this forum before when I had the '61 and always appreciated the ideas, links, and motivation that I found here. I made a promise to my son when I sold the '61 that when we were back in the position to own another wagon that we would get one. It is good to be back with both a fulfilled promise and renewed enthusiasm to undertake another Willys Wagon journey. I am thankful for the resources, the pictures, the plans, and the hard work that has taken place with all the forum members here.
Thanks for reading.
SJJ (formerly BRM)