Hi Guys! 1956 CJ3B!!

[Enric]

Hi!

My name is Enric, I'm 34 years old, and I'm writting to you from a little town called Masnou, near Barcelona, Catalonia (spain).

I have and old Mitsubishi Willys CJ3B. My grandpa bought it in 1962 in Oviedo (spain) on a minery industry auction. This CJ3B was registered in spain in 1958. My CJ3B was manufactured in 1956 in Japan.
My dad and my grandpa was using the CJ3B for a strength work every day during 20 years, chargin bidons of fuel for his bulldozers. It has a yellowed body (like a bulldozer), due than my father paint it yellow on 70's.
The main change that it has been suffered is the engine: My grandpa changed the original engine (a Hurricane one) for a Barreiros one (the same engine that was mounted on the willys-viasa, from spain), cause in spain the gasoil was cheaper than gasoline.

Nowadays we are working on the CJ3B again. The car is in perfect mechanical aspects, cause my dad is a mechanical genius, but the car still has a little damages on some parts (body, tailgate, painting, softop, and mirrors).

I will enjoy this willys forum! :)

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[dave351cid]

hi Enric. its Dave here from Ausralia.

your jeep looks to be in pretty good condition. good to keep something like that in the familly. it would be great to hear some more of its history and some more photos.
i didnt know that they ever made willys in japan. we have a few Indian built Mahindra jeeps here in Australia but not many.

[1948 Cal Willys Pickup]

That is in pretty nice shape. Hey Dave I think there was a bit lost in translation. I think he is saying he owns a Mitsubishi and a Willys. I could be wrong but I dont think there were any built in Japan either. I am definitely curious so I will do some research. Welcome to the forum Enric.

[Scary Gary]

Great Willys.
Love the story.

[Enric]

Hi again!!

Its a Japanese Willys, made in 1956 :)

I will add some pics from the 60's with the original Mitsubishi body, and some others with the current body (a Viasa one, changed by my dad on 70's when he paintet up again the whole jeep) :)

More history of the jeep and my family:
My mum used that willys jeep from 1978 (when my dad and my mum get married), until 1990, when my father bought another Mitsubishi (a Pajero).
All the kids at school had me envious of my mother's car. Every morning she unload my sister and I at school's door, on the yellow increhible car.
Many of my current friends who went with me to school are freaking out again with the Willys!! :)

Take a look to the pics, the BW ones are from the old mitsubishi Body (1960's). The color ones are from nowadays.
The only body original parts that remain in the car are the hood and the grid! (with the mitsubishi icon)

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The old one body has a hard top, and the side door opens backwards

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My dad some days ago working on the engine. And the mitsubishi panel!

[dave351cid]

interesting story mate. we learn something new everyday. great photos

just found this lick with a bit of info.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_CJ

and this link about the Viasa Jeep.
https://sites.google.com/site/mbcj3bwillysviasa/home_en/mb-cj3b_history

http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/World/Spain.html

i wonder how many countries the jeeps were made in under licence ?

[Enric]

Some diferences between the VIASA and the american Willys are: The grill logo, the controls, and the passenger side lug. The VIASA one mounts a BARREIROS engine (spanish design, about 65 HP, Here you have a link (http://foros.el4x4.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=8477) about de BARREIROS engine: a little history wrote by a BARREIROS engineer -spanish written-)

I add a pict of the data plate of my barreiros engine
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About the passenger Lug: you can see on this pict (of my mitsubishi, with the VIASA body, the original holes where mount the LUG on the VIASA body: the holes are a little bit on left, over the globebox! The VIASA body did not have globebox, my dad made it, using the original globebox door, and mounting the lug on the mitsubishi's original right place)
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And about the countries where have been made the CJ's under the willys liscense: Japan (Mitsubishi), Spain (VIASA and EBRO, but EBRO startet on the Commando), India (Mahindra), France (Hotchkiss JH), Tuzla (Turkey), Wilco (colombia)... Maybe I forget something!!!

Enric
PD: also you can see in the pict the mitsubishi logo on the speed gauge

[1948 Cal Willys Pickup]

Thank you for the history lesson. The story behind your Willys is awesome.

[Scary Gary]

Love the photo's .
Keep them coming .