the 55' willy's build

[motomech]

OK i know its been awhile since i did anything on my truck been kinda low on cash but i took my driveshaft down to be shortened and new joints installed

ill get it back in a week then ill put the cab on and shoot some pics
bought a wireing harness for it from "Haywire products" looks simple enuf but we will seeI also need to find a tranny cooler that will suit my needs

 

[chopper tom]

Bout time ive been waiting to see some pics and was wandering are you gonna chop it?
i always thought that i would build one of those some day but i dont think its gonna happen so i been wantin to see you finish yours !

 

[motomech]

I dont know if im gunna chop it im 6'6" and 400lbs as it is i can hardly fit in it now and a chop will not help..i need to get all the body parts on then ill look at it and see

 

[Gastrick]

Good to hear that you are back on the job motomech.

 

[motomech]

Got my driveshaft back...only took em 1 day super service they are called "Mesa driveshaft"

to have a driveline cut 10 inches shorter,2 new u-joints and balanced and painted it cost me 210 bucks

 

[nachodaddy69]

Wow thats what i was thinking of doing with my 53 pu. are you gonna run fenders?

 

[motomech]

Nope no fenders,unless johnny law says i have too.
just grill,hood,cab,bed

 

[motomech]

Wow thats what i was thinking of doing with my 53 pu. are you gonna run fenders?

What is your story what kind of 53 p/u do you
have...Welcome to RRR post some pictures and do an intro!You will find alot of goodguys...AND LADYS on this site.

 

[Blow by]

motomech was just looking at a couple of your earlier posts and see that you were talking about a chop.I have a 3" chop and at 5'8" it is just useable.You would have to drop the seat box to be able to get everything you would need at 6'6".My seat is out of a Toyota pickup and I could drop another inch possibly to get a little more.

 

[motomech]

Yeah i dont think im gonna chop it im just too tall and fat
plus im just really just trying to get this thing on the road i can make it pretty later

 

[chvyhs]

Nice build up thread. This is my first post here because I just found this site while searching for Willys hot rod pics. I just began building my Willys hot rod and I wanted to know if you have any pics of the body on the frame yet? My donor is a 1992 S10 Blazer. I'm using the complete drivetrain and chassis so I can bag it and do some long distance cruising.

 

[motomech]

no pics of the body on the revamped frame yet ive been real lazy lately
here are some pics of it before i took it apart

 

[motomech]

i changed the wheelbase
chrome wheels is the before shot, black wheels is it now

 

[clamor]

Hello from a local

Nice to see some more rats in the valley.
I live in Peoria & there's a car cruise every Saturday at the Safeway on 83rd Ave. & Lake Pleasant Pkwy.
There're always a couple rats there.
Too bad you're on the other side. Otherwise I'd try & come by to help.
If I get some other projects out of the way I hope to start a rat in a year or so.
Thanks for posting your project!
-Chaz

 

[motomech]

cool man but yeah you are on the other side of the world from me lol
The willys has been set back to make room for my wife's 74 2wd short bed Chevy since she wrecked the other one then ill get back to the willys

i just got a bunch of parts for the willys off of her wrecked truck that i really needed

 

[marco]

marco from RI,nice buildyou have going.I to have 2 willys. One ground up resto and a 1955 wagon i paid 50$ to plow 15 years ago and still runs today. My 1960 pickup was built for shows and cruise nights.I just got in this computer stuff and can;t pictuers on line.If I can help you in any way just let me know.Take care and don't junk but restore! Marco ( ps any help getting pictures on line would help thanks)

 

[sonicdeath88]

Hey motomech, it's lookin really good so far,i just picked up a 52 willys p.u im gonna be rat rodding as soon as possible, i was thinking of going with a whole new frame because i really dont like the height on the stocker, and its pretty rusted "it's from VT" do you have the specs on that front dropped I beam by any chance, and what is height on the front after you set it up?, im going to be tearing apart mine come spring, im just trying to get a idea of what i want to build, cant wait to see more on the build!

 

[motomech]

Its a magnum axle i got from So-Cal Speed Shop.
4"drop...If i remember right it's 48" wide. With the tires on the front frame horns are about 12" off of the floor and will be lower when the body and front sheet metal gets put on.
Its about 10" to 12" forward of the stock axle position.Its directly under the frame crossbeam in front of the engine
spring over axle, push pull steering etc

 

[sonicdeath88]

hey thanks, i was talking to my old man about my willys yesterday, and he's telling me that it would be smarter to juet keep my frame, chop it off from the cab back, and Z the half i replace to raise the bed "i plan on using a short flat bed", i really like the look of the single leaf in the front,but im still debating if i should go with a paralle leaf set up like it has stock with a dropped I beam,somehitng off a old econoline mabe? im not to sure yet, just getting idea's, thanks for the info and if you have any advice please send it my way pal, and good luck i look foward to seeing your beast in the future

 

[bob w]

Nice proportions

If I can jump in here with an observation...here goes: motomech's Willys takes on a whole new and improved appearance with the front wheels moved forward. That is nicely achieved by the front suspension he has chosen. If the parallel leaf spring set up is retained, and I've used it on a few rods, the Willys will just look like a stocker with the fenders removed. I'm excited to see the whole truck together, motomech, because I think it is going look really good.
sd88, if you want to retain the parallel leaf set up you could lengthen the frame in front to position the axle similar to motomech's. You can mount the axle on top of the springs to lower it.
Keep up the good work, guys.