New to the group with 1958 Maverick wagon

[Skjoldr]

Hey everyone!

New to the group but not to Jeeps. I am 51 year old maintenance man and hobby wrench bender with a 58/9 Maverick Special that I’m trying to identify exact model, etc. missing vin plates and title paperwork has vin that don’t jive with all the numbers and info I can find.

Frame has 10008 stamped in it, special trim on body. Was told it’s #8 of 100 58’s,from what I find of numbers is that it’s 1 of 100, 4, or 1 with this trim package, want to know for sure before I start in on project. Look at picture with special trim piece on side, -3 trim package as far as I can find out.Makes a difference as to the direction I go with restoration, I was gonna make a fun rusty rat Rod toy out of it, however if it’s special ( special to me)I’ll have to restore it.

Any help identifying would be Much appreciated.

Look forward to meeting you all and helping restore some American history.

 

[Joe B]

Welcome to Old Willys Forum, Corey!

The emblems on the cowl of your wagon do indicate that it is a "limited edition" early Maverick.

Follow this link for a previous post on this:
https://www.oldwillysforum.com/foru...ollection-with-wagon-video.21141/#post-237628

(From a link included in the post I linked to above) here's an ad for one (from 2014), serial number 10005:
http://www.ewillys.com/2014/03/02/1958-maverick-wagon-san-diego-ca-4000/


Bill Norris, who posted valuable information in the comments below that ad, is a renowned Jeep historian.

With this virtual vase rub: @Bill Norris , I shall attempt to summon him...

(And the hood ornament on that example is not something Willys would have applied.)

 

[Pete]

Welcome to the forum,
Pete

 

[Lookout Ranch]

Welcome, enjoy your project!

 

[skratch]

Welcome Joe !

 

[Coastal Joe]

Welcome aboard

 

[scramboleer]

Welcome aboard. Sweet early Maverick! Those are some of the rarest of the rare. Hope you do restore it.

 

[Joe B]

Your model/serial number is 58147 10008.
Some states used to use engine serial numbers for titling.





The page below from National Service Data is for 1957, so the "58" (58 for series, not year 1958) Serial column does not yet appear in the "Body Style Table".
58147 Maverick
1, 4 and 7 are
The 1 indicates 2 Door.
The 4 is 4 cylinder F Head
The 7 is for 2 WD with LHD

 

[timd32]

Welcome to the forum. Neat project.

TUNE IN: MAVERICK SUNDAY 7:30PM

KAISER was a big sponsor of that show.

Here is a little snip it on how it might have come about....

 

[Joe B]

 

[Bill Norris]

That’s an incredible find! It is a 1958 and one of 100 built that first year. Having the Kaiser emblems on the cowl still in place is amazing. Great low serial number too.

Bill

 

[Greaser007]

Kaiser was into much more besides building Willis (spelling is off, but that is how the announcer in the video pronounced the willys brand of vehicles). The lowest priced station wagon on the market according to the above "sales" brochure.

I called a guy in New Mexico who had a wagon for sale with the number "7" in the vin plate last digit. Needless to say, I think I spent two or more evenings scrubbing the internet for data and discovered the "7" designates the 2-wheel drive (dropped I-beam axle) option. This guy said the 2wd models were very popular in his area because 4-wheel drive was not needed.Heck, being raised at the base of the Sierra, most wagons I encountered growing up, were 4x4's.

That wagon is sure a rare model by chance. In looking at the "National Service Data" sheet it has a lot of interesting data. I was noticing the differences in compression between the three engine choices, (L-134, F-134 and L-226). F-134 fuel pump pressure 2-1/2 to 3-3/4 lbs.

Knowing nothing of Willys, I bought a '57 wagon 2wd w/ dropped axle in '71, with a 327 and a powerglide. Was a fun ride.

This wagon will keep you busy getting it all scrubbed up and ready for driving to the dance hall on Friday night.

 

[Seabee]

Very cool! It would be nice to see it restored original.

 

[Joe B]

Here's a page from a later edition of National Service Data that does include a column in the "Body Style Table" for the series 58 Maverick wagons.
(This one also includes mention of the mysterious Maverick sibling: "El Gaucho", model number 58547. The serial number table from Rick Grover's web site, compiled by Nort Young, indicates that four of these -- identified in those listings as "El Goucho" -- were built in 1959.):

 

[scramboleer]

I always wondered what the El Gaucho/El Goucho was. @Bill Norris?

 

[Skjoldr]

Welcome to Old Willys Forum, Corey!

The emblems on the cowl of your wagon do indicate that it is a "limited edition" early Maverick.

Follow this link for a previous post on this:
https://www.oldwillysforum.com/foru...ollection-with-wagon-video.21141/#post-237628

(From a link included in the post I linked to above) here's an ad for one (from 2014), serial number 10005:
http://www.ewillys.com/2014/03/02/1958-maverick-wagon-san-diego-ca-4000/


Bill Norris, who posted valuable information in the comments below that ad, is a renowned Jeep historian.

With this virtual vase rub: @Bill Norris , I shall attempt to summon him...

(And the hood ornament on that example is not something Willys would have applied.)

Thank you for the help!

 

[Skjoldr]

Your model/serial number is 58147 10008.
Some states used to use engine serial numbers for titling.

View attachment 111363



The page below from National Service Data is for 1957, so the "58" (58 for series, not year 1958) Serial column does not yet appear in the "Body Style Table".
58147 Maverick
1, 4 and 7 are
The 1 indicates 2 Door.
The 4 is 4 cylinder F Head
The 7 is for 2 WD with LHD

View attachment 111357

Thankyou for the information!

 

[Skjoldr]

Kaiser was into much more besides building Willis (spelling is off, but that is how the announcer in the video pronounced the willys brand of vehicles). The lowest priced station wagon on the market according to the above "sales" brochure.

I called a guy in New Mexico who had a wagon for sale with the number "7" in the vin plate last digit. Needless to say, I think I spent two or more evenings scrubbing the internet for data and discovered the "7" designates the 2-wheel drive (dropped I-beam axle) option. This guy said the 2wd models were very popular in his area because 4-wheel drive was not needed.Heck, being raised at the base of the Sierra, most wagons I encountered growing up, were 4x4's.

That wagon is sure a rare model by chance. In looking at the "National Service Data" sheet it has a lot of interesting data. I was noticing the differences in compression between the three engine choices, (L-134, F-134 and L-226). F-134 fuel pump pressure 2-1/2 to 3-3/4 lbs.

Knowing nothing of Willys, I bought a '57 wagon 2wd w/ dropped axle in '71, with a 327 and a powerglide. Was a fun ride.

This wagon will keep you busy getting it all scrubbed up and ready for driving to the dance hall on Friday night.

Thanks for information

 

[WillysAmerica]

Hey everyone!

New to the group but not to Jeeps. I am 51 year old maintenance man and hobby wrench bender with a 58/9 Maverick Special that I’m trying to identify exact model, etc. missing vin plates and title paperwork has vin that don’t jive with all the numbers and info I can find.

Frame has 10008 stamped in it, special trim on body. Was told it’s #8 of 100 58’s,from what I find of numbers is that it’s 1 of 100, 4, or 1 with this trim package, want to know for sure before I start in on project. Look at picture with special trim piece on side, -3 trim package as far as I can find out.Makes a difference as to the direction I go with restoration, I was gonna make a fun rusty rat Rod toy out of it, however if it’s special ( special to me)I’ll have to restore it.

Any help identifying would be Much appreciated.

Look forward to meeting you all and helping restore some American history.

That wagon is/was in Newburg Oregon and sadly had a lot of cancer and was poorly modified with a non running/incomplete GM V-8 engine and someone attempted a 4WD conversion. It has a lot of good parts, but the cancer repair could be a bit intimidating to restore properly and cost effectively.

Yes it’s “Maverick Special” #8 out of 100 in 1958. Originally equipped with F-4 134, column shift T-86, and 5:38 gears in the differential with limited slip. The upholstery and mask around the instrument cluster was special, and being 2-WD, it sported the W-O hubcaps without beauty rings. The “Maverick Special” did not carry a spare tire, it ran Goodyear run flat tires. I certainly wouldn’t make it into a rat/street rod, there’s so few of those that survived.

Beginning with the 1959 production, the Kaiser rocket ship cowl emblem was dropped. The stainless belt trim on the 1958 was actually two 1 inch trim pieces stacked on top of each other. In 1959, they became one piece, like what you find on all the 1961-63 wagons. The rear cargo area had black short pile carpet, no oak runners like the other wagons.

During this time period, one could still purchase a 2-WD wagon that was a non “Maverick special” even with a L-6 226. The “Maverick Special“ promotion ran through to 1960. In 1961, the promotion was dropped, James Garner no longer was on the TV show as he was the President of the screen actors guild, he had not been paid for some time for his role on Maverick, and the screen writers went out on strike, the actors joined them.

The Willys wagon got a stainless trim facelift to the “missle” trim design, and was the ONLY 2-WD wagon available, all with column shift. The Wagoneer body was already in early production stages and Willys Motors was slowly trimming available old body types. (Some references as to the later production being a Maverick Special are undocumented with fact) The 2-WD wagon for 1961-62 still could be had with the F-4, or 226, then in 1962-1/2, the OHC-230 or the F-4 with the OHC body tub.

Any 2-WD wagon is hard to find after 1956 with the straight axle and is a nice driving vehicle.

 

[scramboleer]

That wagon is/was in Newburg Oregon and sadly had a lot of cancer and was poorly modified with a non running/incomplete GM V-8 engine and someone attempted a 4WD conversion. It has a lot of good parts, but the cancer repair could be a bit intimidating to restore properly and cost effectively.

Yes it’s “Maverick Special” #8 out of 100 in 1958. Originally equipped with F-4 134, column shift T-86, and 5:38 gears in the differential with limited slip. The upholstery and mask around the instrument cluster was special, and being 2-WD, it sported the W-O hubcaps without beauty rings. The “Maverick Special” did not carry a spare tire, it ran Goodyear run flat tires. I certainly wouldn’t make it into a rat/street rod, there’s so few of those that survived.

Beginning with the 1959 production, the Kaiser rocket ship cowl emblem was dropped. The stainless belt trim on the 1958 was actually two 1 inch trim pieces stacked on top of each other. In 1959, they became one piece, like what you find on all the 1961-63 wagons. The rear cargo area had black short pile carpet, no oak runners like the other wagons.

During this time period, one could still purchase a 2-WD wagon that was a non “Maverick special” even with a L-6 226. The “Maverick Special“ promotion ran through to 1960. In 1961, the promotion was dropped, James Garner no longer was on the TV show as he was the President of the screen actors guild, he had not been paid for some time for his role on Maverick, and the screen writers went out on strike, the actors joined them.

The Willys wagon got a stainless trim facelift to the “missle” trim design, and was the ONLY 2-WD wagon available, all with column shift. The Wagoneer body was already in early production stages and Willys Motors was slowly trimming available old body types. (Some references as to the later production being a Maverick Special are undocumented with fact) The 2-WD wagon for 1961-62 still could be had with the F-4, or 226, then in 1962-1/2, the OHC-230 or the F-4 with the OHC body tub.

Any 2-WD wagon is hard to find after 1956 with the straight axle and is a nice driving vehicle.

Thanks @WillysAmerica. Great info and history. Much appreciated.