Weston's 1950 Wagon

Jbplatt82

Gear Grinder
Apr 21, 2018
18
Texas
First Name
Jeff
Willys Model
  1. Wagon
Willys Year:
  1. 1950
Started deconstruction on my son's 1950 wagon. It's very rusty. I am a mechanic by trade so to me the mechanical is the easy part. I am not a body man so my plan is to try to bring the body to a usable state then make it run and drive. Whether that be an engine transplant into existing drivetrain or a complete drivetrain frame swap.

The worst areas are the upper cab corners where it meets the roof these areas I don't see replacement panels for and the floor pans.

Pics to follow

Jeff
 
Hello Jeff... Amazingly, Your Wagon can be Restored! I wish I could say that "It will Buff Out"! I think it will take a bit more than that, but it's very Doable! Post your progress as you go! Bring another Old Willys Truck back to it's Glory! Pivnic
 
My son is 14 I'd like to have it on the road for him to drive at 16 I think that's a bit of a stretch but at least maybe before he graduates.

My plans are to blast and either ospho or primer then start repair
 
Welcome aboard.

Just start cutting and replacing the rust one bite at a time.

I had similar rust on the roof. I cut it out a little at a time and replaced. I am a wood butcher learning body work as I go.

I ditched the drip rail in the front because my first attempt at rust repair just stunk.


Here is a link to my frame swapped rust bucket in progress. You have found a great source of motivation here on the forum. I follow several builds to keep me in the shop doing instead of dreaming.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...85&share_tid=8085&share_fid=1252&share_type=t

Best of luck,

Duane

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
That was going to be my next question. I have read a lot of these builds but have not ran across any with rust in the roof line.

I purchased a MIG welder and media blaster. I plan to hit it with crushed glass and see where the good metal starts.

Mine is not too Rusty in the usual areas the passenger floor and rocker is gone but under body supports look great.
 
A little progress I got most of the interior out and pressure washed and the doors off... which was most of the day dealing with the counter sunk screws ended up breaking 5 that will have to be dealt with later.

From looking at the way this is put together my big rust area at the roof line would be better repaired by removing the roof skin repairing the side wall the putting the roof back on. It looks like the side wall has a flange at the top that the roof rests on and the wall is rusted at this bend. Has anyone had any luck removing a roof?
imagejpeg_0_6.jpg
imagejpeg_0_7.jpg
 
I managed to spend some more time on the wagon. Tail gate and hatch off everything stripped from the firewall forward and all the glass out.

2 questions came up.

First my wagon has rounded wheel openings in the rear quarter panels that appear to be original. I have not came across these as a part to purchase all have the squared arch. Are they available anywhere and is it an original design?

Second the twisted fiber material that is staked in for the headliner to nail to is pretty nasty so I'm removing it to blast behind it.
Due to its condition I plan to trash it. Is it available?

Pics coming soon
 
on questions #2, I thought it was available but unable to find through typical Willys parts vendors. I did find similar newer product (tacking strips) in various sizes. search Bobdrake.com. it is a rubber product designed to replace the old rolled paper type. looks like it will fit the bill perfectly for you.
 
The early wagons (through mid-1950) as well as the 1960-1964 Travellers had the round rear well arches. As far as I know, the only source of them is Jon Henning here on the forum. He’s in Norway.
 
So what your saying is if I can save these quarters I need to. One is good the other is pretty rough.
 
So what your saying is if I can save these quarters I need to. One is good the other is pretty rough.

Hi Jeff, your wagon looks much like my chick wagon:
62_Willys_Wagon001.jpg 62_Willys_Wagon034.jpg
Luckily, I stumbled on this:
62_Willys_Wagon037.jpg and found this way in the back of an old wrecking yard: DSCF0859.jpg

Keep yer eyes peeled, parts will come along for you to get your son's wagon done.
 
Wow nice score. Was that side wall nos or removed from a wagon? Either way looks like it's in great shape.
 
Wow nice score. Was that side wall nos or removed from a wagon? Either way looks like it's in great shape.

Hi Jeff, the fire station down the street has a flat-fender Jeep collector named Joe. He had seen the wagon in the lot at the shop still on the trailer within a few days of towing it to the shop. Then he told me his friend had a wagon and he had a quarter panel in the crate from Willys, NOS. He asked if I'd mind if he sent him down to see me (this was on a Saturday). That very next Monday a Ford PU with a cap on pulled in and a gentleman walked in asking if someone named Chris was here. I went out to his truck and about passed out seeing the panel was NOS. Then I asked how much. Honestly, I was expecting to hear him say 600 or so. He went on to tell me that he had a wagon, he made it driveable, and a guy stopped to ask about buying the wagon. He said it wasn't for sale, but the guy insisted on making an offer. He offerred him 4500 for thwe wagon, so he sold and made over 2K in profit. Soooo, the quarter was just sitting in his barn. Then he asked for 300 bucks and I'll tell you Jeff, I couldn't get that cash out fast enough!
The roof from the wrecking yard was 40 bucks and one heck of walk from the extreme cliff edge of the yard to the front office. I still want to go back to that yard (they have 3 Willys wagons there) and grab the grilles for wall art and a driver door off the one wagon (after I cut the tree down growing next to the door)!
 
Made some progress on the wagon this weekend. It's backward but progress none the less.

Got all the spot welds drilled out and removed the roof skin and rear section of rain gutter. Guess what? More rust.

Pressure washed 1 more time, and went to Northern Tool to pick up a few bags of crushed glass. Btw it's on sale if anyone is in the market.
 
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