Vintage Willys pictures

From Facebook group "Willys Jeep Trucks, Wagons, Jeepsters, CJ2A's, and FC's Gone Wild", here's a cool picture of a Hy-Rail and some great history:
Vintage Willys pics - Hy-Rail.jpg

"Willys made a variety of Hi-rail vehicles - trucks and wagons - for use on both highway and railroad tracks. These were U.S.-manufactured and titled by Fairmont and referred to as Hi-rail vehicles. Hy-rail is short for Highway-railroad.

Fairmont Railway Motors Inc, located in Fairmont, MN, developed road-rail technology in the 1940s to improve flexibility of vehicle use for railroad maintenance. Fairmont was bought by Harsco in the late 1980s. Hy-rail is still a trademark of Harsco Track Technologies and they still sell conversion kits called Hy-Rail Guide Wheel Attachments.

Note: This wagon was an A31 A class vehicle.

A-30 Truck, Started in 1948 (3 versions: A-30-A, B, C)
1st. unit to Louisville & Nashville RR in 1949
Discontinued in 1960

A-31 Wagon, Introduced in 1950
Solid tube axle suspended in front of bumper, normal bumper placement but bumper is narrow to allow wheels to fold up and away from vehicle

A-34 Wagon, Replaced the A-31 series in 1955
Independent arms that swing down, bumper extended in front, wheels fold toward vehicle, allows full width bumper."
 
Dimmwatt said:
Found this yesterday. WTF is it? Never seen it before. Looks like the image is snipped from vid

5c0c4b0f9c065844f24eae6d2f698c98_zpsa2e56ef6.jpg


Edit - added by johnrb3b
France or French Canada.
Custom made 4-door on a stretched frame.
Only pic I've ever seen of suicide doors.
Click to expand...
It’s a stretched ambulance
 
rocket said:
Father of the Wagoneer. 1959 Willys Malibu Prototype.

View attachment 88833
View attachment 88834

www.macsmotorcitygarage.com

Father of the Jeep Wagoneer: The 1959 Willys Malibu Prototype

The original Jeep Wagoneer of 1963-91 helped to launch the SUV movement, and the Wagoneer story starts here: With the 1959 Malibu prototype.
www.macsmotorcitygarage.com www.macsmotorcitygarage.com
Click to expand...
It looks to me like the Falcon Wagon and Willys Malibu were drawn up on a bar napkin after hours by a couple of friends who worked at different car design firms.
 
Dahdo said:
Ha, I've never seen or heard of those. The catch is you have to be able to see the ground. I've got my grandpa's log books and he described a harrowing flight over the Sierras. There was limited visibility and he wasn't sure if he was on course or even over the summit. Eventually he started his descent, spotted a small town that wasn't Reno (his destination) buzzed the railroad station and discover he was over Carson City, about 25 miles south. The crazy thing is, I received and read those logs in the early 80s when we were living in....Carson City.
Click to expand...
That is so cool that you have his logbooks. The airmail pilots were a tough breed. They certainly paved the way for modern aviation.
 
Curious to know if this was recent or old post..?...

Looks like he went ass over tea kettle a few times..!!!

got to salvage what you can and unfortunately have to scrap the rest......have to write this one off.....no way to save it....



Larry
 
rocket said:
Looks Icey, cant't imagine a Willys Wagon going fast enough to tee kettle.
Click to expand...

That is likely what cause him to go over in the first place......going to fast ...started to slew....wheel sidewalls dug in and centrifigual force took over .....sending him ass over teakettle sideways 2-3 times.....

with any luck,... they got out of it alive and ok .....



Larry
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top