1955 Willys Wagon in Colorado - Timely Help Needed or Destined for Craigslist

[Anastatia]

The 1955 Willys Wagon I own was rescued in Western Colorado two years ago. The owner was a coworker of my dad's and about to take it to the scrap yard. My dad didn't like this idea, so I went with my dad and took pictures while they loaded it up to become his project. On the way home, my dad decided he didn't really want to restore it and if I covered the travel costs, it would be my project. In the next two years, I cleaned it up, found some parts, tried to restore the (not original) engine, rebuilt the carburetor, new hoses and spark plugs, got it inspected and appraised to own a restoration title since there wasn't one from the owner, etc. Unfortunately, my knowledge base has come to an end, as has my dad's interest in helping on it, and the end of the month it has to be moved. I've listed it on Craigslist, but no bites yet and since I haven't quite let go of my need to restore and drive it myself, I called a nearby shop that might handle things like a new engine and rewiring, etc. and they figured about 100 hours at $84/hr plus parts to get a new working engine, etc. It has new wheels and roller tires (though one may be mildly bent since one deflates) and the engine only attempted to start once, and further investigation found the pistons don't spin easily, so he thinks it just needs a new engine. (It's kinda too big for the compartment anyway.) Ideas? I have access to a manual engine hoist. But I haven't the knowledge base on what to do now or if it's just in too bad of a shape to even bother and I should slash the price and let it go. (Instagram hashtag is #grampajeep as I own a Liberty and always called it #babyjeep. I know a Willys is different, but it's what I went with.)

Thank you for your time.
Anastatia

 

[Garth]

That's really a great story you've captured so far Anastatia. Cleaned up well. Thanks for sharing your photos. This is an extremely helpful forum. Great know how and experience and if you require parts etc always ask on the forum as the members offer some great deals.

 

[Anastatia]

Thank you, Garth. Did I post in the proper place for my requests? I'm completely stumped and curious how to proceed now. Remove old engine, buy new engine, buy engine compartment adapters, install engine, reinstall all of the hoses and such I'd replaced before? What's a realistic ballpark for cost? How do I prevent purchase of another bad engine? How does one determine if this Willys' condition worth all of the cost or if I saved it from being recycled metal and let it be the project of someone who's way more skilled?

Also, anyone from Colorado who can suggest affordable vehicle storage as my apartment does not have a garage and does not permit vehicles that are not running/plated?

Bigger album for those interested: http://alturl.com/8zfjn

 

[Garth]

Anastatia the motor requirements or decision with cost in mind can be addressed.
What Transmission and transfer case does your Willys have? Also have you checked the differentials? Brakes etc It would be good to know these parts and their condition as that could inform you as to what motor you could swap in. So in my case and as a newbie I got to know the exact condition of the drivetrain as once you know this you would be able to make an informed decision as to costs to repair etc and what kind of budget you are looking at overall. This then manages your expectations as to how long you would need to do the repairs (raise the money) and so forth. Just looking at your website it seems to me you have oodles of ability and with the assistance of some our brains trust you could do most of the work yourself and call on your brother where some more muscle is required.

 

[banman]

I'd try and hang onto it if you can--That's a very complete looking wagon (except the engine swap) for restoration or resto-mod.
By the look of the shift levers the ford I6 has been adapted to the stock T-90 & D-18. Nothing wrong with that.
I'd start with trying to get the engine to run before seeking another engine. The carb I saw in the pix will need to be rebuilt after a good soaking. These are super easy carbs to rebuild. Then with clean gas (I'd use a lawn mower tank hung from the hood). Charged battery, you should be able to see what you're dealing with.

There's a good concentration of us Willys fans here in CO. If you say where in the state you're at one of us might be able to swing by and give better advice...

 

[Pete]

Anastatia-

These rigs are, in my judgement, a labor of love. My '60 wagon is stock, and I drive it daily. It takes constant maintenance and upkeep compared to a modern rig, but I love wrenching on it. It is my stress relief to keep it running. As others have already said, I think determining what you want out of your wagon will go along way to helping you decide if you want to put money into it, or move on. If you want a perfect trouble free rig and need a restoration shop to put it all together, it is going to be expensive. If you want something that has patina, and is fun to learn about, get your hands dirty and fix, and can be done over time, you can do it very reasonably.

Just to get it running and driving, I think the price quoted by the shop is steep. You could find a running stock 6-226 engine for example, and swap it in. I bought a rebuilt 6-226 for my wagon from a friend here on the forum for $500, deals are out there with patience. The engine you have may run fine, with some TLC. My experience with shops (my brother has his own shop for years...) is that they don't want to touch something that could be a call-back, so they may not even want to mess with your current engine. I'd clean it up and see what happens, it might not need much.

My son's '51 wagon, which we bought for $850, and have done a complete frame up custom build with, has cost less than what your shop quoted you, with a 5.3V8 swap, new transmission, axles, brakes, power steering, custom frame, etc. The wagon was in similar shape to what you are starting with. Granted, we have done all the work ourselves, but it goes to show you can do this on a budget if you are willing to put in the effort.

Best of luck with the wagon, I hope you can move forward with it and have some fun while you are at it.

Pete

 

[Anastatia]

Thank you, all.

The Willys is locked in a business garage off of Wolfensberger Rd in Castle Rock that is downsizing to fewer offices and as such this single indoor garage space will no longer be under the lease. (Hence the quick need to move it that's complicating things.) I've soaked and rebuilt the carburetor, so we're good there. And we attempted to charge the battery, etc. and since it didn't seem to work, I hear going 12V is the way to go anyway in case I have trouble somewhere that I can get a jump from a traditional vehicle.

Attempts have been made to get this particular engine in working condition (and yes, I mean more than removing dog food put inside by a critter! see link to Facebook album), but when the pistons resisted any spinning by hand, I was told it was beyond our skill level and I'd need to get a new engine. Is this accurate or is it a matter of skill level and I would need to get a garage involved vs. a hobbiest? The fire wall has been bent back to even attempt to accommodate this large engine and any removal of the final bolts near the wall is incredibly difficult, so perhaps it's worth the trouble/cost of replacing it for future ease of maintenance? As you can see from the Facebook album, I don't mind getting in there and doing the work, it's just a matter of knowing what and how.

If I can get a friend to garage it for the short run, I could seek a new apartment with an attached garage and then its timeline of repair bothers only me. The excitement of bringing it back from dead so far has been awesome, and this girl who was usually first to take her car into Grease Monkey for an oil change has learned more than she's ever thought possible in rescuing a piece of history. I'm simply not ready to give it up to a stranger to do as he wills with it forever.

 

[scramboleer]

Anastasia,

I would say keep on working on the wagon, as time permits (once you find a more permanent home). Also local support is invaluable. Local Willys guys have helped me a lot with my wagon and I've learned a lot from them and had a lot of fun along the way.

Cheers!

 

[banman]

Does the engine turn over with the starter motor? Does it sound like a normal speed (200+rpm)?
Pull the oil pan (drain first) and carefully inspect for debris. (post pix)
Look for burnt oil on the rod/main bearing caps.
You can remove one or more bearing caps and inspect their condition.
Look at the cylinder walls--see any cross-hatching left? See vertical scores or rust?

Worse comes to worse--price a remanned engine--I doubt that ford engine is much from a parts supplier. Waaaay cheaper than a 6-226...

 

[gkesseru]

"pistons resisted spinning by hand"
When you removed the old spark plugs did any rusty water come out?
Were the part of the old plugs inside the engine rusty?
If not, then there is still hope. Remove old plugs and squirt in a penetrating fluid, maybe a tablespoon's worth. I prefer SeaFoam, but lately there is a trend to use an Acetate/Auto trans fluid mix. PBlaster is also good. Let the fluid sit for a day, then try and turn the engine with a breaker bar on the big nut holding the harmonic balancer. It'she big pulley on the bottom front of the engine. If you can get it to budge, even a little, that's good news. Turn slowly, add a little more fluid. If it get's looser as you do this then there is a good chance that the engine may be saved. Make sure there is oil in the crankcase. Then you can use the starter to turn it often enough to get the fluid out of the cylinders. Then check for spark and fuel, replace the plugs and try some starter fluid sprayed into the carb with the choke held open. It should fire.

 

[johnrb3b]

Sounds like you really want to save the Wagon.
If you can get a garage to work in, time is your friend. Tackle it llike eating an elephant - one small bite at a time. It sounds to me like you are already in that frame of mind - working on small things in order needed.
As for the engine, there are many, many cases of partially or even totally frozen engines that have been loosened up by the methods Gabor just listed. The soaking time may be in days rather than hours. Just don't rush it or force it. Things usually do come loose.
If the engine is salvagable, then you've passed the biggest hurdle (assuming the frame isn't broken or something like that).

When (not if - think positively) you get the engine running, go through the transmission, transfer case and differentials, replacing fluids and checking for free rotation of parts. Brakes next and you're ready to test drive. Cosmetics and comfort can wait.

Once it's actually drivable, your enthusiasm will increase by an order of magnitude. Then you can work on cleanup of the interior and other such things while actually being able to drive it. It's the driving that's the fun part.

Good luck and don't be afraid to hit the brain trust here for any and all questions. Helping others is part of our fun.

 

[Jerryab]

Good advice from all, the one thing I would add is not to be afraid to take the engine apart. If you have a good overhaul manual, there is so much to learn from that experience! I can see you aren't the average girl, I know there are many people on this forum you could always call on for help. Engines are basically nuts, bolts and bearings, none of them are easily damaged by taking the engine apart. Just find the place to park it for a few weeks, get some basic tools and start! Even if you aren't successful, you will have fun and learn soooo much about engines. Remember, nothing happens.....until someone does something! Just do it! Let me know if I can ever contribute, Jerry