51 Waggy, Texas to Alaska adventure rig.

[MrBeast]

THE RIG:
Ever since I was a kid I have always loved the way the old Willys wagons and trucks look. I had one given to me when I was 14 but my dad would not let me bring it home. Well much to Dad's shagrin, I gots me a brand new old ride!

I bought it back in June, and have been collecting parts for it since that time. Currently I have:

90 model Chevy TBI 350

99 model NV4500, (clutch pedal, brake booster and steering column from same truck) Dana 60 front axle, and a Dana 60 rear

I also have my choice for a rear axle of a 77 model 14 bolt

94 model 14 bolt

or a 93 Dana 70HD

Not sure which axle is getting installed, but we will see, for sure the list of mods is going to include 4 wheel disc brakes, using GMT800 rear discs and calipers so I can have a functional E brake, as well I am going to install a Mico Brake lockhttp://www.awdirect.com/lever-lock-mico-brake-locks-02640125/brake-locks-pto/ on the front axle so I can lock up all 4 brakes to give me a really good bite if I am ever in a situation where I am recovering another vehicle because I do have a 12,500 lb Warn that is going on the front bumper.

THE TRIP:

The plan is hopefully in 2012 to be able to head out from where I live here in South Texas starting on a cross country adventure that will take me to Alaska. The plan is to get to see as much as possible, and be bloging about it the whole way sharing photos and videos from my adventure.

Once in Alaska, I am going to explore the place and hopefully wind up finding a piece of land where I will eventually build a cabin.

Coming on the trip with me will be my best buddy in the whole wide world Dexter

And my Girlfriend Kena.

Other stop offs along the way are planned in Yellowstone Park, and Glacier Park, Might do the Grand Canyon as well.

ACCOMIDATIONS:

Once the Willys is up and running I am going to borrow a few trailers and see how much trailer it will tow. The wheel base on the willys is going to be stretched out to 110-112" so this will help, as well the willys is going to pick up about 2-3000 lbs with all of the running gear I am installing, and with the bumpers, engine upgrade and frame reinforcement.

Thus it will be hard to tell exactly how much trailer it will be comfortably able to handle.

The idea though is once I know about how much trailer it will take I am going to go get an older airstream trailer and refurb it.

When doing the airstream refurb the trailer body will get yanked off of the frame, a new frame will be constructed that will be much stronger than the original, and then instead of putting the soft belly skins back on, I am going to run aluminum diamond plate on the bottom, and I will also wrap the front corners in it to keep the trailer looking nice.

The trailer will also get the largerst tanks I can stuff in it, a tankless water heater, the largest propane tank I can fit, and it will get a onboard gennerator.

Inside the trailer will be totally rewired and then insulated with spray foam making it esentially one big giant aluminum beer cooler, so that should make it quite a bit easier to keep the temperature under control. As well all of the tanks will be mounted in the warm zone of the trailer, so when I inevitably get the wild hair to go somwhere cold during winter freezing pipes will not be an issue.

I am also going to design the water system so there is a drain at the lowest point in the pipes, and when that drain is opened the pipes will drain completly, and there will be an air fitting on the other end to be able to blow them out of nessasary.

As well I am going to open up the wheel wells on the Airstream to run the same size tires as the Willys, I will use big truck fenders to remake the wheel wells so as that I can have them fit nice and look right.

When it is all said and done I think it is going to be a mad cool rig, and now here for the build updates so far:

 

[MrBeast]

Keep in mind some of the following posts will be redundant because they are being reposted from another board.

Been a while since I started the thread, havent really been able to get anything done until last night. Been really busy with work, and I moved into a new much larger shop about 4 weeks ago, so I have been trying to get all of my stuff unpacked and organized.

So last night I got the Willys rolled into the new shop and started tearing into it.

Most of the bolts in the front end came out with ease...

And my Girlfriend even came out and helped.

(yeah she gets a little excited)

Scared the crap out of her too when we pulled the body mount bolts, She wasnt expecting me to hit it with the impact.

The bolts in the bottom of the fender that go into the rockers were another story, the previous owner instead of fixing the rust decided that smearing over it with about half a gallon of bondo was the thing to do.

So out came the blue wrench...

By the time I had the rusted out bolts off and the fender loose, this is what the floor looked like.

Before too long though I had the front clip off and was able to start sizing up what it will take to get the engine and tranny out today.

That is going to be todays project.

As well I have a few decisions to make. I know I am going to narrow the Dana 60 front axle that I have.

I may use the Dana 60 rear pictured with the front (and you can see the 99 model NV4500 I am going to use)

Or I have a 77 model 14 Bolt,

 

[MrBeast]

10 picture limit :mad3:

Or I have a 14 bolt out of a GMT400

Or I have a Dana 70

One of which will get narrowed and stuffed under the rear.

Originally I had planned on running a 327, however I have a TBI 350 out of a 90 suburban that runs like a top, so I am going to clean it up and paint it and run it with the TBI since I have the computer and all I will need to get is the Painless wiring harness.

There is a lot to be done, but at this point the project should start to move very quickly. I am really looking forward to diving in.

 

[MrBeast]

Today I got after it and got the motor pulled.

Took about 2 hours, the transmission cross member was so beat up it wasnt even funny, I wound up torching the bolts off of it, I am certian some one has had this willys down a trail or 50.

Kena says "isnt that tiny little motor cute!"

Huge difference in size between the old hurricaine 4 and the 350.

Once the motor was out I wasted no time and took a bunch of measurements, then I whacked the front of the frame off.

Looks kind of funny with no front end doesnt it.

It did not stay that way long though, I took some blue machinsts dye and sprayed the frame up with it, marked it out and cut it clean.

Then I got a piece cut for the drivers side, I made it 6" longer than the stock willys frame to allow me to run the front axle further forward, and to install longer springs.

Then I installed the passenger side, I was very careful to keep everything square and level.

I checked it numerous times along the way too, which is good because when I set the tack on the inside of the frame on the passenger side, it pulled in about 3/16 of an inch.

By the time I was done I had the new front frame mocked up and tacked in place.

The way the frame rails are setup they will be 3/4" lower than the factory frame was in the front. The reason for doing this is it allowed me space under the grill so I can run the power steering lines under it because the new steering box will be mounted towards the front of the frame, not in the original Willys location. I am using the steering box out of a 94 Chevy 4x4.

Finally had to roll the tires up next to it, thes are a 285/75 R16, roughly 32.5" in diameter.

I am thinking I will wind up running a 33" tire, possibly a 35, but if I go with a 35 I will have to seriously modify the rear wheel well to make it work.

The other consideration is I want to keep my tires fairly skinny, the Willys will be used more on trails than anything else when off road, I am looking for what will bite and get traction.

The ride height will probably wind up about 4" taller than what is pictured. I dont want to go too crazy tall because it is going to be driven a lot, and in the future id like to get a set of Mattracks which will add a substancial ammount of lift.

 

[nugilo]

Wow, that is one ambitious but exciting build. Lots of luck to you but it looks like you know what you are doing. Great pictures, keep em coming. It will be mighty impressive if you get this all put together for your Alaskan adventure by 2012. You will have a bunch of folowers of this thread and your adventure blog with the nutty bunch we have here. Welcome.

 

[aquawilly54]

Nick, that is quite a task you've set for yourself. I hope it all goes easier than it sounds. I am confused on one issue though.

I understand why you are lengthening the front frame.
1. What I don't understand is why you cut it where you did, rather than building from the front of the existing frame.

2. It seems to me that the axle is going to sit so far forward of the grille and fenders, it might look odd. Am I missing something?

3. The trip sounds really cool. What bank did you rob to be able to afford it? :lol:

Have fun and be careful. I want to see it at the end: Trailer and all. :cheers:
Steve

 

[MrBeast]

Nick, that is quite a task you've set for yourself. I hope it all goes easier than it sounds. I am confused on one issue though.

I understand why you are lengthening the front frame.
1. What I don't understand is why you cut it where you did, rather than building from the front of the existing frame.

A fine question that will get an answer with pictures.

As you can see the old frame towards the front is at its smallest about 2 1/4" and directly behind that portion it is about 3 1/4", considering I am running 1 ton axles and a chevy small block that alone weighs easily twice what the original engine did, I just had serious concerns about the streingth of the frame in this location.

The Willys is going to get substancially heavier, and it is going to have a steering box out of a GMT400 Chevy 4x4, the 4" tall box tube frame will be much easier to mount the steering box to.

The other consideration is I am going to run a 12,500lb winch. and I will be carrying a couple of snatch blocks with me and some 1/2" grade 70 chain. As well I will be adding a winch in the rear eventually. This means I will have the ability to apply some serious loads to this frame, and me knowing myself as well as I do, it will happen, because well, I'm crazy.

It is a matter of time until I come upon a semi, school bus, cement truck, dump truck, or what ever else that is gonna be stuck, and im gonna pull it out, or there will be that pesky tree that just needs to be toppled over, you name it, the Willys is going to get the holy happy snot worked out of it, and that is the way it ought to be if you ask me!

If you look at the original front frame:

And then you look at the new frame:

You can see the size difference.

As well when I box the frame I will be overlaping a piece of 1/4" plate 4" on the box tube, this will go down the arch of the frame under the fire wall, and then it will be plated with 3/16" from there, and all unessacary holes in the frame will be filled to make it stronger.

The other reason is, I have figured out how to mount a 28" Chevy cross flow radiator behind the original willys grill, lowering the frame was nessasary for a little much needed clearence for the ends of the radiator, it was that or notch the frame.

If you consider what you have hanging off of the frame forward of the aft leaf spring mount on the front, you have the Engine Mounts, hood, Radiator, front suspension, Steering, Winch, all that adds up to some serious weight, and when you get going down a rough road or trail, there will be some serious forces applied to the frame by that weight.

2. It seems to me that the axle is going to sit so far forward of the grille and fenders, it might look odd. Am I missing something?

That you are, I am moving the front axle forward perportionaly to how much I am lifting the Waggy, but more importanly it is in perportion to the increase of the RADIUS of the tire. The tires on it now are aproximately 29" tall, I am going to run either 33's or 35's so by moving the axle/tire forward I am actually maintaining the fender gap at the rear of the tire and it will be very close to what it was stock, thus should flow nicely and look like it belongs.

3. The trip sounds really cool. What bank did you rob to be able to afford it? :lol:

Have fun and be careful. I want to see it at the end: Trailer and all. :cheers:
Steve

I didnt need to rob a bank, I do parking enforcement & reposessions for a living, the bank comes to me! :twisted:

Oh and I do own a welding shop, it is pretty small right now, but I am building the Willys to showcase my fabrication skill, and hopefully it will help me pick up more business in that relm as well. I am hoping to eventually have a CNC machine shop here as well.

I will definately keep you all posted.

Oh and on the note of the machine shop thing, when I do my stereo in the dash I am going with a newer kenwood head unit that does the GPS and video, I am going to install a double din reciever, and make a bezel that mimics the factory Willys gage panel, but instead of gages it will have switches and indicator lights mounted in it. As well I am going to make the W O logo out of Acrilic and back light it with a red LED.

All of the gages will get thier own machined bezel and will be mounted inline with the steering wheel.

I am going to cut the factory dash out and rebuild it in a similar fashion to what midnight burn did, the main thing is to add a space on top of the dash where I can install a set of defroster vents that will actually really work. Going to go with a vintage air unit so I have AC and Heat that works very well.

 

[MrBeast]

Wow, that is one ambitious but exciting build. Lots of luck to you but it looks like you know what you are doing. Great pictures, keep em coming. It will be mighty impressive if you get this all put together for your Alaskan adventure by 2012. You will have a bunch of folowers of this thread and your adventure blog with the nutty bunch we have here. Welcome.

Thank you.

 

[Pete]

Welcome MrB... Looking forward to following your adventure.

Pete

 

[cnsay]

Looking good so far. Keep us posted as it comes along. I like the razor wire around the shop, not everyone has that. :lol:

As far as the camper whatever you decide beef it up and brace it if you want it to make it up in one peice, have seen or heard of several campers breaking apart on the hiway going through Canada. Frost heaves get big and tear up the road.

 

[MrBeast]

Looking good so far. Keep us posted as it comes along. I like the razor wire around the shop, not everyone has that. :lol:

As far as the camper whatever you decide beef it up and brace it if you want it to make it up in one peice, have seen or heard of several campers breaking apart on the hiway going through Canada. Frost heaves get big and tear up the road.

Definately, the new camper frame will be constructed of 6" C channel, and it will have a piece of 5" sch 40 pipe running down the center of the frame welded into all of the cross members which will keep it from twisting allowing the suspension to take up the bumps.

I am also considering making the trailer air ride.

 

[PhxJim]

Looking good so far. Keep us posted as it comes along. I like the razor wire around the shop, not everyone has that. :lol:

As far as the camper whatever you decide beef it up and brace it if you want it to make it up in one peice, have seen or heard of several campers breaking apart on the hiway going through Canada. Frost heaves get big and tear up the road.

Definately, the new camper frame will be constructed of 6" C channel, and it will have a piece of 5" sch 40 pipe running down the center of the frame welded into all of the cross members which will keep it from twisting allowing the suspension to take up the bumps.

I am also considering making the trailer air ride.

Have you considered building a teardrop trailer? That is what I did.

 

[The Grinch]

That is a very cool project MrB. I hope to take a similar road trip some day. The wagon is gonna be a beast with the 1 tons!

 

[MrBeast]

Looking good so far. Keep us posted as it comes along. I like the razor wire around the shop, not everyone has that. :lol:

As far as the camper whatever you decide beef it up and brace it if you want it to make it up in one peice, have seen or heard of several campers breaking apart on the hiway going through Canada. Frost heaves get big and tear up the road.

Definately, the new camper frame will be constructed of 6" C channel, and it will have a piece of 5" sch 40 pipe running down the center of the frame welded into all of the cross members which will keep it from twisting allowing the suspension to take up the bumps.

I am also considering making the trailer air ride.

Have you considered building a teardrop trailer? That is what I did.

I have considered it, but here is why I am not. My trip is going to take atleast a month, and the Air Stream will have a shower, and enough room to get out of the weather. In Alaska it can snow 365 days a year, I dont want to get stuck inside a tear drop trying to stay warm if the weather gets bad.

Also the plan eventually is to build a cabin in Alaska, part of this trip is going to be to find out where I want that cabin to be, this means I will be living out of the Air Stream when I build said cabin, again I am going to really really want that shower.

If I was going to be doing more off road adventuring on shorter trips id consider building a semi tear drop shaped smaller camper out of steel or aluminum.

 

[MrBeast]

A little motivation:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bvYSmEcIy4[/youtube]

 

[MrBeast]

A little motivation:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bvYSmEcIy4[/youtube]

For some reason the video wont play, here is a URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bvYSmEcIy4&feature=player_embedded

 

[73fj]

have seen or heard of several campers breaking apart on the hiway going through Canada. Frost heaves get big and tear up the road.

Slow down for the frost heaves and you will be fine, it's not as bad as you think.

Mr Beast, as I have stated on that other board, you will drive right by my house according to your map, stop in, and drive friendly, the Texas way!

 

[MrBeast]

have seen or heard of several campers breaking apart on the hiway going through Canada. Frost heaves get big and tear up the road.

Slow down for the frost heaves and you will be fine, it's not as bad as you think.

Mr Beast, as I have stated on that other board, you will drive right by my house according to your map, stop in, and drive friendly, the Texas way!

Eh, dont think I will be driving the Texas way, I run a wrecker, and the Texas way is sadly becoming an uninsured illegal alien with no licence. Seeing a lot of that anymore, they don't use turnsignals, they are good at swerving all over the road when talking on a cell phone though, or while texting on it. :evil:

Allthough as I am making the trip I will definatly be saying hi to as many folks as possible. I want to get as many pictures as I can of board members from the various boards I post on standing next to the waggy as possible. :thumbup:

 

[Pivnic]

Hello Nick. Welcome to the site. You have a great project there. Looks like you have the skills, and you will have a lot of help if you need it on this forum as well. Here's an old piece of advice from an engineer friend of mine... He used to say, "When in doubt, Make it Stout"!! I took a seven week trip all through Alaska in 1991, and cnsay is right about the roads and frost heaves up there. Be very alert and respect the roads, as they will hurt you and your equipment. You have a lot of work ahead of you to prepare your truck and camp trailer for this big trip. I'm looking forward to watching your progress. Keep your Build Log updated and keep the pictures coming! Good Luck!! Here are my two Willys Projects that are in the works.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3805815/1 ... lys-pickup
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3297626/1963-willys-wagon

 

[cnsay]

Map looks like your going to pass through Bonners Ferry at some point, keep us posted when you get it rolling. You will be passing about seven miles from me a little north of there.