52 willys wagon 4x4

roundss

Sharpest Tool
Nov 22, 2009
261
cleaning rust off something
Willys Model
Willys Year:
OK, I hope this works.
I opened up a photobucket account and I think this will at least get the ball rolling.
The metal is pretty good. From what I was told and how spindly the axles are they are stock. I took pics of diff covers. I need to take another one of the front. For some reason it was really fuzzy pic.
The tailgate is made out of wood with a metal frame. I haven't seen another one like that. Not stock I'm guessing. I kinda like it though.
Motor is (they say) a chevy 327. It has the chevy firing order but not sure of displacement.
I don't know about the transfer case.
Seats are...........who knows, out of a honda I think. Look like old prelude seats.

It should be a fun project.

Here's the link:
http://s862.photobucket.com/albums/ab182/52willyswagon/
 
It's beautiful, simple beautiful! But I do have a fancy towards the Station-wagon, specially red ones. You are right, that tail gate does have character. You are one up on me, I haven't figured out this picture thing, my camera makes the pic to big and I'm not sure what to do to make it work...I have to wait until the kids come home...
 
Looks like the original color was a dark green. I still have not found a website to breakdown the vin to see what started life as.

Here's what I'd like to do...............still trying to see if it's all possible or practical.
Stick with the SBC (327) that came in it, as long as it actually runs.
If possible hook up a turbo 400 automatic & transfer case out of mid 80's chev that I have
Put my d-44 & d-60 under it from a F250 (maybe too wide, can narrow if need to)
Get enough lift for 35-37" tires with some skyjacker leafs I have that have a 3" lift built in for 77 F250 (leafs prolly way too stiff?? judging by the stockers)

What I do know while playing "WHAT"S THAT SMELL?" was some NASTY fiberglass insulation tucked behind some panels that between the mice and moisture did a number on. Lucky for me this teardown is happening at work and not at the house. The war dept. would not have like that at all.
Interestingly enough I found some drain tubes that came from the window area. I'm assuming stock, they pretty much fell apart when I touched them. The carpet was in pretty good shape, only a few damp spots so that was encouraging.

Hopefully this week I'll be able to get the body off and start looking at the frame and see what kind of shape that's in. I did notice the pipe cross member in the back had some holes in it. The frame looks pretty straight forward and not too many issues so I hope that will go smoothly.

Steve
 
Short Story:
I went in today with my son and daughter to work on the the beast and my daughter had a GREAT time, she said. I couldn't have been a happier papa. She got to do some cleaning and driving. I towed it with a forklift up to the scale to get a weight on it and my son drove it up and she drove it back. This was after we pulled the carpet and scraped gunk off the floor. I guess it was a little lighter than what I was expecting. It weighed 3,350 lbs, with the small block chevy.

Long Story:
The rear end was locked up when I got it. Not a big deal, the stocker isn't staying so no skin off my nose. The PO said it needed grease..................understatement of the decade.
It probably needed diff oil in 1960. It wouldn't have hurt to put some in it in 1970. It's needed some BAD in 1980 and I'm guessing by the amount of rust in there it has been empty since 1982. So I soaked the heck out of it with some PB Blaster (love that stuff). Smacked the crap out of the ring gear and rocked it back and forth trying to get the rust to break loose. No dice. So as in an effort to start taking the rear end apart I took off the "things" (technical term) that have a bolt at the top and the bottom, half moon shaped, and go over the inner bearings. Not sure what they're called but when I took those off the inner bearings that seem to be frozen to the axles and she rolls now.
The look on my kids' faces when they were driving her was great. Since I yanked the seats to get the carpet out they got to sit on 5 gal buckets but they were smiling like they were sitting on Santa's lap on Christmas eve. It was priceless. I tried to take pics but my camera phone wouldn't cooperate.
We're headed back after baseball to work on her and you can bet I'll have the good camera then. I'll tow them around any time they want to as long as it keeps them interested and those big smiles on their faces.

Today was a good.......... GREAT day.
 
The kids and I were working on the wagon last weekend. We got the gas tank out and the rear driveshaft.
If anyone wants the drive shaft it might still be good. The gas tank is full of rust....................where there aren't pinholes.
11-23-09002.jpg


Not a bad afternoon's worth of work. We cleaned the heck out of the inside too, and by we I mean my daughter.
11-23-09007.jpg


We also got the rear diff cover back on and some 80-90 gear oil in it. I kept the bearing end caps off so we can roll it.

Next is the front drive shaft and check the front diff to see what it looks like. Might just add gear oil since it rolls just fine. I also need to see if I get any spark on the starter....................which reminds me I need to put the battery on a charger.
 
Now that's what it's all about! What a beautiful picture of the best past-time ever! Getting the whole family involved. Nice job.
 
I forgot the good camera but I had to get some pics of the progress we were making today. WHAT A DAY!!!!!

I'd pulled the radiator and we'd taken the bolts off the hinges to take the hood off. The kids are getting ready to lift
IMG00034-20100103-1240.jpg


"Wow, it's lighter than I thought it would be!" they said
IMG00035-20100103-1241.jpg


I am under the willys, cutting the bolts that are froze. So we can get the fenders and grill off. I hear my daughter's "naughty laugh"...................."What are you doing?"
IMG00037-20100103-1442.jpg


All the bolts and wires are removed or cut, we're ready for lift off
IMG00038-20100103-1458.jpg


Hurry up dad this one's kinda heavy
IMG00040-20100103-1533.jpg


It's all out of the way. They really liked being able to see everything.
IMG00041-20100103-1533.jpg


I couldn't be happier with todays progress and couldn't have done it without them. They're turning into some good little helpers. I didn't get any pics of them turning wrenches that's implied. They help with just about every nut, bolt, and wire. I'm not making as fast of progress as I'd like but I wouldn't want to do it without them.
 
Very nice to have the family involved! They will be the next generation to save even more Willys from the scrap piles.
I notice you have the alternator mount I need. Can you get a close up of it for me please?
Is it stock or home made? Looks stock, the kind that use the exhaust manifold bolts (pre 69) perhaps. :?:
 
BioTex said:
I notice you have the alternator mount I need. Can you get a close up of it for me please?
Is it stock or home made? Looks stock, the kind that use the exhaust manifold bolts (pre 69) perhaps. :?:
Click to expand...

I'm not sure of the origin. I think it's back yard engineered. I was told it's a 327. It has chevy valve covers :lol: Other than being a sbc I don't know anything about it, it did run but would not turn over (the guy thought coil or ignition). Btu Hopefully in the next few weeks we'll get to the bottom of that.

I'd be happy to take some close up pics. I'll just PM ya with them
 
It sure would be nice if we lived closer - so we could help one another...projects would be rolling off the line...I could use your two helpers on my project as well.
 
roundss said:
BioTex said:
I notice you have the alternator mount I need. Can you get a close up of it for me please?
Is it stock or home made? Looks stock, the kind that use the exhaust manifold bolts (pre 69) perhaps. :?:
Click to expand...

I'm not sure of the origin. I think it's back yard engineered. I was told it's a 327. It has chevy valve covers :lol: Other than being a sbc I don't know anything about it, it did run but would not turn over (the guy thought coil or ignition). Btu Hopefully in the next few weeks we'll get to the bottom of that.

I'd be happy to take some close up pics. I'll just PM ya with them
Click to expand...

I don't remember any 327's with that oil fill in the front. I thought Buick did that. Can anyone confirm?
 
I was able to get a casting # off the back of the motor. I googled it and came up with this:

casting # 3914660 is a 327, it was made in 1968, hp rated between 210-275 and it has 2 bolt mains.

My batteries are low on my camera (not enough for flash) but I should be able to get better pics this afternoon on that alternator bracket. It doesn't look as bad as I thought. It might be stock. I must have been thinking about the one on my 77 ford.
 
I like the 327's. I had a 4 bolt main 327, that was destroked to a 302. You use a 283 crank. Some use a 307 crank. This makes for an engine that can really put out some RPM's. Chevy used to call them DZ302's. Shure brings back some memories. I had it in a 67 RS/SS Camaro.
 
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