Barn find!

Gojeep

Well Oiled
Jan 10, 2010
4,764
Victoria Australia
First Name
Marcus
Willys Model
  1. Pickup
Willys Year:
  1. 1948
Always hear about these barn finds and finally able to do it myself. :)
Not in great condition mind you but still a exciting checking it out over Easter last week way out in the country side.

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Looked over it with the owner and thinking of buying for my project.
I noticed that I have way too much Jeep stuff on too, but I love it :) Anyone care to guess how many??

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Here is one bought for spares to fix up the other in the shed he said. Koyoto our dog helping check out the frame condition.

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This is the small rear window setup that they both have and want on my hotrod. The outside one is a 49 but unsure on the barn one as dont have a good inside shot that shows the dash.

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Now do I put in a offer for both? If it was closer I would have no problem but would mean another 6 hour return trip to pick each up.
 
Sweet find. One can never have to many Willys and Jeeps. I think once you buy one, you become compelled to buy more. It's like a disease, but I like it.
 
73fj Thought all the grilles and fenders looked like this from 47 to mid 50?
SSW We are not allowed long trailers like I have seen in the USA. One car trailers only and the combined weight may not be more than 1.5 times the towing vehicle mass.
Not sure what to offer yet as over the phone he said he wanted $2000 as someone in the steam club said that is how much they are worth! Why would they know? Still not even sure if that was each or both either. Anyway I told him not worth that much but he said they were to him. So want I did is take 9 of the last eBay auctions printed out and gave them to him. He seemed a lot better about it after we had a friendly chat about its history and told him wouldn't it be nice to see his fathers old Willys work again. Seemed to strike a cord and now has left it up to me to make an offer. Might wait until I am ready to work on them at home as have so little space.
 
The one in the barn was a super phosphate spreader. His father used to make extra cash doing other farms around the district too. The rear wheel had a large sprocket welded to it which drove the chain. The drive ended up on this disc with curved vanes on it to throw the fertilizer around. Got a rough picture on it here.

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Was surprised they are both only 2wd but his father felt it was almost as good as 4wd because the rear track was so much wider, it didn't sink deeper in the tracks left by the front wheels.
Love these old stories and how they modified things. :)

Here is a picture of the 49 out of the barn.

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Keys are still in the ignition.
 
Keep working him. It's hard for most people to let things like that go, but I'm sure he will eventually. It'll be worth the effort to keep trying!
 
silicond17 said:
Keep working him. It's hard for most people to let things like that go, but I'm sure he will eventually. It'll be worth the effort to keep trying!

Thanks mate. Will wait until I am ready to pick it up and bring it home so I don't muck him around at all. I will try and keep some communication open in the mean time to get a friendship going. Probably views 'city' folk with caution.

Here is a couple of photos of the settling it is in.

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The next one is bigger and the shading brightened up a bit. Thought might be too big to post in the thread as even the one above disappears into the bule frame down the side and out again.

http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/SkiptonWillys10.jpg
 
Just curious but did a tornado rip thru this guys farm and leave the trucks out for you to pick up easier??
 
maybe he'l sell for less if you point out the steering wheel is on the wrong side :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
I wouldn't push it, if you go too low he may just decide to keep them all because it's not worth selling. You may want to stick with your original price, maybe about $800-1000 for both?
 
silicond17 said:
I wouldn't push it, if you go too low he may just decide to keep them all because it's not worth selling. You may want to stick with your original price, maybe about $800-1000 for both?

You are right and has been my worry too.
 
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