Built...but not finished

Tinnocker

Bigger Hammer
Jan 17, 2017
159
Jasper, Ga
First Name
Robert
Willys Model
  1. Pickup
Willys Year:
  1. 1963
I drove my 1963 Willys pick up truck today and still have some things to work on. Steering is hard , even with supposedly power steering. I haven't had the front end aligned. I set the toe in with a string and don't know how accurate it is. The truck has a 5.0 (302) Ford engine out of a 1996 Explorer. 1996 and 1997 Explorers had the same 5.0 as the GT Mustang. They had the same GT40 heads. The only difference that I could find is the Explorer had a different cam. The truck also has an Explorer rear 4.10 - 8.8 axle with disc brakes. The front axle is out of a TJ Jeep with 4.10 ratio and disc brakes. This axle came with coil springs which I removed and added leaf springs off a YJ Jeep, the same YJ springs on the rear. I really need to have the alignment checked to see if I am ok with the leaf pads that I welded on the front axle.
It has a TJ Jeep transfer case and 5 speed overdrive transmission. I bought a Novak adapter for the engine/ bellhousing to the transmission. The floorboard was rotted and the first 5-6 inches up from the floorboard so had to replace every corner of the cab. I saw from this forum where a Chevy S-10 bench seat would fit almost perfectly so that is what I used. I installed a Vintage Air air conditioner that hasn't been charged yet and an aftermarket Specialty Power Windows windshield wiper kit. I didn't like the glove compartment door behind the steering wheel so I removed it, welded in a plate and installed gauges that looked better for me. I know the purist are not liking the things that I done to the truck but that is what suited me. The truck came from South Alabama and had had a 283 Chevrolet in it at one time, no engine or drivetrain when I bought it. I am 73 years old and didn't think my health would hold up to finish it. Everything that you see was done by me except covering the front seat. I worked and built it in my carport without any help except my wife who helped with the windshield and rear glass. I take that back, I had a lot of help from this forum. I didn't post pictures as I built it because everything that I did and already been posted and documented, so why clutter up the forum?
The truck has a lot of get up and go. I will probably sell it when I get the kinks worked out. Thanks for looking and reading. Brent Parker alias Tinnocker20200606_125449.jpg20200606_125614.jpg20200606_125600.jpg20200606_125659.jpg20200606_125529.jpg20200606_125706.jpg20200606_125739.jpg20200606_125751.jpg20200606_125631.jpg
 
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I would bet that A/C will be a welcome relief during hot, humid Georgia summers.

Your gauge layout makes a lot more sense and is more in line with Post WWII auto design. That is if you can see all the gauges thru the steering wheel.

I like your color too. Reminds me of @TheATeam's truck.
 
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I tried to get the steering wheel on with the tires pointed straight ahead. I missed it some and will wait and let the alignment guy fix it. The gauges can be seen when the steering wheel is level. That was a concern of mine when I bought the wheel.
 
Sorry that there are 4 copies of the pictures. I tried to edit them but couldn't. If someone can get rid of the extra pictures or copies I would appreciate it.
 
You did a great job... I really like the way a small block Ford looks in a Willys...Again, very nice pickup..
 
Good looking truck.You did a really nice job with it. I too like the 302 Ford , mine is out of a 71 Torino, with an F150 5 speed in my 63 Wagon.
 

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Really nice truck and great work. I don't understand why more repower builds don't use the ford motor. Having the distributor up front really keeps from having to do so much changing to the firewall. Lot to be said for a true restoration but fully appreciate using mdern parts to enable a safer and more reliable vehicle.
 
I wondered why the purist hadn't got on to me about the grill and then I saw why, no front pictures. I filled in the small holes for the stock turn signals and added larger CJ turn signal lights. I changed the location a little because it just seemed more symmetrical to me. The bed was a rotted and beat up mess so I built the sides and tailgate. I had a metal shop form the sides and added a piece of 2x2 x 14ga. tubing plug welding it to the sides. The top of the sheet metal sides had a 1/2" brake down the full length and helped keep the sheetmetal from warping as I plug welded it. I reused the cab end of the bed, straightening it the best I could. I made a tailgate, although the original was in fairly good shape, but warped. If I can get it to lay flat, I will put it up for sale. Unfortunately the 1963 doesn't have the large W stamped in the middle.
I will try to get some pictures of the grill and a close up of the bed and tailgate today. I still have some gremlins to work out. Headlights were working and now they are not. The front driveshaft hits the drivers exhaust when the body twists and I still don't like the way it steers, hard to steer even with power steering. The power steering pump and steering box were used so that may be my problem. Thanks for the comments. Tinnocker
 
Very nice, very nice. The dash is alot like mine. I had to take out the tube powered, a m radio in mine. Vintage air will be what will delay you selling it too soon. Drive it a few times with a/c and enjoy.
 
Steering on mine was the same, hard to turn and 6" of side to side play.
Found ARG steering products and can steer with the palm of my hand getting into parking spaces. GM Saginaw style box. Front crossmember needed a notch out of the top. My pics have one of the frame where you can see notch. I used a pull out steering column and now, 40K miles later, I have the GM "clunk" in my filt section.
 
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Nicely done. Turned out great. Took awhile for me to work out a few bugs on mine, but super fun to drive. Enjoy.
 
Here you can see that I removed the stock turn signals and added the CJ-7 turn signals. I bought a new 1974 CJ-5 in 1976, sold it and bought a -78 CJ- 5 , sold it and bought a 1980 CJ-7 in 1981. I kept it for about 25 years and sold it and it wasn't long before I wanted another Jeep. Every CJ-7 that I looked at had rust issues. The body panels and all spot welds on the Jeeps had no rust preventive between the spot welds. I researched and found out that the YJ Jeeps did and more could be found with good bodies. I bought a YJ with the square headlights that I hated and did the same thing that I did to my Willys truck. Welded sheet metal on the square holes and filled in the turn signal holes and installed CJ headlight buckets and turn signals. I did a good job on them and it looked like it came from the factory. Jeep guys would walk around it and they knew that it didn't look exactly like a CJ and wasn't a YJ. Some would step back and look at it and ask no questions. Others wanted to know where it came from. If they asked I told them , otherwise I let them scratch their heads.
The second picture shows the 2x2 square tubing and the home made bed. I used pressure treated 1x6 deck board for the flooring of the bed.20200606_125502.jpg20200606_125551.jpg
 
I also have a saginaw box that I got with the axle. I had to extend the frame a little and have it mounted in front of the axle. It was used and may have some issues that I need to check out. I will check out the AGR website to see what they offer. I used the stock frame, boxed it in and cut out all the rotted places. Where the stock frame gets wider in the back to accommodate the wide bed and axles, I cut it out and swapped the pieces over to the opposite side to narrow the frame to get more in line with my Explorer leaf spring mounts. Way too much work for an old man to do.
 
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It's AGR steering. They are in the DFW area of TX. Good people. Big John is funny. Beyond buying their products outright, they can rebuild your boxes and pumps. Only American rebuilder left. 1 817 626 9006
 
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