How best to achieve modern highway speed

You know, it ain't against the law to drive if your deaf. They actually give a driver's license to people who can't hear. I pay attention to the traffic around me and WATCH for approaching danger/traffic.

That argument is nearly as insensitive as it is weak. I really want to argue with it, but I am reminded of a Mark Twain quote.
 
Ray,

You'll no doubt take the time to think this Willys Upgrade project through very carefully before starting. You've read quite a number of comments by now. Permit mine in list form:
0. What about a newer, more efficient and reliable vehicle for the highway (take your pick of the Japanese makes) and as has been said, reserve your Willys for 4X4 short term weekend fun.
1. Who will ride in your Willys, no matter what you do to it, at fast highway speeds? Think of the possibly unfortunate consequences.
2. Will you end up with what you actually expect and want? Or, will it turn out disappointing. Will your tastes change in 5 years?
3. In a few years, will it sell easily to the next person? Will you get even a portion of your money back (probably not as most young people are not really into cars unless they are studded with electronics and almost drive themselves)?
4. Any updating of old vehicles takes a bit of staying power - there were many times I wanted to give up on our Willys wagon's updates.
5. If you have a 'significant other' who might not see the allure of the project you have in mind, will the whole thing become a source of friction? My wife is a 74 year young "traditional lady" who tolerates my excesses fairly well - are modern ladies so inclined?
6. Rodney (post #38) might have given the best upgrade advice but might I take it one step further? The Land Rover Discovery 1 or 2 chassis (with its coil springs, excellent solid axles, floating rear, 4 discs and Buick aluminum V8 plus 5 speed ZF box/T-case) is simply first class. I bet you can find one for almost nothing in a coastal wrecking yard. My wife has driven her '96 Disco for 25 years now and been very happy. Our off-roading, although limited, and extensive snow experience in the vehicle have been excellent. What about a Willys wagon body transplant onto that chassis?
All the best with your project. Pavel up north.
 
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So.... if all ya got is an original Willys... 65 is top speed for me. It'll go a few miles per hour faster, but the steering at 65-75 gets a bit scary (for me). Maybe it's the steering box or the the box shape on wheels or the tires (maybe radials make it wander more than bias)... but it's white knuckles on the old frame and running gear... at least for me.... at 70s mph.
 
Already designed in. It's not quite law yet, but electric/hybrid cars are required to emit a sound at low speeds. Most car companies are ahead of the law.
Pikes Peak Hill Climb is being assulted by Electric Vehicles. In The Motorcycle category Solar Charged electric motorcyles are running 10 seconds faster than the Gas bikes. The problem is that they are so quiet they are required to use sirens or car alarms to warn people that they are on the track.

 
Ray,

You'll no doubt take the time to think this Willys Upgrade project through very carefully before starting. You've read quite a number of comments by now. Permit mine in list form:
0. What about a newer, more efficient and reliable vehicle for the highway (take your pick of the Japanese makes) and as has been said, reserve your Willys for 4X4 short term weekend fun.
1. Who will ride in your Willys, no matter what you do to it, at fast highway speeds? Think of the possibly unfortunate consequences.
2. Will you end up with what you actually expect and want? Or, will it turn out disappointing. Will your tastes change in 5 years?
3. In a few years, will it sell easily to the next person? Will you get even a portion of your money back (probably not as most young people are not really into cars unless they are studded with electronics and almost drive themselves)?
4. Any updating of old vehicles takes a bit of staying power - there were many times I wanted to give up on our Willys wagon's updates.
5. If you have a 'significant other' who might not see the allure of the project you have in mind, will the whole thing become a source of friction? My wife is a 74 year young "traditional lady" who tolerates my excesses fairly well - are modern ladies so inclined?
6. Rodney (post #38) might have given the best upgrade advice but might I take it one step further? The Land Rover Discovery 1 or 2 chassis (with its coil springs, excellent solid axles, floating rear, 4 discs and Buick aluminum V8 plus 5 speed ZF box/T-caswoulde) is simply first class. I bet you can find one for almost nothing in a coastal wrecking yard. My wife has driven her '96 Disco for 25 years now and been very happy. Our off-roading, although limited, and extensive snow experience in the vehicle have been excellent. What about a Willys wagon body transplant onto that chassis?
All the best with your project. Pavel up north.
Thank you Pavel, for the advice. So far the advice goes in two directions. Don't drive my wagon except weekends and drag it on a trailer everywhere I want to go, or set the body on a new chassis with a modern powertrain and motor. Since I am buying a running, operational delivery van that is mostly original and I have a project wagon which isn't running and needs lots of work I can do both I can leave my new wagon as is (with the exception of seat belts) and build the other wagon into whatever I can afford and feel like building. I never realized that so many people here would advise against updates. I think the real objection is the speed. I live 250 miles from the coast right now and dragging a vehicle on a trailer to the beach just rubs me the wrong way. It's like dragging your Harley to Sturgis.

I suppose I will get used to the speed it goes and be happy just to be in it.
 
We did get the Video Phones and Dick Tracey Watches. The way people drive now a days, I think Flying Cars would be a bit of a problem. Most people need their cars to park themselves.
 
Ray, there are no ignorant questions asked on this forum. You were wise enough to ask a simple question on a public forum where the knowledgeable and experienced members are honest enough to give a member honest answers. What you do with this information and you're truck is totally up to you.

Good luck what ever you do.
 
Ray, there are no ignorant questions asked on this forum. You were wise enough to ask a simple question on a public forum where the knowledgeable and experienced members are honest enough to give a member honest answers. What you do with this information and you're truck is totally up to you.

Good luck what ever you do.
Thanks Frank. Everyone here has been helpful and given me their honest opinion and best advice. Being old enough to recognize the difference between opinion and fact, I will better be able to judge what course of action to take. And the forum has helped me understand the limitations of the vehicles and what can be achieved.
 
Just FYI!! I used to stop my wipers at the bottom like I see in so many pictures. Above 65 they tend to creep up and de-rope the cable drive. I now stop them vertical and have had less problems at freeway speed. And yes I have an electric motor conversion, but stock cable drive.
 
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Just FYI!! I used to stop my wipers at the bottom like I see in so many pictures. Above 65 the tend to creep up and de-rope the cable drive. I now stop them vertical and have had less problems at freeway speed. And yes I have an electric motor conversion, but stock cable drive.
Thanks for the heads up. I doubt I will be getting up any speed on my trip home, but it is always best to know.
 
Modern Hwy Speed is a variable. Here in Oregon if you try running more then 55-60mph on most no freeway hwys you will either run into a Sheriff, the state police or the back end of some goober in a Prius doing 54mph. On the Freeway and a couple stretches in Eastern Oregon the limit is 65-70mph with truck speeds held to 55-60mph.

And yes people exceed these speeds all the time. But thats not to say you can't run just fine at 55mph almost anywhere in the state.

I drive roughly 1800-1900 miles a week in a Dump truck most of it with the cruise set to 57mph and have no trouble.
 
So I had a question asked of me "can I put this engine in that car?" Everybody else said "what are you crazy!" He kept looking for someone who answered "Yes you can do it...all it takes is time and money" I said! He didn't do it???

I like some of the answers , was the word hear or here and heard or herd?

And I think modern cars/trucks are being driven by the "Pin Ball Wizards"!!!

Dale
 
Just FYI!! I used to stop my wipers at the bottom like I see in so many pictures. Above 65 they tend to creep up and de-rope the cable drive. I now stop them vertical and have had less problems at freeway speed. And yes I have an electric motor conversion, but stock cable drive.
Thanks for that tidbit I was going to use stock wipers with electric motor. I think I'll look for another solution. Not sure what but I'll try to find something:cool:
 
So I had a question asked of me "can I put this engine in that car?" Everybody else said "what are you crazy!" He kept looking for someone who answered "Yes you can do it...all it takes is time and money" I said! He didn't do it???

I like some of the answers , was the word hear or here and heard or herd?

And I think modern cars/trucks are being driven by the "Pin Ball Wizards"!!!

Dale
When I was 15, I went to work in a repair shop. One of the older (25 years old) mechanics had a 55 Ford truck with a Chrysler Hemi in it and I ask him how he did it. His answer was " You can put any engine in any vehicle, all you need is a big enough Shoe Horn".

Sorry, some of the youngsters might not know what a shoe horn is.
 
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When I was 15, I went to work in a repair shop. One of the older (25 years old) mechanics had a 55 Ford truck with a Chrysler Hemi in it and I ask him how he did it. His answer was " You can put any engine in any vehicle, all you need is a big enough Shoe Horn".

Sorry, some of the youngsters might not know what a shoe horn is.
Aren't those similar to a mouth organ, but brass instead of a reed instrument? I have seen one used for foot insertion...
 
My 10 year old Grand Son and I were talking one day and I started mentioning things he might never of heard of. One of them was a shoe Horn. About a month later I get a 3 ft long cardboard tube in the mail from Amazon. He had looked them up and found a Beautiful Mahogany handle long shoe horn with a Brass spring attached to a nice horn. I don't even have to bend over. He paid $35.00 for it out of his own work money and it wasn't even my birthday. Great Kid!!! Maybe next he might buy me a Willys FC20210509_174729.jpg
 
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