New member out of johannesburg South Africa

Garth

Garth

Well Oiled
Dec 26, 2014
1,289
Johannesburg, South Africa
First Name
Garth
Willys Model
  1. Wagon
Willys Year:
  1. 1960
Hi everyone

just thought I'd introduce myself, name is Garth and I am rebuilding a 54 sedan utility right hand drive. The engine was rebuilt by a former owner and the 226 super Hurricane seems good. We are going to recondition everything else, front axle, gear box, brakes, transfer, rear axle and get the electronics redone. The idea is to restore Willy to his original state and use him for daily and weekend excursions. I have a lot to learn and will be nagging for information consistently so let me apologize upfront.
 
Welcome to the forum Garth. I would like to see photos of that right hand drive.
 
Hi Bill

Thank you.
will do just gotta the brakes bled and timing set then I'll get him out into the open, turns out he was made in 1960, I managed to find the original vin plate which was loose and sitting in the cubby.
 
Thanks Pete

just been going through your feed in your labor of love. Was just saying to Bill that I managed to locate the original Vin plate and my Willys is a 1960. Interestingly enough it's listed as a Sedan delivery, but has the SW body but with Barn doors on the back and no back seat.
 
g`day from Australia. good to have another RHD machine on the files. all these Americans think my steering wheel has been fitted in the wrong place. :)

be good to see some photos.
seems that nearly all the Willys sold in Australia were tray back trucks . and there isn`t many of them left. I have only seen 2 panel vans , no wagons.
 
Hi Dave

Thank you for the warm Aussie welcome. So I spent two or three days under the Willys sorting brakes and draining and topping up oil etc and looking intently at the forum to try and identify what model this is. Turns out it's a 1960 Traveller! 4wd with the 226. How the hell this vehicle ended up in SA is any body's guess, but I'm going to have to have a crack at researching previous owners to try to establish how a RHD Traveller found its way into SA. Just got to replace the manifold and exhaust gasket give him a tune and I'll get some photos on the forum
 
Hi Garth,

That's awesome you have a Traveller. Bill Norris on the forum is an avid historian and has written/researched the Traveller. Also, Hiki on the forum is out near Cape Town. He used to have a Traveller as well.

Here is a bit of info from another Traveller thread (post #8, www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/showthread.php?3662-Anybody-Have-a-4-Banger-Traveller):

The Traveller was a low volume version made at the very end of the line in the 1960s. You could get it in 2wd or 4wd with flattened interior wheel wells that sideways-mounted jump seats sat on, rear barn doors, and flush mounted side windows. Some had a roof-mounted spare tire rack and second gas tank mounted behind the driver, and a diamond plate step in between the rear bumper and the barn doors. Supposedly they were often special order for the US Forest Service or US Border Patrol. You can clearly see the second tank and flat-topped wheel wells here: http://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/...ight=traveller Paul Barry has a green 2wd Traveller at Willys America: http://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/...-and-BBQ/page2

Here are two great build threads:
Nuglio's '61 panel Traveller: http://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/...Delivery-Build
3Shooter's '63 Traveller: http://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/...veller-Project

And here's some period advertising: http://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/...eller-Brochure and some materials from ewillys.com (thanks Dave Eilers): http://www.ewillys.com/?s=traveller

A few subtle differences between Travellers and Parkway Conversions are that Parkways (on the interior) have rounded rear wheel wells (not flat tops like the Traveller for its jump seats) and fixed side windows (not sliders). Parkways also were made in the 1950s and 1960s. Allegedly Parkways were made to allow delivery vehicles in residential areas on the East Coast. By adding windows to the side of a Delivery and calling it a Parkway, it was no longer a commercial vehicle and hence could drive in residential areas. Here's an old Parkway Conversion ad and discussion over at ewillys.com on Parkways: http://www.ewillys.com/2012/08/12/pa...chure-on-ebay/

Cheers!


Scramboleer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top