So many levers to shift...but does it have overdrive? Question for those who have OD

Jones

Jones

Bigger Hammer
Dec 19, 2012
129
Glide, Oregon
First Name
Terry
Willys Model
  1. Pickup
Willys Year:
Wish I had pictures to attach here as it always makes things clearer and more interesting, but unfortunately I don't this time...

I was at a wrecking yard yesterday that had several Willys trucks (all part of the yard owners "private collection", I was told), so naturally I checked them all out. Not too surprisingly, all were modified to one degree or another.

One in particular really caught my attention, as the yard owner was going to use the body for a chassis swap project. As I am contemplating doing a frame-off rebuild of my truck, I thought I'd check this one out to see what it offered. When I looked the truck over, I saw that it had a fairly clean Ford 6 cyl engine swap done to it, but aside from that the truck appeared dead stock and in decent shape. Cool!

Wondering if it also had overdrive, I looked in the cab. It had three shifters sticking up from the floor. Now, since my pickup was modified by someone to the point where there is nothing original left in the drivetrain, Im not sure how to interpret this.

Is it one stick for the trans, one for the transfer case, and one for the overdrive unit? I tried to verify this to be the case, but Ive seen all kinds of Warn units in Willys that have two sticks just for the OD - I assume for high and low ranges.

To make matters murkier, aren't there some two-stick transfercases? So, in threory, you could end up with as many as five shifters sticking up from the floor, or maybe more?

If it helps, going from memory here....I seem to remember two shifters being about the same height and then one to the right being shorter.

Is it possible to tell without crawling under the truck (not easy where it is parked) or driving it (not an option)?

Thanks in advance! Jones
 
3 sticks are standard. One for shifting, one for the transfer case and one for high / low. There would be a fourth for overdrive.
 
Hi Jones,

All of the early Willys came with three shift levers (moving from left to right):

1. Transmission
2. Transfer Case (2wd/4wd)
3. Transfer Case (high/low)

You can see an overview here:
http://www.kaiserwillys.com/images/large/Decal-C5_large.jpg

In addition, you could have:
* Overdrive (engaged/direct)
* PTO, front (on/off)
* PTO, rear (on/off)

There's much I don't know. For example, I'm not sure how a PTO fits into the powertrain and whether or not a PTO would replace an OD or add to it. The Warn OD simply slides into the back of the left-hand side of the transfer case. Someone else with far more knowledge will chime in.

Cheers,



Scramboleer
 
scramboleer said:
I'm not sure how a PTO fits into the powertrain and whether or not a PTO would replace an OD or add to it. The Warn OD simply slides into the back of the left-hand side of the transfer case. Someone else with far more knowledge will chime in.

Cheers,

Scramboleer
Click to expand...

You can run an overdrive and a pto, with an adapter that mounts to the back of the overdrive. Herm the Overdrive Guy sells them...
PTO-Overdrive-Adapter-Schematic.jpg
 
Hello Terry. Here is a picture of the inside Shifter Levers (Count 'Em.. Five Levers) in my 63 Willys Wagon (Kermit). Starting from across the top from Left to Right, here are what each shifter is. Leftmost Top is the Transmission with the Orange Gold Ball Knob), 2WD/4WD (Gray Knob), Hi/Lo Range (Gray Knob), Plow controller Shifter Up/Down & Left/Right (Black Shifter Lever on Raised Platform), and Lastly closest to the seat, is the PTO Winch Lever (Gray Knob). If my Wagon had an Over Drive, the shifter would be to the right of the PTO Shifter. There you have it. Pivnic
Kermit 56 Almost Competed Dash 901.jpg
 
Great information, thanks to everyone who contributed; Im pretty sure Im not the only one with this question, but since I'm a newbie here (and therefor get to ask dumb newbie questions without looking too dorky ) so I went ahead and asked. : )

Kind of bummed, I was really hoping to buy that chassis with its complete powertrain if it had an overdrive...but maybe I will anyway even without it. As my old '65 Landrover SIIa had three sticks but no overdrive, I figured this one probably didnt, either.

Thanks again! - Jones
 
some PTOs had two shift levers on them . so with a plow and that pto and an overdrive you could have 7 levers.
 
Jones said:
View attachment 7317

By the way, this is an amazingly clean looking wagon, Pivnic, Hope you have a build thread somewhere as I'd love to check it out.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words Terry! Here is Kermit's Build Log: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3297626/1963-willys-wagon/
You can also get to the build log of my 57 Willys Pickup (Floyd) be clicking on the link on the left side of the page. My 37 Chevy Street Rod can also be accessed in the same spot. Note: After all (most of) the mechanicals were fixed or gone through when I got the wagon, I decided to restore the interior first. I do have the dash plates that are not in the picture and have not yet installed a "Special" headliner. Here are a before and after pics of the back section of the interior, and both sides of the outside body work done so far. This is the FIRST interior that I ever restored! The outside body work is about 2/3's completed, but currently on hold while I am getting my Pickup Modified for the Moab Trip in May. Pivnic

Kermit 33 Interior Before 06162008 750.jpg Kermit 46 Interior Painted & New Panels 891.jpg Kermit 115 Chained Up All Four Winter 2009 1681.jpg Kermit 113 Chained Up All Four Winter 2009 1679.jpg
 
I am new to the forum. I bought a 62 pickup about a month ago. The prior owner had had it for almost 30 years.It runs well and was well maintained. BUT it has 4 (four) shift levers. I spoke to an older gentleman here in our town who has been a mechanic for many years. He said the short shifter-the fourth lever is an "underdrive" for the 4wd. No mention of the fourth lever in the mechanics manuals I have or in the Jeep owners manual that I just purchased.
Any help that anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.
 
Welcome aboard Jonathan. Unless you have a front or rear PTO (often attached to a winch), you likely have an overdrive.

Easy way to check is to crawl underneath and look at the back of the transfer case. If it looks like a flat cover (like the 'pto' in this picture), then you don't have an overdrive.

dana_18_transfer_case.jpg


If instead you have a (maybe) shiny aluminum hut (about the size of a big fist) in the same spot like this picture, then you do have an overdrive:

ODinstalled.jpg


That all applies to 4wd models. The 2wd ones have a different type of OD.
 
Thank you Dan! I will be looking under the Jeep today. I will post to let you know what I see. The pictures are extremely clear and helpful
 
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