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59 Willys, circle the wagons!

61K views 155 replies 37 participants last post by  73FJ 
#1 · (Edited)
Howdy, this is the intro to my 59 Willys wagon thread. I will be doing a complete body off resto/refresh on this truck. I have never done a frame off before so this should be an adventure, I have however rebuilt my 73 FJ40 from almost the ground up in the last 3 yrs. I also have a 56 wagon that may or may not provide some parts for the 59. My plans are wide open right now as I tend to plan as I work, but I'm thinkin fuel injected SBC, maybe an NV 4500, x case, dunno yet, axles, not decided, SOA, maybe coil front, tube front fenders along the same lines as Firewiz has done on his truck, new Autometers, blah blah blah...well there you go. I should also say that this will probably take me the better part of the next 2 years as I aquire parts and such, unless I win the lottery :shaking:., so patience will be useful. Now I gotta find some pics
 
#31 ·
73FJ, Welcome & thanks, Good photo's. Owee, you got yourself a project. How come you got out of FJ's? Plenty of cheap rust buckets up there I'm thinking. I was a FJ guy long before delving into Willys. Got rid of my last FJ when I needed a cheap firewood hauler. I found a Willys PU with a Chev 283 for $500.

That was 1978 and I've never gone back to FJ's. Something about these old Willys. :smokin:
Anyway, I'm subscribed. Sounds like you got a solid plan. And a stout one too! To bad about the body rust. I'd rather gut & dress a dozen moose. And that's coming from a 37 year career sheet metal worker(retired). Looking forward to your reports. Some of your weather blew down last night, teens out. Keep a fire burning and us entertained.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Willysworker, I didn't get out of Cruisers, I still have one, but who could turn down a WW? The rust underneath is bad but mostly surface except for the body mounts, and since I too am a retired Sheet Metal worker (I only did it for 10 yrs tho), this doesn't upset me. I can make new mounts. Actually the rust is very bad...........
 
#34 ·
ioman2, the cart is 28"x18" at the base, made out of 2x2x1/8" square tubing, it is approx 24" high and sloped at about 8-10 degrees. The welder sits in some 2x2x1/8" angle. I still need to put some expanded metal on the bottom and a bar at the bottom of the bottle. Wheels are 4" diameter.
 

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#37 · (Edited)
Well I got the frame out of the garage and out of the way, and decided to polish up on my welding thin gauge material (20 ga). I filled the two original holes for the heater and it turned out Ok I think, I was pretty rusty.
I know that I haven't done anything that would be considered "Hardcore" yet, but bear with me, I got big ideas (I think their good anyway :flipoff2:) The steel for the rotisserie will be ready tomorrow so I should have it done by, Sunday??
 

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#39 ·
Cruiser pics for MB. Truck has a SBC, SM 465, Toy transfer case, Toy axles, power steering, 39.5" swampers, normal stuff.
 

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#40 · (Edited)
Now back to your regularly scheduled program....

I got some work done on the rotisserie today, got the front part of it pretty much roughed in, need to add some gussets, finish weld it, and build the rear piece. I made the lower piece with the castors 60" due to space restrictions in my garage, if I have to I can add some outriggers for better stability. I won't know till the first time I rotate it, very carefully :p I might add.
My wife was checking things out today, just hanging out and I commented that I would go crazy if I didn't have a place to fabricate and putter around, and I wondered what guys who have no mechanical skills, whether it be for fabrication or whatever, what they do???? She said her ex husband used to rug hook,..:homer:..... thats right, rug hook!!!!!! I know that I'm no uber fabricator, but at least I don't.....RUG HOOK! I geuss thats why he got skidded.
 

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#44 ·
Thank's for lookin guys:beer:. I got my rotisserie 99% done, all I need is the bar to tie it together and drill some holes for a pin system.
 

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#45 · (Edited)
couple more, it won't roll 360, but this is more than good enough. I wish I had some beer left.
 

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#51 ·
:grinpimp:, thanks man, it turned out better than I expected. I didn't take any pics while I was building it, never even thought of it :shaking:. I could take some closeups if your interested.
 
#53 ·
Very cool. That beats the snot out of my 2x4 concocted body stand. Hey it worked and I didnt drop the body once! It only cost 10 bucks too :)

Yours is way safer, although it would be cooler if you changed the front one to allow for the chassis to roll under it. Looks like you have hoists for that... I think I had my body on and off a dozen times test fitting. Plan better than I did and you shouldnt have that problem.
 
#54 ·
I think I had my body on and off a dozen times test fitting.

I am putting the body back on my original frame so this should limit how many times it comes off and on. I thought about making it so I could roll the frame through it but I have some serious space issues. I will post some pics of how tight everything is in my garage later.
 
#55 · (Edited)
Some garage shots, all ready for winter, the clean bay is for my wife. When I want to work on my trucks I will have to move the quad and the wifes Dakota, this will create a fairly big space. Also a shot of my 56, patiently waiting.
 

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#58 ·
I have been sanding, a lot. Just got the roof done tonight as a matter of fact, lot's of tin up there :evil:. Slowly making progress and rounding up parts and new tools
 

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