Hard for me to decide where to post this, but since it has a Jeep body, I will post in the Jeep section.

This is my on going Willys project. It started as an '85 Toyota p/u. I took the engine(FI), tranny, transfer case, and axles and put them in a Willys frame I got for free. I also got a Willys body for free, but it was so bad I didn't think I could use it. Since I had no money, I just fixed it up and used it anyway. This is what it looked like after the first stage of the project -
http://www.mudtruk.com/sidewj.jpg

That pictrue was taken at a tough truck race where I jumped it like 5 feet in the air and bent the frame, but I won. The frame kept getting worse. I hadn't realized how rusty the frame actually was. Last spring was nearly the end for the frame. In a 4x4 competition, a front spring hanger was completely torn from the frame taking with it about 18" of the bottom of the frame. Here I am a few minutes before that happened -
http://www.mudtruk.com/willys.jpg

I have been collecting parts for the last year for my Willys. The parts that are going in it are:
- T 18 tranny from a Scout with T 98 gears (6.40 first gear)
- Spicer 18 t-case
- Dana 44 front from 3/4 ton Chevy
- Dana 44 front from 3/4 ton Ford
- Turbo for the Toyota 4 cylinder

Here are the current pictures of my progress -
http://mudtruk.com/frame1.bmp
http://mudtruk.com/frame2.bmp

I plan on running:
- 38.5 SX's
- 5.38 gears
- Welded rear
- ARB or OX front
- 4340 shafts w/CTM's
- Front and rear Grand Cherokee coils
- Hydro assist front steer
- Full hydro rear steer
- Tera low gears

Sounds like a lot of talk, but my goal is to have it done next spring.

Cool, looks like you need to get to work:D

4 banger w/ 38's... now that's my kinda rig. Dig the wishbone rear links!

Did you build the frame? It looks really clean, man.

Originally posted by mudtruck44
Sounds like a lot of talk, but my goal is to have it done next spring.

But everyone knows what you've built before so we realize it's not :D

You really weren't worried about a 50 year old frame that you got for free :D

I built the frame. I was actually pissed when the frame kept falling apart, but when I stopped to think about it I kind of understand why, 50yrs old, Willys are 2250lbs, have 60hp, 28" tires.

I love the 4 banger. The thing had great power to weight without the turbo (135hp). Maybe it will do wheelies with the turbo (175hp).:p

That is a sweet frame. I dig the rear stear too.

Looking good Jesse, I might have to buzz over your way and check it out in person. You know if you moved your pivot for the upper wish bone back just a smidge or move the drivetrain forward just a scosh you'd have room on the back of that 18 case for a Saturn overdrive, witch would give you some good gear splits for the wheel speed stuff. Finding the right gear with less than 200hp is a little different than with your Toyota, I wish I could split some gears on my SM420.

Are you coming to the Toys for Tots deal at the Thanksgiving Day run? Would you guys believe this kid's friends won't tow his truck across the state for him? Damn dude, time to invest in better friends, I've been trying for a while, but I can't get good trade-in value on the old ones. If I wasn't already towing my Junk and thought my grocery getter could tow your Toyota I'd come get it.

Hey, I'll make you a deal on 5.38 gears for one of those low pinion 44's, mine have only been used for a year and I'm swapping to a HP front, so I've got a good set of nearly new 5.38's, I've also got an old set of 5.38's from one of my M38 axes, but they use that :rainbow: coarse spline pinion. Let me know if you want the gears.

The Saturn overdrives are kind of expensive, aren't they like a grand?

PS - I think I will have a tow rig. Now I can wheel whenever I want.

Very cool. Looks like you're a little bit ahead of me, and I also plan on a spring completion (I hope!?) What wheelbase you gonna be runnin?

Originally posted by mudtruck44
The Saturn overdrives are kind of expensive, aren't they like a grand?

PS - I think I will have a tow rig. Now I can wheel whenever I want. Yeah they are pretty expensive. At least a grand. Hard to find used to.

imagine that, a flatfender with a Toyota drivertrain :rolleyes: , don't worry man I'm with you on the motor choice, hard to beat a Toyota FI 4 banger for power to weight %. OOH by the way, did you ever bust the Toyota axles when in the Tough Truck comps?

I highly recommend the Saturn Overdrive, espesially with those 5.38's and the 4 banger. Mine was $1200 from AA two years ago, and that includued the shifter handle. But they are worth it. You should give yourself the space and you can get one when the funds arrive. I have see used ones at Archer Bros. in hayward for $600.

I took mine off of my jeep and sold it - didn't need it..

I used to run the S18 and 5.38's but come awn, it is a little jeep - how fast do you want to go? I drove mine back from Colorado to sacramento hardly used the od so I ditched it.

Ditched the dana 30/44 spicer18 for a toy tcase and axles, but jeep frame still, 225V6 and 420. Cool on the coils, I almost did that but decided not to since this was a DD project..

http://www.rcrc4x4.com/TechReports/BornAgain/BA.JPG

Originally posted by Jayrockn7
imagine that, a flatfender with a Toyota drivertrain :rolleyes: , don't worry man I'm with you on the motor choice, hard to beat a Toyota FI 4 banger for power to weight %. OOH by the way, did you ever bust the Toyota axles when in the Tough Truck comps?

I only raced once, didn't bend the axle but the thing only weighed like 2500lbs at the time.

The Saturn overdrives are kind of expensive, aren't they like a grand?


Hey I have a satrun O/D from my T case. i am not going to be using it on my jeep swapping in an atlas. If you are interested in it let me know. It is in good shape and needs a good home. I have no use for it any more so I realy just need to get rid of it.

Lookin good Jesse.
It's about time you stepped up to a flat fender.:flipoff2:

Wait a minute, that frame looks alot like mine.:D

Do you have any dimentions for that frame. My buddy just got a 53 CJ-3A that's sitting in my garage right now. Body is in excellent condition. Before we do anything else to it, we gotta change the C channel frame to somthing like yours.

How do you like the Toyota motor, I have access to a few of them.

sweet- got to love those oldies.

I don't know what the dimensions are. I based it off the stock frame. The main difference is the bends in the frame. My frame goes up by the wheels but does not go back down after them like the stock frame. The only reason I can think that they did this originally is to bring the bumpers down. I don't want to do that. It is 2" x 3" x 1/8" tube.

The 22RE fits in the Willys very well and has lots of power. The only problem is the tranny. If you use the Toy tranny the 5 speed will be too long. The 4 speeds are 6" shorter but the rear drive shaft is still pretty short with a bad angle.

Nice! What size tires are in the muddy pic at the top?

35x15.50's SX's

Thanks for the tire info....

Do you have a pic of the rear toyota axle and driveshaft. I am looking at doing this kind of conversion on my MB. I have a SM420 in already and would like to run a 4.7:1 geared toyota case instead of the D18. What kind of angle is on the rear? Do you think it could be solved with a CV driveshaft and rotating the rear axle up? I only have about 4.5" of lift planned ( shackle reversal/spring under.

thanks for any help

I have CAD data on what I did for the front of my Willys frame. Although it is 16" longer, total, the angles for the cutting the frame are the same. I just printed the drawing out @ 1:1 and placed the print on the material, then lined up the band saw accodingly. Even though I have posted this pic a million times, this is how the front turned out. The rear should be easy enough to figure out. Or jus tmake a frame like deans that is -_- , which should work out well.

Well I don't have a picture of the rear end, but I can tell you that the axle was pointed above the output on the transfer case. It didn't vibrate either but the driveshaft was hella short. I dodn't know how much lift I had but I do know that at ride height the measurement from the top of the frame to the top of the axle tube was about 17".