I learned to drive in a 1943 Army Willys. I was 14. It was 1974 and we were there was no one anywhere. This was the middle of the Mojave Desert. There was no phone or 7-11. Nothing. Nothing for miles. Anyhow This was a 1943 4 seater like todays jeeps but... I also had to learn to double clutch. A drivers licence was not needed if driving on the dirt service roads so I was in heaven. The Mojave was a nice place to grow up when you had wheels :-)
I had a 63 truck back in the mid 70s had the original Tornado 230 ohc 6 hemi. Put it thru hell back when they were building Jordan and Falls lakes. Would go out behind the bull dozers after a rain looking for stuff. Both lakes had R/R track running thru them. When they stripped the rails and ties off would drive down the track bed. Most of the tressels were still there. Was lots of fun. Ran into like minded individuals doing the same late at night
Thanks very much for the video! I grew up in a CJ2A that my mom taught me to drive in and I taught my son to drive in it. It's a 46 and still running though it is always parked inside. I was three when we bought it in southwest Missouri. Best of luck on your projects.
Everyone has a Willys story. My great uncle had an ESSO (now EXXON) gas station and repair shop back in the '50s and ''60s. He drove a Willys station wagon that was 2 wheel drive. I was just a kid so I didn't understand if it was built that way or if there was a problem with the front axle or transfer case and he just ran the rear drive. I always thought it was a cool vehicle.
When I was a kid (sixtys) my grandfather would buy 3-4 surplus Jeeps packed on pallets and when his shop was slow he and his mechanics would assemble them, paint and sell them. It kept his guys busy, it killed him to lay guys off. These jeeps bring back a lit of memories. When my dad wasn't there my grandfather showed me how to drive the plow jeep, I'm sure I sucked but he knew how to make a kid happy, let him drive something and stay dirty. I'm still at it!
Happy Thanksgiving Jonathan and family and Noah. You're the BEST of the BEST. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge and enthusiasm. From a devoted Yankee in New York.
Hey Jonathan! Man that 0l' '53 Model is the one you want to fix up. If that old 4 cylinder will turn over I'd fix that one. We had one with that 4 cylinder in it.....you talk about Torque it would pull anything. We also had an '46 model Army Jeep that was an Billy Goat up the side of those Arkansas Mountains back home....memories again. Thanks.
Jonathan, the '53 tailgate with the "W O" (Willys Overland) stamped into it is of value depending on condition. '53 may have been the last year Willys put them on the pickups. You can buy new tailgates all day long for the pickups, but not with the "W O". The "W O" itself and the entire tailgate may still be manufactured in Brazil. I found a company there years ago that sold them, but getting them to the US was expensive plus you had to be able to translate Portuguese, lol. One time several years back a WO tailgate got bid up to nearly $900 on EBay. It was in very nice, original condition. I snagged one off Craigslist from a guy outside Denver for $200. Lucky catch, as I found out later he had a bunch of calls from people wanting it before he took the ad down. He was honest enough to sell it to me for the original price advertised. Enjoy your '55 diesel Chevy truck rat rod series. Lots of fun to watch.
If I had the money I would grab 1 from you. Sure could use something to get around with& do stuff for my Uncle. Would make a good farm welding rig...a 25 gallon compressor &a 250 Miller Bobcat... Nice save Jon!!!! Aloha
Nice find, looks like fun. Its a toss-up between the 53 and the 62: The 53 has some of the hard parts to find. The bed, tailgate and rear fenders are about the hardest parts to find in good shape as folks beat them pretty bad. Your parts truck has the wiper upgrade which is nice because the vacuum wipers don't work well. The 62 may have the upgraded steering too, which is a bonus.
I had a 49 Willis overland in the early eighties. 34mph was crusin speed, 38mph was was pushing the motor bad. You could put in in neutral on level ground and three men had a hard time pushing it. I took the back seats out, put in an army cot, used it to hunt in. It would go anywhere!
Great find! Maybe go in first with pickup, I use my motorcycles, and see what you need? Could be, take the trailer w skid steer and bring everything out in 2 loads? Hindsight being 20/20,,,Great job!
In the early 70s in Colorado putting a Buick v6 in them was popular or 289 like my dad and I did because he got tired of towing it when we went elk hunting.
Have you thought about puting redirect pulleys on the sides of your truck tray? They would be handy when you are trying to load a vehicle which is not directly behind your truck or the wheels are locked sideways so you could drag the vehicle straight. You would only need one pulley on a rod & a reinforced hole on either side of the tray so you could life the pulley out & store it in a locker on the tray whenI not required. By the way, I am Australian which is why I refer to what you call a truck bed (I think) or flat bed as a tray.
I had a Willys panel wagon with a ford v8 flat head engine in it. Boy that that was a fun truck, don't remember the year. It would pull real well in the sugar sand we have Florida.
You can ALWAYS get yourself into a tight spot. keep an eye out for my 54 Pontiac I think you just might be my best chance of getting one old beater. FINS UP 👍 👍
I had a 57 Wagon. Put it on a 2wd S10 frame...yes i know but i sold the 4wd running gear for more than i paid for the entire wagon. I put a 455 olds in it. Man that thing was scary fast.
My dad had an old 47 willys Jeep, we took the 4 CYl out and put a 289 out of a mustang in it. Used original 3 speed tans and transfer case, added a warn overdrive.
The 4 cylinder motor is called and L4,134. Look at the front grill on the 50s model has5 cross pc where as the newer ones have 3. The transmission is called a T90. If you're going to swap motors don't go larger than a v6.
..... Some may 'gasp' at this comment, but I have seen a guy who makes very cool looking 'park benches' from old assorted makes of truck tailgates ... You'd have to figure out the seat and legs. But using the tailgate as the backrest, makes for a great patio or man-cave item ... They can go for several hundred bucks.....
Hey I don't think that I ever noticed the old jeeps with a one piece windshield so is that because its a willys or did jeep do that as well ! I had a mid 50's that some one had put a 327 in and it was fun it just was all slow going ......
I wish I had have kept my 46 Willy's jeep, but it was very slow and I kind of got tired of it after I went to all the trouble and expense to get it up in good condition,,
What are the procedure to salvage , take a car that has been abandoned? Do need to find the owner, get approval from the police? Or you just go and get?
titles would be easy to get as long as it has the serial plate and it is not stolen and you have a trusted friend in the states that just require a notorized bill of sale and a pencil etching of serial numbers. have gotten two this way so far for a 59 Nash Rambler and 54 GMC truck that i built
so if you got a title say from tennessee they would not accept it without old registration papers also? mine came with new registration papers and have a clean title in my name also
+james p As long as it was a title from another state it would fly, but if the vehicle is over 35 years old it will have to be inspected by DMV.., so it had better be on the original frame. If the title matches the body but not the frame, your screwed. If I was to buy one from SC or GA, which are non title states for old cars, just a bill of sell won't fly, you would need a registration, or a copy from that states DMV, proving it was actually registered in that state. If anything is not perfect then you have to bond the car for 1-1/2 times its value and have receipts for every part of the car (if you built it) it has to be inspected and if it is road ready you get a bonded title and it will be 3 years before you get a good title. If it is not driving condition you get a non operational title then must have it inspected again when operational. But you are stuck with the vehicle for 3 years either way . A good NC title is like gold, but it still does not mean it don't have to be inspected. I had a 1940 Ford with a "Motor Number" instead of a "serial number" and it was a NC title, so it had to be inspected.
I had a 57 Jeep Willys pickup. With a super Hurricane 6 cylinder in her. I kick my self for getting rid of her. The lock outside was 2 Thin bars you spun half around 2 on each side..
Honestly? The turquoise rear colored pick up looks like a zombie fell out of it. No driver door, either. I'd more likely just drop the whole thing in an electrolytic pool for a week, at 2 amps (minimum). I'd be even wondering if spare parts would be even available. Head crushing tough assignments, fer sure. Unless one had large stocks of sheet metal. The average person would just look at it, and walk away....
Oh, but those were great big game hunters. The Jeeps attacked them and they had to defend themselves.....mental midget misfits that go around shooting at signs and everything else they see.
No way I would've walked away from those three. What a great find!
I learned to drive in a 1943 Army Willys. I was 14. It was 1974 and we were there was no one anywhere. This was the middle of the Mojave Desert. There was no phone or 7-11. Nothing.
Nothing for miles. Anyhow This was a 1943 4 seater like todays jeeps but... I also had to
learn to double clutch. A drivers licence was not needed if driving on the dirt service roads
so I was in heaven. The Mojave was a nice place to grow up when you had wheels :-)
We had an original willys we used for firewood and my brother bought a 1947 and crashed it with me in it.. Everyone has a willys story!!
Thanks for letting ride along with you on this find. I wish we had that kind of old stuff in Upstate NY...
I had a 63 truck back in the mid 70s had the original Tornado 230 ohc 6 hemi. Put it thru hell back when they were building Jordan and Falls lakes. Would go out behind the bull dozers after a rain looking for stuff. Both lakes had R/R track running thru them. When they stripped the rails and ties off would drive down the track bed. Most of the tressels were still there. Was lots of fun. Ran into like minded individuals doing the same late at night
Thanks very much for the video! I grew up in a CJ2A that my mom taught me to drive in and I taught my son to drive in it. It's a 46 and still running though it is always parked inside. I was three when we bought it in southwest Missouri. Best of luck on your projects.
Everyone has a Willys story. My great uncle had an ESSO (now EXXON) gas station and repair shop back in the '50s and ''60s. He drove a Willys station wagon that was 2 wheel drive. I was just a kid so I didn't understand if it was built that way or if there was a problem with the front axle or transfer case and he just ran the rear drive. I always thought it was a cool vehicle.
When I was a kid (sixtys) my grandfather would buy 3-4 surplus Jeeps packed on pallets and when his shop was slow he and his mechanics would assemble them, paint and sell them. It kept his guys busy, it killed him to lay guys off. These jeeps bring back a lit of memories. When my dad wasn't there my grandfather showed me how to drive the plow jeep, I'm sure I sucked but he knew how to make a kid happy, let him drive something and stay dirty. I'm still at it!
Love that you are saving classic trucks from the crusher. I also like the recovery clips.
Happy Thanksgiving Jonathan and family and Noah. You're the BEST of the BEST. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge and enthusiasm. From a devoted Yankee in New York.
Hey Jonathan! Man that 0l' '53 Model is the one you want to fix up. If that old 4 cylinder will turn over I'd fix that one. We had one with that 4 cylinder in it.....you talk about Torque it would pull anything. We also had an '46 model Army Jeep that was an Billy Goat up the side of those Arkansas Mountains back home....memories again. Thanks.
Jonathan, the '53 tailgate with the "W O" (Willys Overland) stamped into it is of value depending on condition. '53 may have been the last year Willys put them on the pickups. You can buy new tailgates all day long for the pickups, but not with the "W O". The "W O" itself and the entire tailgate may still be manufactured in Brazil. I found a company there years ago that sold them, but getting them to the US was expensive plus you had to be able to translate Portuguese, lol. One time several years back a WO tailgate got bid up to nearly $900 on EBay. It was in very nice, original condition. I snagged one off Craigslist from a guy outside Denver for $200. Lucky catch, as I found out later he had a bunch of calls from people wanting it before he took the ad down. He was honest enough to sell it to me for the original price advertised. Enjoy your '55 diesel Chevy truck rat rod series. Lots of fun to watch.
You sure do a nice job of backing that rollback up, Jonathan.
There's a letter behind the "W"............it's an "O" for "Overland" as in: Willys Overland. Good find!
Nice driving Jonathan. You show your talent. Nice willys!
If I had the money I would grab 1 from you. Sure could use something to get around with& do stuff for my Uncle. Would make a good farm welding rig...a 25 gallon compressor &a 250 Miller Bobcat...
Nice save Jon!!!!
Aloha
Nice find, looks like fun. Its a toss-up between the 53 and the 62: The 53 has some of the hard parts to find. The bed, tailgate and rear fenders are about the hardest parts to find in good shape as folks beat them pretty bad. Your parts truck has the wiper upgrade which is nice because the vacuum wipers don't work well. The 62 may have the upgraded steering too, which is a bonus.
I like that 53.
I built a 1950 . Used a 351w / c4 / dana 20 t case and 9" rear with D 44 front. Loved it
I had a 1960 wagon 2wd i put a 283 chevy in it 3speed on the floor i had blast with it
I had a 49 Willis overland in the early eighties. 34mph was crusin speed, 38mph was was pushing the motor bad. You could put in in neutral on level ground and three men had a hard time pushing it. I took the back seats out, put in an army cot, used it to hunt in. It would go anywhere!
lots of luck !
saved a 47, CJ 2A...few years back with a friend, good find!
good trucks,thanks for rescuing them.
You made getting in and out of there look easy! I'm glad I'm not the only one that has to get into places like that..lol
Great find! Maybe go in first with pickup, I use my motorcycles, and see what you need? Could be, take the trailer w skid steer and bring everything out in 2 loads? Hindsight being 20/20,,,Great job!
Rusty gold. Like it. I bet a lot of people don't get why you do what you do, but you sure get your hands on some cool stuff.
I like those Willys trucks, would make a cool project
You are a great operator!!
grate drive gitting that truck back in there.
3 beauties, glad ya saved 'em !
Glad you saved them, good job
I like that Willys tailgate!
nice old trucks..
Jonathan, the 1953 no es bueno! If it has the Cleveland one lever u-joints you can'r buy any. I bought the last ones on the west coast.
In the early 70s in Colorado putting a Buick v6 in them was popular or 289 like my dad and I did because he got tired of towing it when we went elk hunting.
Glad you saved these trucks.
Have you thought about puting redirect pulleys on the sides of your truck tray? They would be handy when you are trying to load a vehicle which is not directly behind your truck or the wheels are locked sideways so you could drag the vehicle straight. You would only need one pulley on a rod & a reinforced hole on either side of the tray so you could life the pulley out & store it in a locker on the tray whenI not required. By the way, I am Australian which is why I refer to what you call a truck bed (I think) or flat bed as a tray.
I had a Willys panel wagon with a ford v8 flat head engine in it. Boy that that was a fun truck, don't remember the year. It would pull real well in the sugar sand we have Florida.
Intake over exhaust makes it an F-head. An L-head is a full flathead - valves in block.
You can ALWAYS get yourself into a tight spot. keep an eye out for my 54 Pontiac I think you just might be my best chance of getting one old beater. FINS UP 👍 👍
+Eric Polston I'm lookin, I won't give up..
Johnathan, you can't buy universal joints for the 53. I bought the last set in the lower United States. These were the Cleveland one bolt type.
ROBERT snyder mile high Jeep in Denver Colorado has about anything you could ever need for old willys and early jeeps.
It's an F head, 134 cid just like my CJ3B jeep, many weekends looking for parts.
I had a 57 Wagon. Put it on a 2wd S10 frame...yes i know but i sold the 4wd running gear for more than i paid for the entire wagon. I put a 455 olds in it. Man that thing was scary fast.
My dad had an old 47 willys Jeep, we took the 4 CYl out and put a 289 out of a mustang in it. Used original 3 speed tans and transfer case, added a warn overdrive.
The ole 40`s models would`nt go that fast because of the 513 front and rear gears. but in them days there was no need for speed.
your real good at shootin rescue videos, thanks
The 4 cylinder motor is called and L4,134. Look at the front grill on the 50s model has5 cross pc where as the newer ones have 3. The transmission is called a T90. If you're going to swap motors don't go larger than a v6.
..... Some may 'gasp' at this comment, but I have seen a guy who makes very cool looking 'park benches' from old assorted makes of truck tailgates ... You'd have to figure out the seat and legs. But using the tailgate as the backrest, makes for a great patio or
man-cave item ... They can go for several hundred bucks.....
Make good rods. Shove a 440 big block in 4.11 rear gears Neat
Wish I could find something like this to play with.
First thumbs up. I'm sure you'll think of something cool to do with them.
I need one of those spare hoods for my 53.
Rat Rod is overrated. Nice save though. A 250 IL Chevy looks like a good candidate . What are the Axles,and drivelines ?
Hey I don't think that I ever noticed the old jeeps with a one piece windshield so is that because its a willys or did jeep do that as well ! I had a mid 50's that some one had put a 327 in and it was fun it just was all slow going ......
Johnboy I like the first willy truck the 62 good year for me.
Perkins Diesel! :)
+Reverend D Sounds like a great idea!
Would you be interested in selling the chrome side moldings thanks
Good job!
My old girlfriend had a Willys back in the 70's, it was pink.
Buy the way those curved glass one piece windshields are worth some $$
Have a passenger side rear fender you’d sell?
Good video.
I have the same 4 cyl
Jonathan, those are cool. Yeah, rat rod material. 2 titles ? Hmm...... how many Willy's can be built, two ?
+Danny Boy Lot's of xtra parts two for sure!
For one of them what if you put a old Holmes 220 on one for a show truck
Used to own a 51 willys overland in 4 wheel dr. L head engine
A Perkins diesel Rat Rod...don't need to be fast...just diesel & 4X4...
Aloha
They did make two wheel drive trucks
I wish I had have kept my 46 Willy's jeep, but it was very slow and I kind of got tired of it after I went to all the trouble and expense to get it up in good condition,,
If you are ever interested in parting one of the 53 would like to talk sometime !
I plan to put all the best parts together with the 53 and sell it. I also have a clear NC title for it. It's the one with the split windshield.
would you be parting out any of them yet? I picked up a 53 that is a bit of a mess and sourcing what i can at this point
I am fixing one, selling one and parting one.
What parts do you need?
hey thanks for the reply
the cab trim ,tail gate hood logos would be awesome!
if you could email me Muller543@aol.com
What are the procedure to salvage , take a car that has been abandoned? Do need to find the owner, get approval from the police? Or you just go and get?
These were bought from an old fellow. I never get one without buying and hopefully getting a title
i know this was posted some time ago but would you sell the rims off the first truck in the video
jonathan w. how about a rustamod or a rat rod . tom from wisconsin+ happy new year to youand your family as well.
We did. Here is a link to part 1 of 3 of the one day rat rod build. th-cam.com/video/sfU2tP8ZAT0/w-d-xo.html
That stuff is really gettin hard to find.
titles would be easy to get as long as it has the serial plate and it is not stolen and you have a trusted friend in the states that just require a notorized bill of sale and a pencil etching of serial numbers. have gotten two this way so far for a 59 Nash Rambler and 54 GMC truck that i built
+james p NC requires an old registration from the state that dont require titles or a copy of it from the DMV.
so if you got a title say from tennessee they would not accept it without old registration papers also? mine came with new registration papers and have a clean title in my name also
+james p As long as it was a title from another state it would fly, but if the vehicle is over 35 years old it will have to be inspected by DMV.., so it had better be on the original frame. If the title matches the body but not the frame, your screwed. If I was to buy one from SC or GA, which are non title states for old cars, just a bill of sell won't fly, you would need a registration, or a copy from that states DMV, proving it was actually registered in that state. If anything is not perfect then you have to bond the car for 1-1/2 times its value and have receipts for every part of the car (if you built it) it has to be inspected and if it is road ready you get a bonded title and it will be 3 years before you get a good title. If it is not driving condition you get a non operational title then must have it inspected again when operational. But you are stuck with the vehicle for 3 years either way . A good NC title is like gold, but it still does not mean it don't have to be inspected. I had a 1940 Ford with a "Motor Number" instead of a "serial number" and it was a NC title, so it had to be inspected.
ok i understand now. wish i was closer would liked to had that one without a title. i have been looking for my next project build
Are you in the midwest?
nice sneaking thru the tight space, change your name to vehicle rescue!
All Willys are not 4x4, some were 2x4.
There was a station wagon model that used the same front end as the trucks and there was a smaller model , i guess to mimic cars.
i have a 1960 Willys jeep
Willys trucks for sale?
What did the guy drive it through Chicago yelling "white power"or something with all the bullet holes in the windscreen?
I had a 57 Jeep Willys pickup. With a super Hurricane 6 cylinder in her. I kick my self for getting rid of her. The lock outside was 2 Thin bars you spun half around 2 on each side..
did you got see about # 4 before it gets crushed?
+xmodriver He said they took it off the trailer with an orange peel. Ripped it to pieces.
foolish ,, done is done
the w-o stands for willys overland thats the old school style
sweet....
Mr. Jonathan. I have a 54 that has been part fixed. My husband passed.Would like to sell ??
where are you located?
Lady Lake FL
yep, the skid steer would have been easier.....
Rebuild the vintage Willy's truck
You sir could park a Cadillac in a dog house
Where you live at Jonathan? I live in southern Ohio but im from KY
Cameron, NC from West Virginia
Im looking for 49 chevy truck and 2 door cars ,thanks for your recent reply!!!!
in vermont anything older than 15 years old does not require a title, so gray,s auction in bradford vt an your golden
-The 4 cyn is called a F head.
Man, if I didn't have my Land Rover I'd love to put one of those things on the road again.
I'm happy
You got more rust than metal
Here is one of them th-cam.com/video/vKceEu9GRhg/w-d-xo.html
What is the name of the song / music in this video? I love it! Thanks for all of your videos.
Where I am from by: Topher Mohr and Alex Elena.
my dad had a wills jeep.flat head 4 cly.that thing would climb a tree.shame the idiot he sold it to blew it up.
Honestly? The turquoise rear colored pick up looks like a zombie fell out of it. No driver door, either. I'd more likely just drop the whole thing in an electrolytic pool for a week, at 2 amps (minimum). I'd be even wondering if spare parts would be even available. Head crushing tough assignments, fer sure. Unless one had large stocks of sheet metal. The average person would just look at it, and walk away....
That Sad
hoods have the 4 wheel drive willys logos.. i have a 52... bullet holes in em.. no respect for the old girls.
Oh, but those were great big game hunters. The Jeeps attacked them and they had to defend themselves.....mental midget misfits that go around shooting at signs and everything else they see.
That is an "F" head.