Michael I am a 71 year old from Alabama. I just found your site and so glad I did ! Looking forward to following you and your quest to save older vehicles. Keep up the great work !
I had a 1960 Willys 1/2 ton pickup with a flathead 6-cylinder Super Hurricane engine. I drove it for 20 years and gradually replaced or repaired most of it. I had a friend weld the suspension springs on top of the axles (they were slung underneath from the factory) and reconfigure the steering arm. It raised the truck body about 8 inches higher and gave me lots more clearance in the snow and mud. That truck was a beast; it could go just about anywhere and haul way more weight than it was rated for. It was a no-frills ride but I loved it. I finally sold it to a 15-year-old kid (and his dad) to keep it alive and running. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It was a blast watching you under that hood coaxing your Willys back to the land of the living.
Love the fact you show everything you do on the engines etc... I have stopped watching channels that just talk too much and not showing their work. Glad you are getting recognition.
I’m really glad you’re enjoying! I feel I get too in depth sometimes. I’d like for everyone to have the best idea possible of what we’re getting in to though!
I agree. When I was young I used to love working on these old engines (they weren't old back then) but now I enjoy watching the young guys working on the old stuff.
This reminds me of the time my uncle and I got an old 32' Chevy running in the summer of 1956. Really good memories and I'll never forget tooling around in that with a big smile on my uncle's face and people honking there horns at us. Congrats on getting that Willys cranked up. Great video. Thank you.
I was born in 55 and had a dad and uncle that worked on these old things all the time. So I was around it a lot. Older engines are a dream to work on because they have not been polluted by electronic relays, ECM and TBI. They are engines you can actually work on under a shade tree with your buddies.
I've always been a Jeep lover. Learned to drive on my grandpa's '56 Willys Jeep. This choked me up a bit finally seeing/hearing that engine kick off. Now onto Part II!!! LOL GREAT CHANNEL!
They’ll surprise for sure! As long as you can get them free, the right amount of persistence will get them back to life! Thanks, someone had been all over the timing of this engine, between the gearset and distributor.
I've always loved the simplicity of the old Willie's truck can't wait to watch you drive it. I have a 38 chevy truck that had sat over 40 years, it runs now to make it drive and stop this spring.
I owned a 49 Willys pickup with flat fenders. I sold it to start a small company. Here it is 30 years later and I miss the truck, but am thankful for the company that fed, housed, and educated my family. I have kept my eye out for it over the years, but has never surfaced.
I have 1956 Willy’s wagon 47,000 original miles been kept in a barn inside last registration was 1986. Really great condition might sell it. All original
Years ago my first wife's father had a Willys station wagon that was turned into a flat bed truck! His Willys had a completely spent inline four cylinder in it, so he yanked it out completely!! After making his own adapter plate, he installed an inline 6 out of a Chevy Camaro under the hood, and cut off what was left of the body behind the front doors, and welded the hood of a 1972 LTD to the rear of the cab turning it into a pick up cab!! The rest of the drive train was in good working order, and the frame was solid on the truck, and the Camaro engine ran well in it!! BUT what he did to it next is what impressed me the most about it, which was a neighbor gave him a dead Allis Chalmers tractor with the complete hydraulics system still intact on it!! So he made a few brackets and mounted the tractors hydraulics system to the Willys and the Camaro inline motor!! And the truck was "ALMOST complete" less one last thing he did to it!! He then found a friend who was selling a snow plow from a 1976 Ford F series truck and modified the frame of the plow to fit the Willys, and after a trip to NAPA to have them make a couple of custom hydraulic hoses that mated the plow ram set up to the Allis Chalmers hydraulic system, he had a plow trust that to this day he still uses!! The flatbed part of the truck was built extremely "basic", using timbers across the frame rails and planks of hardwood that he sawed himself (all rough cut) to make the bed!!
My Dad had one of these back in 1962. We pulled it & installed a 235 Chevy straight 6. Moved the motor mounts forward, chopped the rear box and frame. I used it for several years in Mt Shasta plowing our 1/2 mile long dirt road to the county road. Mom always had stew on the stove for Jake, our dog, when we got too cold to plow any more.It is still plowing snow to this day, some 60+ years later. Oh yes, converted to 12 volt. What a difference.
The diligence and the use of basic trouble-shooting pays off again. This should be played at every auto mechanics schools to show how to follow the steps and forget assumptions. Great work and I'm looking forward to seeing this beast out on the road.
good basic trouble shooting would have brought us to checking for tight valves (and making sure they all move) as soon as low compression was was found.... but we took the head off?
My dad has one of those Willies when I was growing up. Remember him driving down the gravel roads and all of a sudden heading for the ditch. Down the ditch and then back up to do the same thing on the other side of the road. We kids would hang on for down ear life, laughing and calling for more. What a memory to have. Would love to find one of those trucks today
I think you got yourself a little turned around on the base timing. The valves determine if it's the compression or the exhaust stroke, not the pistons. As long as the timing marks on the gears line up, the timing has to be correct. The ignition timing could be way off though, which could be adjusted by pulling the distributor and spinning the distributor gear to mesh in a new location on the cam. I usually figure these old engines need around 50psi of compression to run at all.
When marks were lined up, the valves were open. When I turned it another revolution the valves were closed as the piston was coming up to the top(compression stroke) and the timing mark was opposite(on cam). Once flipped everything lined up, valves closed, timing marks and piston at TDC(just like setting base timing). As far as the distributor goes…it’s way off lol. These only have a single position to be dropped in, the only way to relocate is to drop the oil pump(or if some has the cam gear off and installed improperly). All in all though, someone had been all over it….🤦♂️ Thanks for watching man, and throwing in a comment! I should’ve explained a bit more thoroughly as to not mix up. Oh and the compression went from 10-20 to 40-50 with the flip, then to almost 100 with the Lucas 😅
If my memory serves me, the correct compression for an F4 is 90-110 psi. Since you got a reading of 100 psi on at least one cylinder (after the valves were lapped), the cam timing had to be right. You would not have gotten acceptable compression otherwise.
@@harryrimmer6830 I had 10-20 psi of compression after everything was said and done, after switching the timing I had 40-50. Then over 100 psi with the Lucas. It may all be complete coincidence and it was just slowly working up compression. In my experience, when assembling an engine, the number 1 cylinder needs to be at TDC and the timing marks need to line up. This one did not. I will mention from the get go it didn’t really try to pop off until I messed with the cam gear and it attempted to pop on atleast one or two cylinders.
My Grandpa had one of these after WW2 here in KwaZul Natal South Africa. My dad used them in the forestry industry as wel. My first waking memory of being in a car was in a Wilys wagon when I was still in nappies. Fantastic machines...
I saw two "bad idea" practices here. 1) Using fine abrasives around the cylinders with the pistons in and no good way to get them clear afterwards. Great way to vertically hone a cylinder so that compression is more difficult to achieve. 2) Lapping valves with a drill. This encourages the lapping abrasive to create rings in the valves and valve seats, also lowering compression. Hand lapping works, doesn't take long, and gets the surfaces properly lapped because of the reversing action at the end of each hand stroke that keep the abrasive from honing the seat with grooves. You don't need or want power tools to do this. Plus, because the cam turns once for every two turns of the crankshaft, those who say the timing was right in the first place are correct. The distributor (or the placement of wires on it) may have been 180 degrees out, though. The right way to do that is to confirm compression stroke, then confirm that the points are opening with the rotor pointed at 1 on the cap when approaching TDC.
I had a 1949 pick up like yours, it had a flat head six cylinder, called a Willys Super Hurricane. I had a bottle opener bolted to the side of the hood and my vice bolted to the tailgate.
Brings back great memories of driving my Grandfather's red Willies pickup. Didn't even have my license yet. Drove it all over his farm. I can remember the smell of that cab. Thanks for bringing back some fond memories.
It’s a beautiful old truck! I watch a lot of channels like yours and it’s always broken my heart to see these things just get started, not restored. Now I do understand many guys just dig them out to get to run, and then sell, but I so crave to see a total tear down and restore on these old engines. So many drain the crude oil and refill but never drop the pan and really do it right. I’d love to see this looking again like it did back in its day! New subscriber…really enjoyed seeing this old girl! Yep, what a beauty!!!
This was the first and only time I've ever seen an "F" Head engine. I'd heard of 'em, but never actually saw one, despite working on several Willy's trucks and Overlands from the late 40's/early 50's... Fascinating design!
I just saw a 1954 like that in Boulder UT. One of the most complete restorations I have ever seen, beautiful. All original except the guy added a 5th gear so he could drive it on the hi way. You’ve got something special there.
Nice work! I would only make one recommendation when dealing with the valves. I would use a back and forth method when seating those valves not drilling in one direction. Sounds like what you did worked just fine!
I had a '61 and a '62 Willys pickup(s) for a while. The sounds of that engine made me remember the smell of the trucks. It was exciting to see your motor fire up! I miss those old Jeeps!
So much respect for you on this project. What a great video. Took us from winching it onto the trailer all the way to getting it to fire. High level troubleshooting/mechanical skills on display. Great editing to bring us all the way to getting it to run. Super satisfying video!!
@@BudgetBuildz the 6 volt starter will handle 12 volts, need to rewire generator to 12 volts to keep original part, need to change out coil to 12 volts. Need to change light bulbs in dash but not tail lights or head lights and radio does not need changing, starter does not need changing to a 12 volt either. I have had lots of old trucks. Needs a 12 vt voltage regulator.. they are real easy to upgrade to 12 volts..Get a nice big over sized battery for a 6 cylinder for that 4 cylinder, and you won't ever need another battery, atleast for 12 to 15 yrs.. buy an Optima battery...a little pricey but well worth the money 💰💰
There is one thing that stands out on this video besides this great truck and getting it started...look how easy it is to work on. That's what I remember. I owned a 41 Willys Jeep and I so regret selling it. This is a huge find. Thanks for the memories....
I drove a three - quarter ton Jeep in the Army, then I had a 1965 Jeep after I was married several years. I think my 2 boys were teenagers. That Jeep went anywhere, I'm 74 now wouldn't mind having another one. I enjoy your videos, I'm a car nut.
I know that getting the exhaust valves out is going to be the hardest part. When a engine is one eighty out, the cam and the crank marks are on opposite sides on the cam as the crank is always up or down. Take the plate off the side to get to the keepers
Back in the sixties, the contractor who built our house and all the others in our community had a Jeep just like yours, same color evan. I was fifteen and worked part time for him. I taught myself to drive using his jeep running errands around the job site. Good memories. Keep up the good work.
Hello, I'm from Mexico. My father gave me a 1963 willys but it was just the pure hut and I hope to be able to make her walk one day. I'm a mechanic and I liked that if you turned it on, my respects. More videos of that project, please 🙏🏽
Wow! That was a tough one!! I think I've never had this level of tension in my body while watching a will it run video 😆 And I really felt the release and excitement when it finally woke and smoked up! 🤣 VERY entertaining and enjoyable episode of one of my favourites 🤩
So envious. I attempted to salvage a 53 Willys wagon that had a 6 cyl loosely transplanted. fan shroud was removed, radiator was outside the front right fender and the gas can was mounted on the bumper on the left side. great fun driving that around the Oregon woods and then towed it back to Phoenix.
I bought one from my great uncle, he used it at his mine. He had a 283 Chevy in it. It was lots of fun to just put around in muddy fields, no fun on the highway though.👍
My first vehicle was a 1950 Willis Jeep. The previous owner pulled the flat head 4 out of it and put in a newer overhead cam engine in it. That made the carburetor stick up higher than the hood, so they cut a hole in the hood and mounted a dishpan over the holes. It ran great and had plenty of power in 4x4 mode.
Just so cool !!! Thank you for showing all the hard work your put in re-working that old engine. Thank you for a great video. Y’all stay safe out there. God Bless !!!
@@BudgetBuildz yeah great show Micheal, and not a mouse or cockroach to be seen in your barn for months to come, now it's been thoroughly fumigated. 😉😁🤣😂✌
That is a Great Feeling, bringing something back to Life, Keep after it. I just started on my first full size, 86 Ford F-250 XLT, 460 , been sitting, I'll get it
Your auto TLC is much appreciated, contending with old vehicles require patience and endurance to get real results ! At an auto dealership you can easily get results because the vehicles are not old and in poor condition, rather new and maintained to function properly . Vintage vehicles have a real historical value, well worth the admiration
Great work, boys! Reminds me of when my dad and I tried to restore an old International pickup that had been sitting in a junkyard for decades. We ended up not having the time or tools for it, but this really took me back ❤ As another commentor said, persistence is key. Excellent music selections too!
My dream truck, I'm so jealous. I've always wanted to get a 50-55 Willy's pickup and drop a ford ranger 2.9 V6 into it. I know of some people putting straight 8s, and even a 305 in one but a 2.9 would fit perfectly without much trouble. But I just love the body style so much, I'd love to restore one
@@mtable5739 I would be, but the money I saved up to find one I used to buy a rav4. I waited as long as I could but my car was just running on borrowed time so I had no choice. But I'm still looking, It's still my dream to fix one up, and someday I'll be able to
My uncle built a custom '48 wagon. He and my dad used a '78 Dodge wagon for the suspension and drive train. It handled and ran so much better. The little 318 V-8 did just fine, too.
Years ago me and my dad rebuilt the engine in our Willy’s and spent way to long trying to get the head off only to find that stupid bolt in the intake lol this was a fun trip down memory lane
I bought one of these Willys back in the seventies, never was able to pick it up, was on active duty and got orders. I've worked don a good many "F heads" in my years and always enjoyed them when they fired up. That blast of smoke was a welcome sign. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Subscribed! Your willingness to show all your trial and error and especially your defeat on camera is greatly. Such a relief to see a car channel that's not afraid to show what working on old stuff is REALLY like. Thanks ao much!
Man I drove my uncles old Jeep often in high school early 1970. It’s was way back from the 50s it was a wagener same color. Lots of good memories. Thanks for your videos from Aiken Sc.
It's nice to see something come back to life. Old timer tip - it was always recommended not to use sandpaper on points. It can leave grit which causes points to get burned. Use a points file to ensure clean metal... And flatness. 2 or 3 strokes is usually enough. Follow with a piece of card stock to polish. Properly dressed points perform best and will last many years if cared for properly.
just came across this wonderful memory jogger… back in the late 70’s I used to have a 1947 GMC .75 ton truck and a 1950 Willys wagon with a continental flathead engine. I could buy rebuilt exchange carburetors from the local Napa shop for just $13. New ones ran about $30.
There's a head bolt under the carb too. That was the hurricane 4. Theese we're built by kaiser Frazer in 51 valves strange setup in 60 they had ohc. 6 engines in those years 80k miles BANG then silence 🙄
@bigscrewg That doesn't always work though. There's so much grease and junk everywhere, alot of it looks fresh. A completely clean engine block guarantees you'll find it immediately. I can't tell you how many times when I was working as a mechanic that stuff was misdiagnosed because you just couldn't really tell what was going on because of the decades of layers of fluids.
back in the early '80s I bought a 1960 willys with a flathead six in it I had fun trying to get it start just like you did inspire me to get me another one and do it over again
I had one of these as rat truck the last model with the curved one piece screen. Built in Toledo Ohio. 1962 model. Kaiser Jeep. The " Jolly Rodger " had a hell of lot of fun in it. Had a Ford Falcon 200 motor ,I gave a valve grind ,new Walsh plugs and head gasket...it had original T90 Spicer/Dana....fully rebuilt. I went through 3 clutch pressure plates, di afram. 1991 -2005. Brisbane Queensland Oz. Sold it to a hot rod builder on the Gold coast. Someone loves ....the Jolly Rodger!
willys was its own company and was the company who created jeep. AMC just took the name from the willys jeep that was famous in world war 2 and spun it into its own brand
When you open the hood of those always a surprise some had ohc.or ohv 6 or flathead continental sometimes V6 Buick or 283 Chevy had a 53 had Chrysler flathead 6 Kaiser Fraser made them then . They had a overhead cam in 60
I use 2 stroke in a spray bottle for starting engines left sitting after lubing the bores. Ether wont help you seat valves. 2 cycle fuel will because it lubes the valves and seats. Sounded like it was trying, booster battery and decent cables to throw it over faster may have saved you ripping the head off, Lubing the bores and barring it by hand to free it up may have given you a faster crank. I stand corrected after seeing and hearing what I did when you pulled the head :)
God Bless y’all 😄 for saving this old girl She deserves to be given a new lease on life. Honestly in the future may need a quicky down n dirty overhaul Thanks for sharing
My dad had a 1950 willys Overland . All original 2wd with the front straight axle. Flat head 4cyl, 6volt with a 3speed. I miss that jeep!! I know the guy that has it now and it's still on the road. No brakes but on the road haha
I like to vacuum the carb flange, intake plenum while slowly turning over the engine by hand. the hope is any crap, nests, vermin get vacuumed out before trying to start.
I’m just putting together a little 134 F-head. Ironic that they call it a “hurricane” The old one was absolutely gutless, and then the bottom end went out of it. I was tempted to throw a V-6 in it, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. So I found another one that was somebody’s project. All the machining was done, all it needed to be was assembled. I had a local engine shop check it out and put it back together. It goes into a 1959 FC150. Thank you for posting this. This was really enjoyable and helpful. You’ve got a new fan.
I was smiling ear to ear when she fired off and you let out a war hoop. That was cool to see the exhaust smoke and hear that little 4 banger. Congratulations!!
Awesomely clean Willys! Had a 61 pickup built a new frame for and restored it with the original Hurricane 6 for what they were mostly utilitarian almost military type vehicles they were so useful for farm applications that they competed with other farm implementation with even having a 3 point hitch system and pto drive that was optional for the rear ends of the trucks! Made them extremely useful. Mine had a Pto driven winch on the rear and the western plow hydraulic system for plowing. I really regret letting it go to a new home now a days. Awesome find though we need to keep these things preserved for future generations to learn from.
Had a 55 willies same body had an original 6cylinder engine it with spun rod bearing. Rebuilt that engine at a Air force auto hobby shop. I ran it for two years then built a 283 Small Block Chev engine and swapped that engine into it. Truck ran great with both engines. Great Trucks
I have owned 2 of these Willys trucks and really loved seeing you do the work I did back in the day. I loved the challenges and the simplisity of those F heads. I have owned 40+ Willys Jeeps from the 45 MB thur the 70s CJs. Love them all.
First vehicle I drove in my Grandfather's field. 4 years old, in summer 1966... He was shifting while I was driving but, we never passed second gear. It was slow as molasses in January but, had a ton of torque. I always wanted to get one like that. Just to putt around, on week-ends drive.
I remember my dad having one of these when I was about 8 yrs old. We went deer hunting in Virginia in the Blue Ridge mtns. And the Clark candy bars were in the glove box 👍
I love your expression when she fired !!! I think I would get the same after being put through the ringer trying to figure things out.Good job my friend,I love these old trucks to.I retired just in time,seeing how everything now days requires a lap top or scanner,there just no fun to work on anymore.
I would love to have one of these old willys some day. Great watching you bring it back to life. I let a howl of delight when you got it to start after all that work. Very well done. What a beautiful old truck.
I got just as exited as you got when that puff of smoke came out,for having myself work on some engines and raked my brain and knuckles on them, I know the exhilarating feeling whend it works. Bravo mon ami.
Your reaction at 33:22 was my same reaction when I got a 56 ford f600 engine to fire off after partially seizing up, i believe it was a 292. The engine had fought me for 2 days and suddenly fired off. Once I got fuel hooked up, it ran alright, checking firing order showed that 3 cylinders were wrong, once I got the busted spark plug out, it ran smooth as butter.
What a beauty! Simple old truck with no lift, no massive tires and yet it has conquered the entire planet as is!
ZZZ not really but what does need is a decent engine that it has never had, worth fixing up but not with that four banger
@@bradzimmerman3171 Nothing wrong with that motor.
Persistence is what makes the difference. Way to go. Loved watching this.
I'm sure that I was not the only one cheering on that ol' Willys. That puff of exhaust smoke was a reward for not giving up on it 😁
Michael
I am a 71 year old from Alabama. I just found your site and so glad I did ! Looking forward to following you and your quest to save older vehicles. Keep up the great work !
Michael, A great lesson in patience, troubleshooting and perseverance. Enjoyed this one immensely.
I had a 1960 Willys 1/2 ton pickup with a flathead 6-cylinder Super Hurricane engine. I drove it for 20 years and gradually replaced or repaired most of it. I had a friend weld the suspension springs on top of the axles (they were slung underneath from the factory) and reconfigure the steering arm. It raised the truck body about 8 inches higher and gave me lots more clearance in the snow and mud. That truck was a beast; it could go just about anywhere and haul way more weight than it was rated for. It was a no-frills ride but I loved it. I finally sold it to a 15-year-old kid (and his dad) to keep it alive and running. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It was a blast watching you under that hood coaxing your Willys back to the land of the living.
Love the fact you show everything you do on the engines etc... I have stopped watching channels that just talk too much and not showing their work. Glad you are getting recognition.
Yea and channels that drag in junk they have no intention of doing anything with other than make a video.
I’m really glad you’re enjoying! I feel I get too in depth sometimes. I’d like for everyone to have the best idea possible of what we’re getting in to though!
@@Robrt32 I know..I always want to do something with EVERYTHING 🤦♂️ Keeps me busy 🤷🏼♂️
@@BudgetBuildz you give people confidence and hope that they can do the same with vintage or older vehicles
I agree. When I was young I used to love working on these old engines (they weren't old back then) but now I enjoy watching the young guys working on the old stuff.
This reminds me of the time my uncle and I got an old 32' Chevy running in the summer of 1956. Really good memories and I'll never forget tooling around in that with a big smile on my uncle's face and people honking there horns at us. Congrats on getting that Willys cranked up. Great video. Thank you.
Must be man, long time ago
My favorite part of your channel is how much fun you and those precious children of yours have when you get these vehicles running again!!!
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to get them out trailing in it, in our next episode!
I was born in 55 and had a dad and uncle that worked on these old things all the time. So I was around it a lot. Older engines are a dream to work on because they have not been polluted by electronic relays, ECM and TBI. They are engines you can actually work on under a shade tree with your buddies.
A crescent wrench at the beginning turning the fan, then starting fluid! Man, I’m super proud of you! 😂
Haha taking after Hank! 😃
🤣
@@BudgetBuildz use 12 v to crank the engine then keep it 6v
I've always been a Jeep lover. Learned to drive on my grandpa's '56 Willys Jeep. This choked me up a bit finally seeing/hearing that engine kick off. Now onto Part II!!! LOL GREAT CHANNEL!
Lately, I am fascinated by locked engines - learning so much watching folks work through the challenges. Great call Michael on that timing gear!
They’ll surprise for sure! As long as you can get them free, the right amount of persistence will get them back to life! Thanks, someone had been all over the timing of this engine, between the gearset and distributor.
Dump marvel mystery oil down each cylinder check every day for a week put a carburetor on power and try starting she will probably run
I've always loved the simplicity of the old Willie's truck can't wait to watch you drive it. I have a 38 chevy truck that had sat over 40 years, it runs now to make it drive and stop this spring.
Wow. To watch you perform surgery on that engine and have it come to life is so impressive. Truly inspiring to see your determination pay off!
I owned a 49 Willys pickup with flat fenders. I sold it to start a small company. Here it is 30 years later and I miss the truck, but am thankful for the company that fed, housed, and educated my family. I have kept my eye out for it over the years, but has never surfaced.
Man im in tears.. my grand father had one just like this...
I have 1956 Willy’s wagon 47,000 original miles been kept in a barn inside last registration was 1986. Really great condition might sell it. All original
Years ago my first wife's father had a Willys station wagon that was turned into a flat bed truck! His Willys had a completely spent inline four cylinder in it, so he yanked it out completely!! After making his own adapter plate, he installed an inline 6 out of a Chevy Camaro under the hood, and cut off what was left of the body behind the front doors, and welded the hood of a 1972 LTD to the rear of the cab turning it into a pick up cab!! The rest of the drive train was in good working order, and the frame was solid on the truck, and the Camaro engine ran well in it!!
BUT what he did to it next is what impressed me the most about it, which was a neighbor gave him a dead Allis Chalmers tractor with the complete hydraulics system still intact on it!! So he made a few brackets and mounted the tractors hydraulics system to the Willys and the Camaro inline motor!! And the truck was "ALMOST complete" less one last thing he did to it!! He then found a friend who was selling a snow plow from a 1976 Ford F series truck and modified the frame of the plow to fit the Willys, and after a trip to NAPA to have them make a couple of custom hydraulic hoses that mated the plow ram set up to the Allis Chalmers hydraulic system, he had a plow trust that to this day he still uses!! The flatbed part of the truck was built extremely "basic", using timbers across the frame rails and planks of hardwood that he sawed himself (all rough cut) to make the bed!!
Thanks for a great story, Greg!!. 🏆🙏
@@hernandovillamarinbuenaven7476 9””
Junk it
My Dad had one of these back in 1962. We pulled it & installed a 235 Chevy straight 6. Moved the motor mounts forward, chopped the rear box and frame. I used it for several years in Mt Shasta plowing our 1/2 mile long dirt road to the county road. Mom always had stew on the stove for Jake, our dog, when we got too cold to plow any more.It is still plowing snow to this day, some 60+ years later. Oh yes, converted to 12 volt. What a difference.
The diligence and the use of basic trouble-shooting pays off again. This should be played at every auto mechanics schools to show how to follow the steps and forget assumptions. Great work and I'm looking forward to seeing this beast out on the road.
good basic trouble shooting would have brought us to checking for tight valves (and making sure they all move) as soon as low compression was was found.... but we took the head off?
My dad has one of those Willies when I was growing up. Remember him driving down the gravel roads and all of a sudden heading for the ditch. Down the ditch and then back up to do the same thing on the other side of the road. We kids would hang on for down ear life, laughing and calling for more. What a memory to have. Would love to find one of those trucks today
I think you got yourself a little turned around on the base timing. The valves determine if it's the compression or the exhaust stroke, not the pistons. As long as the timing marks on the gears line up, the timing has to be correct. The ignition timing could be way off though, which could be adjusted by pulling the distributor and spinning the distributor gear to mesh in a new location on the cam. I usually figure these old engines need around 50psi of compression to run at all.
When marks were lined up, the valves were open. When I turned it another revolution the valves were closed as the piston was coming up to the top(compression stroke) and the timing mark was opposite(on cam). Once flipped everything lined up, valves closed, timing marks and piston at TDC(just like setting base timing). As far as the distributor goes…it’s way off lol. These only have a single position to be dropped in, the only way to relocate is to drop the oil pump(or if some has the cam gear off and installed improperly). All in all though, someone had been all over it….🤦♂️ Thanks for watching man, and throwing in a comment! I should’ve explained a bit more thoroughly as to not mix up. Oh and the compression went from 10-20 to 40-50 with the flip, then to almost 100 with the Lucas 😅
100% correct Wes. You did not need to rotate the cam gear.
If my memory serves me, the correct compression for an F4 is 90-110 psi. Since you got a reading of 100 psi on at least one cylinder (after the valves were lapped), the cam timing had to be right. You would not have gotten acceptable compression otherwise.
@@harryrimmer6830 I had 10-20 psi of compression after everything was said and done, after switching the timing I had 40-50. Then over 100 psi with the Lucas. It may all be complete coincidence and it was just slowly working up compression. In my experience, when assembling an engine, the number 1 cylinder needs to be at TDC and the timing marks need to line up. This one did not. I will mention from the get go it didn’t really try to pop off until I messed with the cam gear and it attempted to pop on atleast one or two cylinders.
@@harryrimmer6830 Oh wait..I see now 😅 I jokingly said 100 then minus 75 psi right after…sorry about that
My Grandpa had one of these after WW2 here in KwaZul Natal South Africa. My dad used them in the forestry industry as wel. My first waking memory of being in a car was in a Wilys wagon when I was still in nappies. Fantastic machines...
I saw two "bad idea" practices here. 1) Using fine abrasives around the cylinders with the pistons in and no good way to get them clear afterwards. Great way to vertically hone a cylinder so that compression is more difficult to achieve. 2) Lapping valves with a drill. This encourages the lapping abrasive to create rings in the valves and valve seats, also lowering compression. Hand lapping works, doesn't take long, and gets the surfaces properly lapped because of the reversing action at the end of each hand stroke that keep the abrasive from honing the seat with grooves. You don't need or want power tools to do this.
Plus, because the cam turns once for every two turns of the crankshaft, those who say the timing was right in the first place are correct. The distributor (or the placement of wires on it) may have been 180 degrees out, though. The right way to do that is to confirm compression stroke, then confirm that the points are opening with the rotor pointed at 1 on the cap when approaching TDC.
The camshaft is two to one
I had a 1949 pick up like yours, it had a flat head six cylinder, called a Willys Super Hurricane. I had a bottle opener bolted to the side of the hood and my vice bolted to the tailgate.
On our old 6v tractors we always replaced the 6v with 8v batteries. It helped them crank over faster but wasn't too much juice to hurt anything.
Where do you find 8v auto batteries?
Google HD1-8V Tractor battery and you'll find them. Choose 8v starting battery not 8v golf cart battery because they are different.@@williamlarson7822
Just masking the problem not fixing it
Brings back great memories of driving my Grandfather's red Willies pickup. Didn't even have my license yet. Drove it all over his farm. I can remember the smell of that cab. Thanks for bringing back some fond memories.
It’s a beautiful old truck! I watch a lot of channels like yours and it’s always broken my heart to see these things just get started, not restored. Now I do understand many guys just dig them out to get to run, and then sell, but I so crave to see a total tear down and restore on these old engines. So many drain the crude oil and refill but never drop the pan and really do it right. I’d love to see this looking again like it did back in its day! New subscriber…really enjoyed seeing this old girl! Yep, what a beauty!!!
Started it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was so fun to share in your joy when it finally came to life. That whoop almost came out of my mouth too.
This was the first and only time I've ever seen an "F" Head engine. I'd heard of 'em, but never actually saw one, despite working on several Willy's trucks and Overlands from the late 40's/early 50's... Fascinating design!
I just saw a 1954 like that in Boulder UT. One of the most complete restorations I have ever seen, beautiful. All original except the guy added a 5th gear so he could drive it on the hi way. You’ve got something special there.
Nice work! I would only make one recommendation when dealing with the valves. I would use a back and forth method when seating those valves not drilling in one direction. Sounds like what you did worked just fine!
I had a '61 and a '62 Willys pickup(s) for a while. The sounds of that engine made me remember the smell of the trucks. It was exciting to see your motor fire up! I miss those old Jeeps!
So much respect for you on this project. What a great video. Took us from winching it onto the trailer all the way to getting it to fire. High level troubleshooting/mechanical skills on display. Great editing to bring us all the way to getting it to run. Super satisfying video!!
Thanks so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed! This one was a bit of a mess for sure but I’m excited for it to hit the trails again!
@@BudgetBuildz the 6 volt starter will handle 12 volts, need to rewire generator to 12 volts to keep original part, need to change out coil to 12 volts. Need to change light bulbs in dash but not tail lights or head lights and radio does not need changing, starter does not need changing to a 12 volt either. I have had lots of old trucks. Needs a 12 vt voltage regulator.. they are real easy to upgrade to 12 volts..Get a nice big over sized battery for a 6 cylinder for that 4 cylinder, and you won't ever need another battery, atleast for 12 to 15 yrs.. buy an Optima battery...a little pricey but well worth the money 💰💰
@@BudgetBuildz use a quart of LUCAS OIL STABILIZER & the rest use 30 or even 40 weight Castrol conventional Oil and no other oil additives are needed.
@@harvdog5669, there's no need to put a 12 volt coil on it. All you need to do is add a ballast resistor.
There is one thing that stands out on this video besides this great truck and getting it started...look how easy it is to work on. That's what I remember. I owned a 41 Willys Jeep and I so regret selling it. This is a huge find. Thanks for the memories....
Excellent diagnostics, great patience. Very enjoyable.
Much wow.
I drove a three - quarter ton Jeep in the Army, then I had a 1965 Jeep after I was married several years. I think my 2 boys were teenagers. That Jeep went anywhere, I'm 74 now wouldn't mind having another one. I enjoy your videos, I'm a car nut.
I know that getting the exhaust valves out is going to be the hardest part. When a engine is one eighty out, the cam and the crank marks are on opposite sides on the cam as the crank is always up or down. Take the plate off the side to get to the keepers
Back in the sixties, the contractor who built our house and all the others in our community had a Jeep just like yours, same color evan. I was fifteen and worked part time for him. I taught myself to drive using his jeep running errands around the job site. Good memories. Keep up the good work.
Hello, I'm from Mexico. My father gave me a 1963 willys but it was just the pure hut and I hope to be able to make her walk one day. I'm a mechanic and I liked that if you turned it on, my respects. More videos of that project, please 🙏🏽
Really injoyed this. I learned how to drive in an old willys when I was12. Great memories. I'm 66 now.
Wow! That was a tough one!! I think I've never had this level of tension in my body while watching a will it run video 😆 And I really felt the release and excitement when it finally woke and smoked up! 🤣 VERY entertaining and enjoyable episode of one of my favourites 🤩
So envious. I attempted to salvage a 53 Willys wagon that had a 6 cyl loosely transplanted. fan shroud was removed, radiator was outside the front right fender and the gas can was mounted on the bumper on the left side. great fun driving that around the Oregon woods and then towed it back to Phoenix.
I was nervous about that engine man so glad to hear that thing pop off!! Way to go Michael!
I bought one from my great uncle, he used it at his mine. He had a 283 Chevy in it. It was lots of fun to just put around in muddy fields, no fun on the highway though.👍
Dude. I felt your pain and when finally at the end that engine popped off I actually let off an uncontrollable YAHHH!! Amazing show!
Haha yeah 😂 Really glad you enjoyed!!
Dude, SPOILERS! 👀
@@tomscotland LOL who reads the comments before watching the video!!??
@@lepepus they’ve moved the latest comment to right under the vid on the iOS iPad app.
@@tomscotland 😲 ... well, at least if you've been watching, you know he always gets them started!! 😉
My first vehicle was a 1950 Willis Jeep. The previous owner pulled the flat head 4 out of it and put in a newer overhead cam engine in it. That made the carburetor stick up higher than the hood, so they cut a hole in the hood and mounted a dishpan over the holes. It ran great and had plenty of power in 4x4 mode.
Just so cool !!! Thank you for showing all the hard work your put in re-working that old engine. Thank you for a great video. Y’all stay safe out there. God Bless !!!
Man I saw that smoke & was smiles from ear to ear.good job bro!!!👍🏼
Another good one. People can learn a lot simply by watching you.
Thanks bud!
@@BudgetBuildz yeah great show Micheal, and not a mouse or cockroach to be seen in your barn for months to come, now it's been thoroughly fumigated.
😉😁🤣😂✌
That is a Great Feeling, bringing something back to Life, Keep after it. I just started on my first full size, 86 Ford F-250 XLT, 460 , been sitting, I'll get it
Quickly becoming one of my favorite “ will it run” channels.
It s a134 c.u.i. " f" head,4valves in in the head four valves in the block
Your auto TLC is much appreciated, contending with old vehicles require patience and endurance to get real results ! At an auto dealership you can easily get results because the vehicles are not old and in poor condition, rather new and maintained to function properly . Vintage vehicles have a real historical value, well worth the admiration
I admire your patience and stick-to-it-iveness!
Great work, boys! Reminds me of when my dad and I tried to restore an old International pickup that had been sitting in a junkyard for decades. We ended up not having the time or tools for it, but this really took me back ❤ As another commentor said, persistence is key. Excellent music selections too!
My dream truck, I'm so jealous. I've always wanted to get a 50-55 Willy's pickup and drop a ford ranger 2.9 V6 into it. I know of some people putting straight 8s, and even a 305 in one but a 2.9 would fit perfectly without much trouble. But I just love the body style so much, I'd love to restore one
if one becomes available will you be interested?
@@mtable5739 I would be, but the money I saved up to find one I used to buy a rav4. I waited as long as I could but my car was just running on borrowed time so I had no choice. But I'm still looking, It's still my dream to fix one up, and someday I'll be able to
My uncle built a custom '48 wagon. He and my dad used a '78 Dodge wagon for the suspension and drive train. It handled and ran so much better. The little 318 V-8 did just fine, too.
Michael your enthusiasm and determination is top notch well done 👏 ✔
Thanks so much!!
Years ago me and my dad rebuilt the engine in our Willy’s and spent way to long trying to get the head off only to find that stupid bolt in the intake lol this was a fun trip down memory lane
This is one of the best videos yet. Really enjoyed this. Looking forward to the next one on this beauty. 👍.
Thank you! I’m really glad you enjoyed! Can’t wait to share more 😃
I bought one of these Willys back in the seventies, never was able to pick it up, was on active duty and got orders. I've worked don a good many "F heads" in my years and always enjoyed them when they fired up. That blast of smoke was a welcome sign. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Love watching old trucks come back to life! Looking forward to seeing more of this beaut
Subscribed! Your willingness to show all your trial and error and especially your defeat on camera is greatly. Such a relief to see a car channel that's not afraid to show what working on old stuff is REALLY like. Thanks ao much!
Loved this episode. You are very persistent! Waiting for your next episode on this Willis!
Man I drove my uncles old Jeep often in high school early 1970. It’s was way back from the 50s it was a wagener same color. Lots of good memories. Thanks for your videos from Aiken Sc.
Great video once again, guys 🙂 I had some doubts for a second there, but you really got her going in the end. Superduper 🙂
Thanks so much! Really glad you enjoyed! I did too 😅
Loved that end of video chat, with the remnants of smoke wafting around, the proof the the little Willy’s has life in it yet 👍🙂
This was crazy. Congrats on making it through that rabbit hole! Well done
It's nice to see something come back to life.
Old timer tip - it was always recommended not to use sandpaper on points.
It can leave grit which causes points to get burned.
Use a points file to ensure clean metal... And flatness.
2 or 3 strokes is usually enough.
Follow with a piece of card stock to polish.
Properly dressed points perform best and will last many years if cared for properly.
just came across this wonderful memory jogger… back in the late 70’s I used to have a 1947 GMC .75 ton truck and a 1950 Willys wagon with a continental flathead engine. I could buy rebuilt exchange carburetors from the local Napa shop for just $13. New ones ran about $30.
Interesting engine. Never seen a combined side and overhead valve before. Good job! :)
Rolls-Royce used a similar valve system, called an F-Head. Allowed for a large intake valve.
There's a head bolt under the carb too. That was the hurricane 4. Theese we're built by kaiser Frazer in 51 valves strange setup in 60 they had ohc. 6 engines in those years 80k miles BANG then silence 🙄
You brought memories back to me I haven't thought about in over 50 years... Thank you for the fun video.
Why does NOBODY pressure wash engine bays BEFORE turning a wrench? 🤷♂️🤷♂️
I always do. So much easier to see what's going on. Can't see with an inch of grease/oil-dirt mix all over everything.
We was raised different round here
@bigscrewg It's a heck of a lot easier to find the leaks on a clean engine block/transmission, I can tell you that.
@@twistedpixel2558 not necessarily. Look for the freshest wet spots on the engine, trans, etc.
@bigscrewg That doesn't always work though. There's so much grease and junk everywhere, alot of it looks fresh. A completely clean engine block guarantees you'll find it immediately. I can't tell you how many times when I was working as a mechanic that stuff was misdiagnosed because you just couldn't really tell what was going on because of the decades of layers of fluids.
back in the early '80s I bought a 1960 willys with a flathead six in it I had fun trying to get it start just like you did inspire me to get me another one and do it over again
If the cam is "out by 180" rotate the crank 360 and the cam will be right. Cam spins half crank speed. Cam gear is phenolic, not nylon.
Yep I 'm pretty sure he was chasing ghosts there.
I had one of these as rat truck the last model with the curved one piece screen. Built in Toledo Ohio. 1962 model. Kaiser Jeep. The " Jolly Rodger " had a hell of lot of fun in it. Had a Ford Falcon 200 motor ,I gave a valve grind ,new Walsh plugs and head gasket...it had original T90 Spicer/Dana....fully rebuilt. I went through 3 clutch pressure plates, di afram. 1991 -2005. Brisbane Queensland Oz. Sold it to a hot rod builder on the Gold coast. Someone loves ....the Jolly Rodger!
Had no idea Jeep came up with such a valvetrain design. That's really odd.
willys was its own company and was the company who created jeep. AMC just took the name from the willys jeep that was famous in world war 2 and spun it into its own brand
When you open the hood of those always a surprise some had ohc.or ohv 6 or flathead continental sometimes V6 Buick or 283 Chevy had a 53 had Chrysler flathead 6 Kaiser Fraser made them then . They had a overhead cam in 60
It's referred to as an "f" head . Cj 5s ran the same engine into the mid sixties.
I use 2 stroke in a spray bottle for starting engines left sitting after lubing the bores. Ether wont help you seat valves. 2 cycle fuel will because it lubes the valves and seats. Sounded like it was trying, booster battery and decent cables to throw it over faster may have saved you ripping the head off, Lubing the bores and barring it by hand to free it up may have given you a faster crank. I stand corrected after seeing and hearing what I did when you pulled the head :)
God Bless y’all 😄 for saving this old girl
She deserves to be given a new lease on life. Honestly in the future may need a quicky down n dirty overhaul
Thanks for sharing
OMG! had one of those with the flat head 6 same color. 50 mph top speed and would climb a tree! Thanks for the memories!
My dad had a 1950 willys Overland . All original 2wd with the front straight axle. Flat head 4cyl, 6volt with a 3speed. I miss that jeep!! I know the guy that has it now and it's still on the road. No brakes but on the road haha
I like to vacuum the carb flange, intake plenum while slowly turning over the engine by hand. the hope is any crap, nests, vermin get vacuumed out before trying to start.
I’m just putting together a little 134 F-head. Ironic that they call it a “hurricane” The old one was absolutely gutless, and then the bottom end went out of it. I was tempted to throw a V-6 in it, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. So I found another one that was somebody’s project. All the machining was done, all it needed to be was assembled. I had a local engine shop check it out and put it back together. It goes into a 1959 FC150. Thank you for posting this. This was really enjoyable and helpful. You’ve got a new fan.
wow this brings back memories..had a 1960 , back in the late 80's rough but it drove great, used to pull people out of the sand at Daytona Beach
I was smiling ear to ear when she fired off and you let out a war hoop. That was cool to see the exhaust smoke and hear that little 4 banger. Congratulations!!
Awesomely clean Willys! Had a 61 pickup built a new frame for and restored it with the original Hurricane 6 for what they were mostly utilitarian almost military type vehicles they were so useful for farm applications that they competed with other farm implementation with even having a 3 point hitch system and pto drive that was optional for the rear ends of the trucks! Made them extremely useful. Mine had a Pto driven winch on the rear and the western plow hydraulic system for plowing. I really regret letting it go to a new home now a days. Awesome find though we need to keep these things preserved for future generations to learn from.
I love the celebration. You earned it. I think I do that every time even when it's all brand new and I know gonna to run.
Had a 55 willies same body had an original 6cylinder engine it with spun rod bearing. Rebuilt that engine at a Air force auto hobby shop. I ran it for two years then built a 283 Small Block Chev engine and swapped that engine into it. Truck ran great with both engines. Great Trucks
I have owned 2 of these Willys trucks and really loved seeing you do the work I did back in the day. I loved the challenges and the simplisity of those F heads. I have owned 40+ Willys Jeeps from the 45 MB thur the 70s CJs. Love them all.
The way you lapped those valves, chef's kiss, perfect.
First vehicle I drove in my Grandfather's field. 4 years old, in summer 1966... He was shifting while I was driving but, we never passed second gear. It was slow as molasses in January but, had a ton of torque. I always wanted to get one like that. Just to putt around, on week-ends drive.
I remember my dad having one of these when I was about 8 yrs old. We went deer hunting in Virginia in the Blue Ridge mtns. And the Clark candy bars were in the glove box 👍
The flathead was called the the hurricane eng, my 62 wagoneer had the same eng as that one, overhead valves. They were ahead of their time.
Gotta love these old Willys trucks. Great Job and thanks for rescuing it from the hot rod/ custom off road guys.
I love your expression when she fired !!! I think I would get the same after being put through the ringer trying to figure things out.Good job my friend,I love these old trucks to.I retired just in time,seeing how everything now days requires a lap top or scanner,there just no fun to work on anymore.
Really enjoyed the determination and perseverance you demonstrated while explanning your rationale for each step you took. Keep it coming!!!
I would love to have one of these old willys some day. Great watching you bring it back to life. I let a howl of delight when you got it to start after all that work. Very well done. What a beautiful old truck.
Had a '52 jeep. Top speed around 40 mph. But in low-low it will go places a V-8 can't dream of going. Great find!
I got just as exited as you got when that puff of smoke came out,for having myself work on some engines and raked my brain and knuckles on them, I know the exhilarating feeling whend it works.
Bravo mon ami.
Your reaction at 33:22 was my same reaction when I got a 56 ford f600 engine to fire off after partially seizing up, i believe it was a 292. The engine had fought me for 2 days and suddenly fired off. Once I got fuel hooked up, it ran alright, checking firing order showed that 3 cylinders were wrong, once I got the busted spark plug out, it ran smooth as butter.