1955 Willys 2 Door Station Wagon specs?

[themangeraaad]

Does anyone know of a website with specs for an early 50s Willys station wagon? Ideally looking for wheel base, track width, etc.

Long story short I found an old plow truck (has 2 plows so idk if it might have been used "recently" to clear a parking lot or something... or if they just have a spare sitting around from ages ago). It is sitting in the woods and looks pretty beat... but the body doesnt look to be in THAT bad of condition. I mean for the $500 asking price it may be a decent project. I just have to wait for a reply email to see if I can take an actual look at it and see how the frame is doing.

Ideally, my plan would be to part out my XJ and use all the parts from the XJ to build the Willys. Swap over the axles (only 8.25/d30 for now), 3.5" lift, 33" tires, engine, transmission, etc, as much of the interior as possible, all the electronics. Pretty much would take every last part off the XJ and bring it over to have a modern drivetrain in it.

Yeah I know it would require quite a bit of fabrication work (suspension mounts, engine mounts, and pretty much all drivetrain mounting equpment), but would be an awesome ride when done. I just don't know how wide the Willys was, how the current drivetrain would handle it (I.e. Is the Willys much longer and I would need an aftermarket driveshaft, etc?). Once I get to go look at it in person I am bringing the tape measure to measure the leaf eye-eye length, track width, and just measure it all out and see if it could work, but figured I would start here and see if anyone had good resources.

Any info/opinions? I may be getting myself into a massive money pit of a project, but it's a Jeep so I have come to expect that

Pics of the Willys:

 

[IGOCOMMANDO]

Wheelbase 104". 104.5" after 1955.
length 176.25" width 68.81" height 72.75"
Don't have the track width.
Curb weight 3,278 lbs.
Also, the pics you have show a '59 or later wagon.
Good luck with it. I have had about a dozen of these and, I love them.
I have a '63 wagon that's getting the street rod approach.

 

[T3hk1w1]

Assuming that it's a 1955, these are some of the specs according to my Standard Catalog of 4x4s.
Check the truck's serial number-the first 2 digits indicate the model year, followed by 3 digits for the exact model number.
A lot of this depends on if it's 4wd. Also, one of those snowplows may be original to the vehicle-it was a factory option.

Overall Length-176.5"
OA Width-71.75"
OA Height-73.5"
Wheelbase-104.5"
Track-57" front & Rear (Not certain where this measurement was taken)
turning radius-37.8ft

Front suspension
Leaf springs(10 leaf) 36.25x1.75"
spring rate 260lbs/in!
Axle-Spicer, model not specified. 2000lb capacity, full-floating.

Rear suspension
leaf springs(8 leaf) 50x1.75"
spring rate 150lbs/in
Axle-spicer, model not specified. 3700lb capacity, semi-floating.
ring gear ratios were 4.89s, with 5.38s optional

Drivetrain

engine
-F-head 4 standard, 226CI straight-6 optional

trans
-3-speed manual, model not specified but ratios are:
1st-2.798, 2nd-1.551, 3rd-1.0, reverse-3.798

transfer case
Dana/Spicer 18 (Rear diff will be offset as this is not a direct-drive T-case)

This information is worth what you paid for it.

 

[T3hk1w1]

aargh, beat me to it-I took too long typing.

 

[themangeraaad]

Honestly, I'm not sure on the year, I just put 1955 because I did a search on that year and found a similar looking rig (and then copied my search into the title area cause I am lazy).. Its listed as "early 50's Jeep wagoneer"... so maybe late 50s or later would work. who knows. I am still waiting on the email reply so I can take a look at the vehicle in person and get all the details down.

So overall width is 71+.... maybe stock XJ axles are a bit shorter (cant think of how much width wheels+tires actually add), but I got quite a bit of backspacing on my wheels w/ the 33" tires that would be going on so shorter may be good.. but then again if it has 4.89s or deeper in there now think I will keep the stock axles as long as they aren't crap

I was wondering if the plow may be factory, if it is I am going to keep it just for looks, even if its lifted and such. Now I think the big plan is to convince the parental units to let me have [another] temporary toy in the yard (I moved back in with them once I lost my last job... now I am working again and I like the $0 rent so I have stayed here for the time being :lol2

Thanks for the help, the more I can get the better! haha. I'm just torn. I LOVE these things and want one bad... but I don't want to get rid of the XJ, I have put too much time, money, and effort into it already to get to where I am at (and my rig is tame compared to most of them on this site

Edit: Saw "Track: 57" so maybe they are similar or the same. I wonder what axles it is (stronger or weaker than the 8.25 particularly). I mean that gearing is tempting either way. If they are decent axles and are geared that deep they could maybe be good to drop under the XJ if nothign else. hah

Edit 2: Its 4WD

Edit 3: From looking up parts for a Willys station wagon in that year range, it says D25 front D44 rear. Does that sound about right?

 

[IGOCOMMANDO]

It is a '59 or later because it has the one piece windshield and low roof. It would have a D44 rear axle but, they are the tapered axle shafts. Not good. I think it should have either 5.38's or 4.27 gears.

 

[themangeraaad]

Alright, guess the seller doesnt know what he has then. heh.

Well, if the D44 is junk then looks like the 8.25 would be swapped in. I just liked the deep gearing, would have saved me some $$ if it was a decent axle.

 

[Matthew Currie]

Hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like a six. Actually, it looks an awful lot like the notorious Kaiser OHC six. Could that be a transplant? Did they manage to shoehorn that monstrosity into the last generation of those wagons? I hope my eyes deceive me.

Massive money pit or not, you need that Jeep. You know you need that Jeep. You will be sorry if you do not buy that Jeep. You will make things fit. Just keep telling yourself. You need that Jeep.

 

[T3hk1w1]

D44 isn't junk. Upgrade the shafts...
D25 is a decent axle but a D30 is a direct descendant and a big upgrade.
FYI, with tires that size, no overdrive, and gearing that deep, the engine's gonna be screaming at 65.
My Jeepster has 28" tires, the same general trans and t-case ratio, and 3.73s, and it's engine is turning 3200rpm@65MPH. Imagine what it would be like with 5.38s...

EDIT: I'm pretty sure that engine is the Super Hurricane.

 

[IGOCOMMANDO]

It is the 230 OHC six. That means that it is a '62 or later truck. We're getting it narrowed down. Be very careful. These trucks are really addicting. :cheers:

 

[bjoehandley]

D25 is a decent axle but a D30 is a direct descendant and a big upgrade.

Now there's two things I never thought I'd see in the same sentance:laugh:

 

[xstoyz]

themangeraaad,

Funny you are looking at that. That Jeep belongs to my girlfriends father. She posted the craigslist add.

 

[themangeraaad]

Massive money pit or not, you need that Jeep. You know you need that Jeep. You will be sorry if you do not buy that Jeep. You will make things fit. Just keep telling yourself. You need that Jeep.

Please explain further... I am in that current thought process right about now, but I need convincing. I know I can't have more toys at my house (I ran out of places to keep them ) and I am hesitant to sell/part out the XJ. I am calling the local storage lot today to price out a parking spot (storage guy owns a dirt lot behind the storage facility where people keep boats and such.. couple cars as well, hopefully cheap to rent the land).

D44 isn't junk. Upgrade the shafts...
D25 is a decent axle but a D30 is a direct descendant and a big upgrade.
FYI, with tires that size, no overdrive, and gearing that deep, the engine's gonna be screaming at 65.
My Jeepster has 28" tires, the same general trans and t-case ratio, and 3.73s, and it's engine is turning 3200rpm@65MPH. Imagine what it would be like with 5.38s...

I was thinking about shaft upgrades, but wondered how much that would end up costing in the long run. I Plan to throw a shortened 9" under whatever I have eventually so it would probably be getting the cheap treatment for now... either keeping stock axles or getting the XJ axles. And the plan would be to swap the entire drivetrain from the XJ (except maybe leaving the axles for the gearing) so if all went as planned it would be like an XJ running 33's w/ 5.38s if it even has the 5.38s in the first place. In the long run I planned on going to 36" tires on the XJ so maybe I would on this as well.. or just use it as a city driver and avoid the highway at all costs

themangeraaad,

Funny you are looking at that. That Jeep belongs to my girlfriends father. She posted the craigslist add.

Now we are getting somewhere! haha. So do you happen to know any info on it? Condition, etc? Is it rotted out completely or was it just recently moved to that wooded location and is in OK condition? Does it run at all or is it seized up (or just never been touched in years and no one knows)?

Edit: And for all the comments, yes, it is a 6.

 

[IGOCOMMANDO]

I was thinking about shaft upgrades, but wondered how much that would end up costing in the long run. I Plan to throw a shortened 9" under whatever I have eventually so it would probably be getting the cheap treatment for now... either keeping stock axles or getting the XJ axles. And the plan would be to swap the entire drivetrain from the XJ (except maybe leaving the axles for the gearing) so if all went as planned it would be like an XJ running 33's w/ 5.38s if it even has the 5.38s in the first place. In the long run I planned on going to 36" tires on the XJ so maybe I would on this as well.. or just use it as a city driver and avoid the highway at all costs

You can't run the stock axles unless you swap the transfer case to a passenger side front output style.

 

[T3hk1w1]

Wouldn't you also have to swap to an axle with a centered rear diff if you swap out for a diffeerent t-case?

 

[AL BUNDY]

I hate to be the naysayer but that truck is 60? years old. You will have to fab the entire drivetrain, electrical, brakes, suspension, everything. Basicly, build a jeep from the ground up. I have owned old CJ's and Jeep trucks and I love the body styles but I guess I am spoiled with my already assembled, fuel injected, OD auto, reliable, PDB, 20 year old XJ.

 

[kastein]

Sounds like fun to me! You're being more of a yaysayer than a naysayer!

 

[OverlandZJ]

I'd love to build a wagon someday.

Check this build out for some cool ideas..

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=725859

 

[themangeraaad]

I love the idea of building from ground up. I expect the floor to be rotted out so if I do get it I plan on doing a full frame up restoration/build. Starting with relocated/widened spring mounts out back to fit 3.5" lift XJ springs, shock hoops and coil buckets up front (doing a coil over swap to run the 3.5" lift XJ coils), long arm setup..

I would be starting with the wagon as a base and an XJ as a donor vehicle. The wagon front/rear axles would probably be replaced with the XJ axles (at least for stage 1 of the build). That would warrant bringing over the brake setup from the XJ, maybe steering too depending on what is there already. Once the axles/suspension were fabbed up, the engine/transmission would go on. Either the XJ 4.0/AX-15 or an LT1 or LS1 if I am feeling a little crazy when I get to that point (if the V8 is thrown in there the axles would need replacement asap.. but again, the XJ axles are there just for stage 1 of the build). With the engine/transmission, all electrical stuff would come with it.

So yes, a build from the ground up... sounds AWESOME! Again, my main issue comes down to somewhere to keep it and work on it. The local storage lot would charge 45$ per month to store it outdoors. Working on it for the first few months would be tough since its coming to winter.. but doesn't mean work wouldn't get done. I gotta write up an offer letter on the house I have been eyeing lately, if I can get my offer accepted I would have the storage room in the yard and then I could work on it as I have the time/money. I just dont want to pass up on a $500 gem (if the body/frame are in good shape).

 

[kastein]

Where are you trying to buy? I just got my offer on a place out in Fitchburg accepted, if I manage to buy the place I'm sure I have space in the backyard if you want to roll it there... if I manage to buy the place that is.

You know you want to buy this thing.