AL BUNDY
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- FULLERTON, CA
I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into. Good luck with the build and post up pix as it goes.
1955 Willys 2 Door Station Wagon specs?
- Thread starter themangeraaad
- Start date
themangeraaad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Halifax, MA
I am already taking pictures as I go for my floor pan replacement and fender tubbing project on the XJ... one of the many reasons I dont want to sell it is because I have oh so many plans. The Willys would definitely get itself a build thread (and clearly I would need to go red so I could post in advanced fab. 
And I am looking to buy a house down on the south shore, so fitchburg is probably at least 1.5 hours away.. That may be a bit tough, heh. Thanks for the offer though.
And I am looking to buy a house down on the south shore, so fitchburg is probably at least 1.5 hours away.. That may be a bit tough, heh. Thanks for the offer though.
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themangeraaad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Halifax, MA
Found that earlier this morning. Waiting to get home so I can see the pictures and actually enjoy the build. :cheers:
Unless this is the one I found last night... I have read way too many threads on these things lately. Lol
The more I think about it, one of the harder aspects of the build will probably be the coil over swap up front.. Other than that the rest should be relatively straightforward. Only possible difference that I may run into is driveshaft geometries. depending what I throw in there. If I go with the 4.0 like I want to (keep it in the Jeep family) I have to find a front/rear driveshafts that will be long enough. I am starting to think that if I find a house I will be keeping my lift kit on the XJ I have now and making that my lift project like I originally planned.
I will also pick up a parts XJ for this build, and install stock XJ suspension on the Willys (with all new suspension parts, maybe 1" lift or something like that)... Renovate an old Willys with modern drivetrain and interior while keeping it in line with how it would look if it were re-released today. So many different options with how to do the build and I haven't even confirmed that it's worth buying yet. Clearly these things are addicting. I'm already addicted :smoker:...
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Matthew Currie
NAXJA Member #760
- Location
- Vermont, land of big clay
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).
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
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.
Well, for my part, I just always liked those Jeeps and figure that if one wanted a very cool recipient for a collection of XJ guts it would be very nice. Obviously I am not doing this, and almost certainly never will, but I'd be happy to cheerlead from the sidelines, and read the blog in which you recount all your expensive and educational errors and exercises.
If it's a late model of the breed, it might have slightly more up to date drivetrain. My '64 J-200 had a nice single-lever Dana transfer case, T-90 three speed tranny, and D-44's all around. The D-44's on that one were unusual in that they had zerk fittings with which to grease the rear axle bearings.
In case you're not aware, many who have had the bad luck of experiencing it in "real life" consider the Kaiser Jeep 230 OHC to have been one of the worst engines ever made. It had wonderful torque curve and surprisingly good economy, was well fitted to the task in all respects except that it was almost impossible to keep from falling apart, leaking, warping and ending up burning oil at rates almost impossible to imagine in any engine that didn't have gaping holes in it. Camshaft failures were constant, oil burning a given, and leaks frequent and chronic. Jeep dealers selling new long blocks would not guarantee them against oil consumption out of the box. The one virtue of getting a truck with one of these in it is that it was a pretty big hunk of iron, so when it comes out it should leave a pretty roomy hole into which you might fit something nice. Look out, though, for steering column/front end issues, because at least on the original Waggy and J-200 etc., they took advantage of the very narrow block and the right-side manifolds, and routed the steering column straight through where an XJ engine's manifold would appear. The engine mounts are also very oddly placed, using the front plate of the engine. There were no mounting points on the block! Putting another engine in an OHC vehicle can be a fabricating challenge if, like the SJ, it was designed around it. The OHC SJ's had a different steering column, engine mount points, and front axle from all others, and conversions even to another straight 6 required some serious workarounds as a result. When the total rebuild on mine went south after a year, I ditched it as too expensive to convert over, and bought a Scout.
Actually, I can think of one other virtue of an OHC vehicle, and that is that there's a good likelihood that it has fairly low mileage. It probably went bad and got parked long before the rest of the vehicle had a chance to wear out.
themangeraaad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Halifax, MA
Damnit, someone just had to post and point out some very real difficulties I would have (rather than just saying it will be hard and a PITA, etc etc). Lol. I knew it would be a pain and a money pit... but sometimes there are things that I would rather go in blind to a degree. Once I start the project I want to hear all the crap I will run into... not before I even buy the project vehicle! haha. Thanks though, never thought that the steering column would pose that much of an issue, even though I did look at a few pictures of 230 OHC engines and noticed the exhaust manifold was on the opposite side when compared to the 4.0/XJ. That could lead to some nightmares..
And even though the mounting locations were strange on the waggy, couldn't they just be chopped off completely and new ones welded onto the correct locations for whatever engine one would be using? I knew I wouldn't be using stock engine mounts... but is there something that would keep me from using aftermarket engine mounts that I should be aware of?
And even though the mounting locations were strange on the waggy, couldn't they just be chopped off completely and new ones welded onto the correct locations for whatever engine one would be using? I knew I wouldn't be using stock engine mounts... but is there something that would keep me from using aftermarket engine mounts that I should be aware of?
Matthew Currie
NAXJA Member #760
- Location
- Vermont, land of big clay
Oh yes, you could weld or bolt new mounts in if you do some fabricating, but on the original Wagoneer you'd also have to change the steering. You might be luckier with the old style Willys wagon, though. Since the OHC was a very late development, they might have stuck with an earlier layout for the other stuff when they stuck it in, rather than redesign the front end just for that. You might get lucky there, and if so, the 4.0 might slip in there with less fuss.
themangeraaad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Halifax, MA
I think I will stick to my statement from a little while ago... fabricating the front suspension will probably be the toughest part of the build. Compared to swapping the front suspension to coils I think re-routing the steering may not be that difficult.. then again I haven't yet done it so what do I know. :dunce:
Matthew Currie
NAXJA Member #760
- Location
- Vermont, land of big clay
You're probably right, especially if you're going to put in XJ components and a modern steering column anyway.
My experience with all this was long long ago (like 35 or so years ago!) when I was trying to figure out what to do with my J200, which was an awesomely cool truck except for the trails of blue smoke and drooling of oil out the corners of the hood, etc. At the time, junkyard parts for AMC powered SJ's were scarce and expensive, so aging OHC Jeeps had a tendency to land in the weeds. I managed to trade mine in, and thought myself quite lucky to get anything at all for it.
themangeraaad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Halifax, MA
I would love a J200 or especially a old Willys truck. I am torn between the Waggy and the truck. Either way I would be glad to get one of them. So far I have either found them in miserable condition (and out of range of a tow even if I wanted to start with something as bad as I had seen.. aka > 75 miles away) or completely restored and the owner wants $25k+ for it.
Will see how this one plays out.
Will see how this one plays out.
IGOCOMMANDO
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Idaho
Kevin is a buddy of mine. That is a very sweet wagon he has built.
IGOCOMMANDO
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Idaho
The later model wagons had a center diff 44
JrTxJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Canton, MA
themangeraaad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Halifax, MA
The thing thats killing me about that one is that mine would end up alot like that (probably not as nice though
). Planned on using 3" BDS (actually 3.5") kit all around, leafs out back and coils up front.. so yeah, would be about the same size and everything. I love it, props to him. Great work.I really just have to find a garage so I can work w/o a deadline and not have to move everything around as I go. So it ca just sit there and wait when I don't have the time/money to get it done right.
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