Building a 61 Willy's Wagon Rockcrawler

Glad I'm not the only one. With two little ones about the only work that gets done is between 9 and midnight. I think the last wheeling trip I made was to the park with the "little jeep". I still practice on the curbs so my 4x skills don't get too rusty. I have been enjoying the writeup and hope it continues. Every once in a while peep out in the garage it'll keep things brewing

 

I guess the wife is starting to see the signs of my withdrawl as she has given me an entire day this Sunday for me to work int he agrage!!!

Man, I have a lot of little things to do!!!!!

 

Just found your post. Great job. looking forward to seeing more photos. I've been finishing my Willys wagon project. Hope this address leads to it, check it out. Also, if you would like to convert to delivry doors, let me know. willysworker@att.net http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b89/willysworker/

 

Update:

There is no Update.

Teaching combined with my coaching varsity Soccer this spring has kept me out of the Garage.

I do plan on hitting it hard over spring break.

My Project taunts me so....

 

spring break...

there's something I've not had in a long time... long time...

 

Where and what subect(s) do you teach?

 

Englewood High School, Colorado

Earth Science.

 

Cool project just found the this thread. Soo Two kids and no time. Try 5! Four boys in a row and a one year old, and I just started a new project...:? R) kids are great mine help me loose tools all the time.R)

 

LOL

I have to watch my two boys 5, and 2.5 like hawks when they get within striking distance of the garage. I don't think I have lost any tools, but I have found wrenches and wire cutters in odd places in the back yard!

The boys have been on me all winter to get the Willy's up and running. They both love rock crawling and the camping in the mountains that comes with it, so the pressure is on.

 

Look out, I am gonna go into the garage today!

 

Ok its the little things.

I cut a hole in the bottom of the body towards the rear as I want to tuck my fuel cell up as far as possible. I will bw fabbing up a nice sturdy cover made of sheet metal and have it hinged so I can access the cell from the top and fill from there as well.

Fabbed up the fuel cell skid plate. that took a good while. it now fits nicely and holds the fuel cell snugly, while keeping my departure angle nice and steep!

Fabbed up and welded on the rear bumper.

yeeee

see my project may have slowed down to a torpor type state, but It is still alive!!!!!

 

You just made me think of something, the wife has been wondering why I look so tanned, could it possibly be working with a halogen light at night? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

:toetap:

I am back! Yes, after quite the Hiatus, work will resume shortly on this project.

Here is the quick to-do list for the next month (yeah I hope to have it done by July)...this is really my reminder of things to do, but I figured you guys would enjoy it....

*Finish wiring engine
*install clutch line
*Install new starter
*Source and install vacuum lines (broke nearly all of them installing the engine)
*Fab battery tray
*wire up relays
*wire chassis (lights, dash, guages, turn signals etc)
*install hand throttle

*Run fuel lines
*source and Install fuel pump
*Run brake lines

*Purchase and install full hydro steering (need a steering fluid cooler)
*Purchase and install driveshafts

*Fab up a tranny mount and under armour
*Fab up in-vehicle cage with mounts for front racing seats with harnesses, and rear seats. Tie into frame.
*finish welding brakes and perches on 14 bolt
* body armour
*install arb into D60
*install onboard air system
*heating and cooling system finalization and troubleshooting
*Fab up shock mounts
*cut roof (going to cut two large holes to give the vehicle a more open feel, will tie roof into top of cage and install nice canvass soft-top)
*Fix wipers
*fix doors
*fab up the tranny and t-cse cover in vehicle

*tube fenders in front
*winch and tow points

*All of the little body work (sand everything, remove cracked bondo, weld and patch where neccesary, prime everything, ready for painting
*paint interior
* paint exterior

Oh yeah a month I am soooo sure. R)

 

Considering the progress you've made so far, it wouldn't surprise me!

 

Thanks Ron...I may have to invite you over for a beer and a hand

 

Alrighty! Day 1 of the 2007 building season has offically gone into the books. The stats are somewhat unimpressive, however it took me the entire morning to turn the garage from a child/wife storage facility back into the Fab Shop that it has longed to return to.

I swear my work bench is under there!



And I tried to stay ahead of my wife and kids when it came to cluttering my Fab Shop



So today was spent getting myself reaquainted with my rig. I removed the side windows and scraped off all of the glue that held them in place. That was fun.

Here is a pic of two of the four windows removed (intact I might add)



I then proceeded to painstakingly remove the headliner (which I hope to sell, as it is in great shape. The best part about removing all 379 apholstery nails was the rice that fell on my head. Rice you say? Yes, the former tennents had built quite a nice nest out of boa feathers and some sort of furniture stuffing between the headliner and the roof.

Picture of the rice that spilled


So, many of you may have heard me ranting about cutting the roof of the wagon. The rational is thus...I am a former Wrangler TJ owner, and I loved having no top. Also, living in Colorado, its a shame to have the views of the scenery obstructed by a roof. I plan on integrating the cage into the cut so it looks nice, and then having a soft top made that can snap on.

Prior to cutting, I laid out the lines with string, so as to keep a straight cut on a curved rooftop...



I then used a skill saw with a metal blade to cut the roof out. It went really well, as I got straight and clean cuts.







Ok so there you have it.