Posted on 11/19/2013 4:53:45 PM PST by re_tail20
Edited on 11/19/2013 4:55:09 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
The Willys Wheeler Edition Wrangler matches the most basic version of the 4x4 with heritage styling cues and a selection of off-road gear.
Willys-Overland was one of the automakers that built Jeeps for the U.S. Military during World War II and commercialized them for the civilian market in 1945.
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I’d like to get another 76-81 or so CJ5 or 7 at some point. Parts and aftermarket stuff is easier to get than the 70-75 intermediate years.
I always liked the old style “baby” Broncos of the olden days. Seen some really nice ones.
How much are you asking?
Thank you for the kind words. Mechanically it is fairly good shape. The adventure will begin when it comes paint and body time.
Right now the big mechanical things (such as they are) include new and matching tires, exhaust and muffler (just a foot long pipe off the manifold), a slight miss (probably valves #1 gave me a weird reading the first time I compression tested but didn’t do it again), minor electrical, and there is still some slight softness in the brakes.
The master cylinder and some of the rear brake line has been replaced by a shop. I don’t have the facilities or second set of hands to do some stuff. I haven’t found a brake fluid leak yet but anything that old, I have to figure anything original might be a culprit. That is the price of the old stuff.
Tires may happen next month. I plan to go with some kind of all terrain radial since its off road days are mostly over.
In 1948, US Federal Trade Commission agreed with American Bantam, that the idea of creating the Jeep was originated and developed by the American Bantam in collaboration with some US Army officers. The commission forbade Willys from claiming directly or by implication, that it created or designed the Jeep, and allowed it only to claim, that it contributed to the development of the vehicle.[5] However, American Bantam went bankrupt by 1950, and Willys was granted the “Jeep” trademark in 1950.
Right now it isn’t for sale.
When I had it at the shop on a main drag in a nice suburban area for brake and center link replacement, the manager told me quite a few people stopped and asked about it.
I don’t think it is all that remarkable. Then again I am of the very picky school and see way more faults than the average person.
A few months before I bought that one, I checked out a 73 (even though I knew better due to parts) on the NC coast. It had a couple real problems the guy was clueless about. There was something out of whack in steering and the throw out bearing was noisy.
It had a 304 with headers and he had no real idea until I had him take a good listen.
Besides that one beat me up from just driving around his sub division and it had more cancer than even I would take on.
The 258 was one of the best. If I can ever get another late model, an in-line 6 is what I would like.
I’ve had a few with 304s and they all sooner or later suffered from blown lifters. All mine were used and I did my best to do regular servicing on them but none of them were exactly the most reliable engines ever.
I drove one with the Buick 225 V6 a long time ago. That little motor had a lot of get up and go.
I’ve been keeping an eye out for one for a while now but it seems like nobody wants to get rid of theirs.
Most of what I see are people wanting far more than they are worth.
The ones that did those frame up restorations will never get most of that money back. I am used to the problems they have that the average person isn’t.
If jeep would bring back the classic body style in metal with the modern under the hood advancements, my opinion to a new generation model might change. However, they took bailout money so I would have to say no.
Chrysler would never allow the classic style to be built under license no matter how much it would make I would figure.
That engine was also widely used in boats. I had a 21' Thompson that used that engine with a stern drive.
Great engine, lots of power.
It’s $10,000 dollars too high.
I don’t know how they get away with charging that much money for something that has no comfort features.
No electric windows, canvas roof, rubber floor mats, This thing should sell for $15,000, but dumb buyers will purchase it because it’s a jeep.
I drove one with the Buick 225 V6 a long time ago. That little motor had a lot of get up and go.
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After I crashed my hot-rod in my early years, I switched gears and bought a 1953 Willy’s 1/2 ton pick-up - for $400 - got me to my summer job with the US Forest Service -(4 hours - 200 miles 3 quarts of oil) - and promptly blew up.
I found a rebuilt Buick 225 V6 for sale by a widow who’s husband had just rebuilt it and up and died - mated that motor to a T-86 three speed with a Borg Warner 25% overdrive and drove it for the next 13 years all over the western US (the original T-90 couldn’t handle the torque)
It got 18 miles per gallon - which is what my 2002 F-150 gets today - which is amazing because the Willy’s had the aerodynamics of a brick!
I like my Ford as it is much quieter and more comfortable - but my Willy’s would climb a tree if it could get traction....
I had a WW-II surplus Jeep in 1952. This one doesn’t look much like it, and the price tag was $500 instead of $26,000.
I’d take the surplus WWII one you had over this new generation stuff.
My father had an old International that he used to plow. Workhorse, that I remember through most of my life as living in the garage until needed. There is something, I used the word honest, but perhaps there is a better word for those vehicles. there is a basic quality to them that the new vehicles don’t touch. Feel the same way about my old MGB.
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