"Secret Willys Revival" (My chopped '53)

[Snake Farm]

Well, I worked on the Willys some tonight and thanks to your all's response to my "Stupid Question" thread I now have a working alternator [cl I was going to have one built but ended up just buying one at Advance Auto for $49

Ran a 10 Gauge wire directly to the POS. terminal of the battery, ran an 'ignition on' hot wire to the + side of my Volt gauge, grounded the - side and jumped in a fired it up......

Yee Haw! A working alternator..........

with working gauge!

I am still so far from being on the road that it gets overwhelming when I think of all there is yet to do but every little thing like this gets me a step closer. I still have high hopes of hitting the road sometime this summer.

To be continued,

Ray

 

[Tim...Ok]

I am still so far from being on the road that it gets overwhelming when I think of all there is yet to do but every little thing like this gets me a step closer. I still have high hopes of hitting the road sometime this summer.

To be continued,

Ray

its one step closer, you are miles closer that you were a year ago..just keep pluggin away at it!

 

[jfg455]

I am still so far from being on the road that it gets overwhelming when I think of all there is yet to do but every little thing like this gets me a step closer. I still have high hopes of hitting the road sometime this summer.

If you think of the entire pile of stuff that needs to be done you will just get frustrated and walk away having done nothing. If you make a list, post it on a wall, and just tell yourself that every sunday you will just do on thing on the list, you will find it goes fairly quick. I find that you say "I will just do this one thing" and you knock it out cross it off and then have time to do 2 or 3 things. Plus you feel great that you got to cross something off.

It is like having 234 small victories instead of one giant one at the end. Works for me!

 

[Sam_Fear]

The bed looks awesome!

(took me a minute to figure out why there was a guys head floating above the roof)

 

[Snake Farm]

Thanks for all the encouragement guys!
Yeah Tim, I am miles further than this time last year and that's what I remind myself of every now and again. Like these two pics from about a year ago....

........makes me pretty darned happy with where I'm at on it now

And yes I do the list thing all the time John and it does help a bunch......I just can't keep from looking at the "need to do's" instead of the "have done's" every once in awhile

The bed looks awesome!

(took me a minute to figure out why there was a guys head floating above the roof)

Thanks Sam. I can't believe how my mind has changed on the bed. I've had a picture of a metal bed with fenders in my mind for years and have mocked it up several times including the wedge shaped one earlier in this thread. The wedge shaped bed met mixed reviews here on RRR but I was in love with it......until I threw the stake bed together in one evening!

........and it's been growing on me ever since, so it will probably stay

LOL, that floating head is my dartboard that came with my big screen TV (see my Cracker Jack thread in the BS section) It's hanging on the hinge of the garage door and it swings down when I open the door. When I work with the door open 'Jeff' hovers there and watches over me....... kinda makes me feel bad for sticking him in the eye with a dart

Don't know when I'll get time to work on the truck again but keep an eye on that side view pic above.........my next project is to make a little cosmetic change

To be continued,

Ray

 

[Snake Farm]

Beautiful spring day here at the 'Snake Farm' Had lots of chores to do but managed to squeeze in a little garage time too. Tuned on the Willys a little and buzzed the neighborhood a few times.......till the neighbors started giving me funny looks
My Grand Dog Wendle had to sit it with me for a little bit..........

........he wanted to drive, and I probably would have let him if he had thumbs And yes his head is bigger than mine! He's a 140 pound Greater Swiss although he thinks he's a lap dog.

I've been wanting to practice grinding on the big T/A's on the rear of the Willys since they are old and hard and will need to be replaced once I get it on the road. I started on them the other night but they didn't do well and didn't have white where I wanted. So today I took the easy way out and grabbed some 'White Walls In A Can' ..........

.......and went to town!

Whatta ya think?

To be continued,

Ray

 

[Tim...Ok]

ha..that looks great!! had you mentioned it, I would have said don't do it, not on that truck, but I really like the look on there..

Tim

 

[agdeuce]

Cool

Wow Ray way to stick to it. Man I have gotten rid of all my previous projects, maybe 5 or 6, I don't know what kept you going but the end results are great. Best of all it is on the road. Congratulations and as we used to say "keep on trucking". Steve

 

[Paul_J]

.......and went to town!

Whatta ya think?

Ray

I think you are having way too much fun!

 

[shakey56]

Cool...again!

Hey Ray......I'm likin' them whitewalls!!! You're just too cool, man...too cool.[cl[cl[cl[cl[cl

Lynn

 

[Snake Farm]

......... as we used to say "keep on trucking". Steve

Thanks Steve, I plan too!

I think you are having way too much fun!

No way Paul, there are two things in this world that you can't have too much of............and fun is one of them

ha..that looks great!! had you mentioned it, I would have said don't do it, not on that truck, but I really like the look on there.. Tim

Thanks Tim, I thought for a while there I had killed my own thread with that wheel/tire combo.........

..... Actually I never intended for the Willys to have red wheels. The rears I painted red when I used to run them on my '54 Chevy PU and the fronts happened to be red when I got them. Once I painted the white walls I thought they did look pretty cool but they barely lasted long enough for the white walls to dry...........see, I fixed'em

Now that's what I'm talking about.....

Been working a little on some other areas too........will post an update soon.

Stay tuned,

Ray

 

[Snake Farm]

Hey Ray......I'm likin' them whitewalls!!! You're just too cool, man...too cool.[cl[cl[cl[cl[cl

Lynn

Thanks Lynn.........but you're the 'cool one'

 

[Sam_Fear]

A set of old style snow and mud tires with WWW would look good on the rear of that. (Check my 63 F100 build)

 

[Hydrocarbon Rocket]

I think I liked the red better. Or maybe you just need to get the new paint just a bit dirty or something. It looks good either way though.

 

[FiveNdime]

Read through this whole thread and wow what a story. I have a long family history story with my 62 willys pickup. Super short story, I rode in the back down the road as a little kid, then dad sold it, then years and years later I saw it for sale and bought it to restore and still have it. Im currently in the build process of my newest addition, a 48 willys which I have a build thread on here. I love these things and look forward to updates about peoples projects. Oh, I actaully liked those red wheels with no whitewalls though. Nice ride!!

 

[50Willys]

We're siblings from another mother!

Friend of mine found your truck on this forum and forwarded it. Looks like great minds think alike! I'm still working on my truck (when are they ever done?) but LOVE how we have the same ideas. I also chopped mine 6 inches, but cut out the drip rail around the top. I've always wondered what it would look like with it on still . Mine is on an S10 frame that's been lowered.

I would love to know how you did your inner fenders because I am at a loss. Also, I know you've been working on your truck for a while but I was wondering if there's a story behind how you ended up with the truck originally.

Looking forward to chatting with you!

 

[GJunktionMike]

Nice White walls Ray [cl

 

[rainman]

I painted my red wheels black a while back and never quite got used to them. Just painted them flat black, and I think they look much better!!
Just a thought!! Actually it was semi flat!!

 

[JOD34N]

Looking good Ray, you're making some good progress.

Dean.

 

[Snake Farm]

A set of old style snow and mud tires with WWW would look good on the rear of that. (Check my 63 F100 build)

Actually I've thought about a pair of half worn out 'Boggers' might be pretty cool.........more sidewall to paint but it would give it a bit more rake though wouldn't it [S

I think I liked the red better. Or maybe you just need to get the new paint just a bit dirty or something. It looks good either way though.

I painted my red wheels black a while back and never quite got used to them. Just painted them flat black, and I think they look much better!!
Just a thought!! Actually it was semi flat!!

I like red wheels on a lot of rides but just not this one.....grey primer, black wheels and chrome lug nuts have been a favorite of mine since I was a kid
The black isn't as shiny as it appears in the pics, it's Rustoleum Satin........and I do plan to get it dirty too

Nice White walls Ray [cl

Thanks Mike, can't beat the price.......$10 for approximately 20 sets and I like how it makes the little bit of white on my door logo pop.

Looking good Ray, you're making some good progress.

Dean.

Thanks man, glad to see you back on the 'Ratty Taxi' project too.