"Secret Willys Revival" (My chopped '53)

[Snake Farm]

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!

Wow Kristin, great minds do think alike don't they Your truck looks NICE! I'm shaving my drip rail too but haven't gotten around to the front yet. I like the smooth look your's has but my cab lights will break mine up a bit. I can't make out the logo on your door......is it original? Would love to see some more pics........you should start up a build thread.
Wish I could help on the inner fenders but I don't have any yet My plan is to build back in as much as I can and I will probably start with some cardboard and masking tape to design them and make patterns..... the tilt nose complicates things a bit but I'll figure out something and I'll share it here.

As far as how I ended up with the truck.......well, it was the winter of 1980 and Bob Chandler's "Bigfoot" was all the rage having been introduced about a year earlier. I had always loved the old Willys trucks and wanted to build a big tall 4X4. We have a local buy/sell/trade paper called 'The Prospector' and I picked it up one week and there was my dream truck - 1953 Willys 4X4, good body, original running gear, no engine $100 -
I went to look at it expecting to find a 1953 Willys 4X4 with a good body, original running gear and no engine but when the guy opened the shed there sat a rusty rolling chassis with a rough cab and a transfer case. The bed was sitting out back rusted to the ground. He proceeded to tell me the transmission and front sheet metal was at a friend's house on the other end of the county Not quite what I was expecting........so I bought it anyway So one trailer trip on a cold winter night and one pickup truck trip to the friend's house and I was the proud owner of my dream 4X4 ! Not sure what happened after that....it's all kind of a blur[S

Nearly 32 years later,
Still plugging away,

Ray

 

[Snake Farm]

Here's a little update on my latest progress. I finally started hashing out my door latch situation.

A little measuring and layout....

A little cutting.....

Okay, break out the drill....there's something in there....

Hmmph, there must have been a hinge mounted there in a previous life...

Now that's out of the way.....

A little fitting of the mounting plate....

A little wallowing out for a latch handle.....

Tack in the mounting plate.....

Dang, my work always looks better BEFORE I weld [S

Hang on, out of room.....

 

[Snake Farm]

Bolt in the latch....

Fashion a handle out of a bolt and a threaded sleeve topped off with an acorn nut......

Tack in the strike plate (have a little fill in work to do there yet)......

Put up a sign so I won't get lost.....

And I'm in business, feels good to be able to climb in and slam the door shut and flick a handle and get out

Will feel even better when I can do it on the other side as well but I'm gaining on it.

Took a little spin around the neighborhood last night just before dark and then burned a brush pile. Snapped this pic of the Willys in the firelight........

.....and decided to make it my new avatar for awhile.

To be continued,

Ray

 

[Dirtyrat]

nice work on the latch for sure, are you concerned at all about the handle being exposed to open the door?

 

[Snake Farm]

nice work on the latch for sure, are you concerned at all about the handle being exposed to open the door?

Thanks man, I'm glad to finally get something in the works so I don't have to tie the doors shut all the time........I mean I'd like to put a windshield in this thing one of these days!

As for the exposed latch handle it's pretty far forward next to the dash and it's well past my knee when I'm driving but I will be installing some kind of dead bolt safety latch......I just think that goes with the territory when you do suicide doors. I mean, they do call them suicide for a reason Not sure what I'll come up with but it may be as simple as a barrel bolt.

Thanks again for the kind words of encouragement,

Ray

 

[Snake Farm]

Started on the latch for the passenger's door this evening. Got the hole cut for the latch plate and the old hinge mount drilled out. Didn't snap any pics tonight but if you grab a mirror and look at the ones above you'll get the idea

Here's a couple pics from one year ago today.............

.........I like where I'm at now better.

Slowly but surely,

Ray

 

[GJunktionMike]

Ray the exit sign is just to funny

 

[shakey56]

....in the firelite.

Good job on the latch Ray. And I love the sign, too. Wouldn't it be boring to do things like everybody else? You know....order a shiney kit and bolt it on? I love your creativity buddy. Keep on.......
Later.

Lynn

ps. You CAN carry creativity too far as attested to in the accompanying photo!

 

[Tim...Ok]

Looking good Ray, where did you get those door latches..I tried using some I cut out of donor doors, it works but just not as good as I had hoped..they will get cut out and done over with ones similiar to yours..


Tim

 

[Snake Farm]

Ray the exit sign is just to funny

Good job on the latch Ray. And I love the sign, too.
Later.

Lynn

Looking good Ray, where did you get those door latches..


Tim

Thanks guys, LOL I found that pair of left and right EXIT signs and thought this would be a cool thing to do with them.
Tim, I bought the latches off this guy on eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/LARGE-Bear-...ruck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr#ht_1478wt_1037 , several folks are selling them there and I believe Summit and Speedway have them too. Mine are the cheap Chinese ones but they seem to work fine. Most anywhere you find them they are $65-70 for the pair including mounting kit which I would recommend.

 

[CORPO]

man it sure is looking good!

 

[sgtpontiac]

I'm diggin the exit signs...

nice work on the whole thing....those bear claws fit like a glove.....[cl

 

[Hydrocarbon Rocket]

Started on the latch for the passenger's door this evening. Got the hole cut for the latch plate and the old hinge mount drilled out. Didn't snap any pics tonight but if you grab a mirror and look at the ones above you'll get the idea

Here's a couple pics from one year ago today.............

.........I like where I'm at now better.

Slowly but surely,

Ray

You may have mentioned it a year ago. I recognize that's a suzuki samurai shifter boot holder. I've had a few of them off in my time.

 

[Snake Farm]

....... I recognize that's a suzuki samurai shifter boot holder. I've had a few of them off in my time.

Sharp eye dude, that's exactly what it is. It has a round hole and fits the Lokar shifter nice and snug.......has a nice old timey look to it too when used this way.

 

[sgtpontiac]

suzuki samurai ........

Sounds like some pro wrestler on WWE!!!

 

[Z.Z.Rat]

I like the exit signs too! Gosh that has to feel good to drive it.

 

[Hydrocarbon Rocket]

Sounds like some pro wrestler on WWE!!!

This was me wrestling with mine back when it was a baby several years back.

 

[Snake Farm]

..........Now to get to work on some brakes, door latches,

I still have no door latches,

........need to get the rear brakes on, bear claw latches installed, .

........two things I'd really like to get done soon are door latches so I don't have to tie the doors shut and some lights,

.....I swear I'm going to get some latches on the doors one of these days

Hey, I've learned something! If you talk about something long enough you will eventually get off your arse and do something about it.
As I drank my morning coffee I realized I had so many things to do today that I didn't know where to begin [S So.......I decided to just shirk all the important stuff and work on the Willys for awhile.
Check it out........

See that pile of strings on the hood......Soon we will have the ceremonial "Burning of The Strings" here at the "Snake Farm" because I no longer need them! [cl[cl Got both of my door latches in now and the beginnings of my door panels.

Forging ahead slowly,

Ray

 

[klink]

Does it have a windshield yet?

 

[jfg455]

Does it have a windshield yet?

Patience Mr. Klink. It has taken him 25 years to get this far. No need to frighten him back into hiding with frivolous demands like wind screen glass![cl