Wakefield Willys Update 2.0

Today it is pushing 90 degrees, which is crazy. And the activity with the Willys Project has heated up as well. Here is what has happened this Spring so far:

Cargo Trailer equipped to haul a "Willys"

The "Bondo Jeep" was stripped, and it's chassis was sent to the scrap yard.

As mentioned, a 1960 Willys CJ5 purchased.

Now the 1960 Willys runs, but it needs the following changes:

Master Cylinder ( no brakes at the present moment)
Rebuild the Carburetor
Gasket for Manifold Exhaust

If we get these done, we will be in excellent shape. Drew is looking forward to take it out and have some fun with it.

Other items on the immediate list to do are to take the L-Head Engine out of the 1957 Willys, remove it's top and begin stripping it for teardown. Sell some parts that we will not be using, and make plans to remove the 1960 Willys Tub. It is a very exciting time, and we hope to make a lot of progress as the temps heat up.

Picts of 1960 CJ5 Willys

New Addition: 1960 Cj-5 Willys

Yep, with Spring here we decided to get moving on the project. Pictures will follow, but here are the basic details.

Picked it up just south of Binghamton, NY in PA. Good frame, running F-Head and a so-so body. Had it running, but it needs some TLC. Plus a few gaskets and a master cylinder. A good start to getting it on the road.

Willys Serial Numbers

I have found this website helpful in determining serial numbers. Not sure if I have posted it before.

Willys Jeep's Winter Holiday

Nothing much is happening with the Willys Jeep mainly because the work space is a little cluttered.....with snow.

Like last winter, we are getting dumped on with what seems like endless precipitation. As the pictures can attest, the jeeps are buried.

There is some progress on the Hurricane Engine. It has been inspected, and is going to start being rebuilt. Cost is the biggest factor, but hopefully it we will soon begin the restoration process.

Wakefield Willys Update 1.3

I have not posted anything for a couple weeks because things have slowed down.

I am coming to the conclusion that we probably can not use the frame of the 1965+ Willys. For that reason, and the weather, we have come to a crawl as far as progress.

We have primed some parts, a hood, transmission cover, tool box cover, etc.... I find it quite satisfying to clean up some of these parts and priming them for eventual painting. Feels like we are getting somewhere, and it does not look like a rust convention.

Why it can't be a 1959 Willys Jeep

Since I have picked up the Willys, I have had my suspicion that our "Bondo Jeep" was not a 1959. There were some noted differences from our 1957 but I did not have any information to the contrary.

Until now.....

If you click on this link, you will see a great explanation of the differences between CJ5 over the years. With this info, I am convinced our "Bondo Jeep" has to be a post 1965+ Willys.

This website also indicates it was built sometime between 1965-1968, given the windshield wipers.

This is not a problem, given the frame should be the same.

So from now on, I will be referring to it as a 1965+ Willys