Side Project - Vintage Tool Box

So as this restoration project has progressed, tools have been acquired. A ratchet here, a grinder there, sockets and bits everywhere!

Well as far as storage, I had very little to begin with, and my work bench in the house, as well as the shelter where the Willys is located constantly had tools lying everywhere. In fact, the Willys itself was often a tool chest of sorts, holding lots of goodies in the tub.

But that can not go on forever, and more and more tools are making there way towards the project. So a tool box needed to be purchased.

I love vintage stuff, and so when I saw this tool chest combo on craigslist I was thrilled. What would look better beside a 1960 Willys Jeep than a 1960's toolbox! This old Craftsman tool chest has been repainted at least once and is in need for a restoration of it's own. So as soon as the weather gets warmer, I am going to restore this as well. Should not take long, some body work will need to be done, sanding, but for the most part it should be easy. The top box is actually in great shape, the bottom needs some work.

Keep a look out in the Spring, I will post picts as this side project gets underway.

Looking for Auto Tools? New website

I am always looking for good tools, I keep a list of items I am looking for at any given moment. Like my reading list, it just keeps growing.

Anyhow, a friend is a distributor of toptul, a new company making top grade equipment. I have handled them, they are very nice. I am in the process of purchasing some ratchets, I can't wait to use them.

Anyhow, if your interested, go to www.doubleglazetools.com.

Enjoy!

Success!

After using a torch, a high powered reciprocating saw and a sledge, the bumper finally gave up the ghost and came off.

The key was a diamond blade I picked up at Lowes. Where other blades went dull and were useless in 5 minutes, the diamond blade kept going. $$$ well spent.

After getting some significant cuts, I would jack up the bumper and wail on the frame with a sledge. That tension and the previously cuts made it easy for the frame and the bumper to separate.

To say I am thrilled is an understatement. This was a major project this winter, and glad to see it off and in storage, ready to be refinished. Success indeed!

Restoration Process : The Dark Side

I am quickly discovering a pattern when it comes to working on this Willys => nothing is as simple as it first seems.

For example......

For the last month, with the help of the Master Mechanic, we have been trying to remove the front bumper of the 1957 Willys Jeep. It is a custom fabrication job, I want to remove it, clean it up and remount it on the 1960 Willys Jeep.

Simple.

Not really.

So after using a cutting torch and a Sawzall, 2 very powerful tools the bumper is still attached to the 1957 Willys, with no end in sight. A month has gone by, and it doesn't even seem loose, or ready to give up the fight. The picture is of one of several blades that met it's end at the hands of this fabricated bumper. One thing is for certain, the people who attached this bumper had made sure it would never come off.

So what is the plan? Not sure, a stronger blade, more torch cutting perhaps. But this has reminded me that the restoration process often has these "darker sides" to it. It is not always as simple as remove, replace, refinish. Sometimes the "remove" part does not want to cooperate.

Wakefield Willys Update 2.7

So it has been a month, a quiet month. But a few things are in the works.

Today, we (me & the master mechanic) began to cut and remove the front bumper of the 1957 Willys Jeep. We are going to cut it off with a torch and bring it inside the shelter to get it ready to be reinstalled on the 1960 Willys.

We also played with the mig welder for the first time, a key tool to getting the willys tub and misc parts up to spec. Alot of work to get it working, but it seemed to at the end doing what we wanted it to do.

Been doing some shopping looking for body parts for the Jeep. That will be a big focus of next year.

Thats about it. Project has slowed down, but not all together.

Wakefield Willys Update 2.6

From the previous post, you can see a before and after picture of the engine. I wish I had taken a better pict at the beginning. My mistake.

In the "before shot", we had a leaking carb, and everything was coated in PA mud. That is good for the frame, but not the engine.

Now, in the "after shot" we see the engine slowly getting cleaned up. This summer, I have cleaned the oil cap, air cleaner, carb and most recently the oil filter assembly.

Boy was that work! I am not anxious to do that again, it was like a jigsaw puzzle, and make sure you put it back in a certain order or you will find yourself repeating steps.

Quite the patience builder. Anyway, gave me a chance to change the oil, and get it ready for Winter. Looks good.

Engine Clean Up Before & After Picts