Jeep Gregs Willys CJ2a, rusto-mod version
- Thread starter Greg
- Start date
glockman
I hate Jeep trucks
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
Love this! And for 1/2 the price and 10x the cool factor.
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
D
Deleted member 12904
Guest
Rugged radios did a willies Polaris general. I love your little Jeep and wish I could have one to cruse in the summer and take on some fun trails. Definitely the side by side for men! I am excited to watch the progress on the crawler willies as well.
Attachments
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
That's about the 3rd UTV rebody they have done now, right? They've all been cool.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Thanks Bart! The Willys is fun, but it's age shows. It would be really fun to build a retro-Flatty with a new frame, body, modern 4 cyl engine (or V6!), better steering, longer springs with 1.5" lift, etc, etc, etc. Make it work well on the road and trail, but keep is so it's a bit of a sleeper... eh, just keep your CJ7/8!
1/4 the price! I think at this point, I'm into this one less than $4k.... what's a new RZR cost, $18k?
Awesome! Men who like peeing blood.... That's too cool Shane!!
Thanks, it's been so much fun to work on and slowly make it better. The Crawler Willys will be so different from this one, it'll be funny.... but some similarities, too.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
So since I'm driving this more often and at higher speeds and it's still a handful on the road, I decided it was time for a safety upgrade.... seatbelts! At first I was OK with not running them, but my steering is still sketchy... hard to explain, but there is a little bit of slop in the steering, but it also 'sticks' once you get past the slop. At higher speeds (over 40 MPH) the CJ2a is a bit unnerving to drive. I'm not sure if the issue is in the steering box, perhaps the steering stabilizer that looks older than me... or something else. But to save myself in case I get in an accident, I've added seatbelts. That will also help while offroad, bouncing around and just in case the worst case scenario happens and I roll it. I'd rather not fall out, then get crushed by my own Jeep.
The belts I got are the old-school style paddle latch, they were cheap enough and I think match the vintage Jeep well enough. I drilled some holes in the tub and mounted them with the provided bolts.
Something else I added recently was a pair of windshield hood blocks and tie-down, from Walcks. The Willys windshield frame and hinges don't like high speeds (such as when towing on the freeway) and rather than chance breaking anything, I decided to tie it down while towing. The blocks are cheap and easy to install, mine were long gone but the footman loops were still on the grill and windshield frame.
I'm planning on taking the CJ2a out later today and putting some miles on it, in the dirt!
The belts I got are the old-school style paddle latch, they were cheap enough and I think match the vintage Jeep well enough. I drilled some holes in the tub and mounted them with the provided bolts.
Something else I added recently was a pair of windshield hood blocks and tie-down, from Walcks. The Willys windshield frame and hinges don't like high speeds (such as when towing on the freeway) and rather than chance breaking anything, I decided to tie it down while towing. The blocks are cheap and easy to install, mine were long gone but the footman loops were still on the grill and windshield frame.
I'm planning on taking the CJ2a out later today and putting some miles on it, in the dirt!
smfulle
Active Member
- Location
- Plain City, UT
Greg, most Willis guys will tell you that a steering stablizer(?) Is like painting over rust. It only hides a problem that is still there.
I always get nervous about the windshield when I'm towing. I don't rely on that one strap and footman loop to hold it in the 80 mph wind that is trying to lift it up as I tow. I always throw a ratchet strap over the windshield and down to the fenders. Sometimes I don't bother taking it off on the trail. One caution if you add the ratchet strap. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN UNLESS YOU ARE PLANNING ON REPLACING THE GLASS. Ask me how I know. :-(
I always get nervous about the windshield when I'm towing. I don't rely on that one strap and footman loop to hold it in the 80 mph wind that is trying to lift it up as I tow. I always throw a ratchet strap over the windshield and down to the fenders. Sometimes I don't bother taking it off on the trail. One caution if you add the ratchet strap. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN UNLESS YOU ARE PLANNING ON REPLACING THE GLASS. Ask me how I know. :-(
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Now you tell me!! Just kidding....
I towed it out to Rabbit Valley today (less than 30 min away) with the windshield down and the single strap holding it in place. I kept watching the windshield frame, making sure it wasn't fluttering up and it seemed solid. But my hood blocks are too short, the center joint in my hood sits up higher than my blocks so the windshield frame is resting on the hood! I'm going to need to build some taller hood blocks. There were a few times today that I was rallying around in 2 High and was worried about the glass breaking.... figured I'd drop some Lexan in place, if and glass broke.... but no problems. Good idea about the ratchet strap!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I was able to haul the '48 Willys out to Rabbit Valley today for it's first real offroad trip since I've owned it! I drove all over Rabbit Valley, found lots of dirt, mud, sand and rocks... and had an absolute blast! I had the windshield dropped and it was so much fun being out in the open!
I wanted to get some drone footage, but it was so windy out there... also tried to record an intro and talk about the '48, but again the wind made the sound horrible. Hopefully next time I get it out I can get some aerial footage, too.
I wanted to get some drone footage, but it was so windy out there... also tried to record an intro and talk about the '48, but again the wind made the sound horrible. Hopefully next time I get it out I can get some aerial footage, too.
smfulle
Active Member
- Location
- Plain City, UT
One thing I like to do on the wood blocks is take a 4 inch length of 3/4 in heater hose, split if length wise, then slip it over the wood blocks before I lay the windshield down on them. Gives a bit of a rubber cushion. Saves the block getting rubbed so much and maybe a squeak or two. Don't forget to take them off when you put the windshield up for highway driving cuz they will fly off. Another ask-me-how-i-know thing.
smfulle
Active Member
- Location
- Plain City, UT
,Windshield down is the only way to fly!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Years ago I had a '80 CJ5... one of my best memories was taking a drive up AF Canyon with the windshield down, mid-Fall. The colors were amazing, the air was crisp and I was enjoying it! I had so much fun today with the windshield dropped on the '48, I think it'll be my go-to setup when offroad!
Magerdgr
Have gun, will travel
- Location
- My secret underground lair
I pretty much never have the windshield up on my A1. There's nothing quite like windshield down riding.
- Location
- Draper, UT
back it onto the trailer so it's not facing into the wind.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Facing forward wasn't an issue for me... plus I'd prefer the the trailer to be front-heavy, with the engine forward.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
It really is so fun, something to be said about getting back to the basics and wheeling a 70 year old Jeep! It would be really fun to do a local camping trip with the Willys when it warms up a little more.