Building a 61 Willy's Wagon Rockcrawler

It looks good.

 

Your frame looks in very good shape just can’t find many like that in N.E. Glad to see your back at it.

 

I don't think you should run this kind of electric fan on your rig. R)

That frame looks great. All projects take time, but you seem like you are coming right along.

 

I think it came out of a Taurus

While at the local pull-n-save the other day I did actually grab 4 Taurus fans. Why 4 you ask? well because they were there for the taking and they were $12 a piece.

yes progress is slow, but I want to make sure each step is done completely, and done right (well to the best of my abilities anyways)

 

Taurus fans work pretty good. I try to round up the electric fans off of several kinds of vehicles when I go. You never know when you might need one.

 

If you call this slow progress then what is the rate of my progress? You seem to be working pretty darned fast to me.

 

I am glad I aint the only one! R)

 

WOW what a cool vehicle! Just sad to see it as a rock crawler though. But hey anyway, keep us in tune with the progress!

 

JUst had to say that the little molten lava hot cherries that bounce around your body whilst welding upside down leave nice little cauderized craters in your skin.

now back to your regularly scheduled rig building...atriot:

 

This week I have been spending 2-4 hours per day working on boxing the frame. As usual its more difficult, and takes longer than expected, but that is to be expected so I am not surprised or bummed out.

The welder got hot a few times, so I had to shut it down, and well idle hands and a wandering mind are a good combimation. so...I got started on cutting off excess body sheet metal. around the back and sides. I am happy with the results. the area where the underbody and the side body meet will be sheet welded in areas that require it, then eventually I will be using 3/16 plate to form under and side armour up to the chrome line on the sides, and just below the tailgate hinge on the back. I will also be extending the rear framerails about 4 inches to attach a hevy duty rear mumper and shackle hangers. the same will be donw to the front frame rails, although they will be extended a bit further out to make room for the winch and shackle hangers.

hers some more pics



boxing
















body cuts

 

Dang you work fast. I would just like to say that I didn't support you doing what you are doing to this thing to start with mainly because I have seen so many good vehicles chopped up and either never finished or being built badly. You are doing a great job and doing it fast too. This thing will be happy to have you as an owner.


Can't wait to see more.

 

Dittos

 

ahhh finished the boxing today!!!

Monday I will be heading to the junkyard to pull some waggoneer front springs and K5 rear springs. I will also be heading to k & K Surplus to get box steel to lengthen the frame front and rear and make bumpers front and rear.

Hopefully by tuesday I will have the springs slung under the rig and can begin fitment of the axles. i still need to do the 14 bolt disc brake conversion.

Hooray Beer!

 

well I got all the 1/8 plate I needed to do my boxing for less than $40 so i would say it was a deal. Going to anywhere else seems to be a rapejob these days.

Bill

 

Be careful of that bottle. It should be secured in a stand of some sort. It could fall over. You wouldn't want that gauge at the top to brake off. It will launch like a missle.

 

thanks scott, good idea

 

Welcome from TOLEDO, OHIO..Home of the JEEP!!!

 

Went to Pull -n- Save this morning to pick up my leaf springs. only hit my head once on a rotor and busted myself once in the chin with a wrench. No blood, no foul. I was in and out in about 2 hours.

7 leaf Wagoneer front springs 45.5" eye to eye on the top of the pics.
5 leaf rear suburban springs from a 1991 56" eye to eye on the bottom of the pics.





and the finalization of the frame boxing from a few days ago.



The wife has started some kind of crazy talk about going to visit my mother who lives in Albuquerque later this week.. i am doing my best to hold that off, but I might have to succomb to the pressure depending on how negotiations go. I would rather be getting this project rolling on axles and wheels by the end of this week.