1949 Willys Pickup. Should I pull the trigger?

[Toecutter]

Got a chance to pick up a '49 Willys Pickup for dirt cheap (Guzzi content).

Very little rust, and what is there is NOT rusted through. Wooden bed. Needs glass. Non Stock carb. Otherwise, stock. Runs, drives, stops.

I've loved these things since I was a kid... but I am wondering about what sort of support there is out there for parts 'n' stuff.

Anyone out there into Willys, willing to share their wisdom?

I may have habit of allowing emotion to control my wallet, so in a rare show of restraint, I am trying to create a strong argument as to why I need this thing, before I argue the point with my far prettier voice of reason.

[jcctx]

Probably only the shoebox chevies have better parts availability; and, huge community of support. If that is what tickles your fancy and SWMBO agrees........ GO FOR IT!!!!

[kidsmoke]

If you don't buy it, some punk with a blow torch and visions of crawling a tower in Moab will, and he'll destroy what sounds like a terrific survivor.

Survival of the species rests in your capable hands.

Do you want this on your conscience?



Do eeet!

[RinkRat II]

   Is it in your driveway yet????
                             



           Paul B

[Toecutter]

Not yet. We'll see.

The ideal vehicle for us right now is a longbox 4x4, in decent running condition. with no requirement for bells and whistles... in fact, the less crap to go wrong, the better.

Not sure an ongoing project is the right vehicle to buy right now... but I am so very tempted.

[Lannis]

Got a chance to pick up a '49 Willys Pickup for dirt cheap (Guzzi content).

Very little rust, and what is there is NOT rusted through. Wooden bed. Needs glass. Non Stock carb. Otherwise, stock. Runs, drives, stops.

I've loved these things since I was a kid... but I am wondering about what sort of support there is out there for parts 'n' stuff.

Anyone out there into Willys, willing to share their wisdom?

I may have habit of allowing emotion to control my wallet, so in a rare show of restraint, I am trying to create a strong argument as to why I need this thing, before I argue the point with my far prettier voice of reason.

This may have nothing to do with you, but I'D buy it.

And instead of spending $10,000 to replace my current, long-in-the-tooth, transmission-needs-rebuilding '97 Dodge Ram with another used Ram, I'd buy this Willys and put the money into the mechanics to make a good driver out of it, leave the cosmetics alone, and USE IT!!

But that's just me ....

Lannis

[fotoguzzi]

get it if you don't like it flip it, bet you'd get some real good money on ebay..

I had a '52 once (traded a Honda 3 wheel BIG RED atv for it)  the PO put a corvette engine in, I killed it while plowing snow..

[rodekyll]

I'd buy it on general principles, if I had someplace to put it.  Never had one, but drove several.  If you don't mind a little bouncy, slow buggy, they're a lot of fun.

[TN Mark]

Those are fun old trucks. I had the 1954 version of it in the Wagon (SUV) style. That truck could nearly crawl up a wall. But hey, take it home and show it some love. A lot of love would be to put the Willy�s body on a Jeep chassis. Willy�s were afterall made for the farm or ranch at a low price point. They�re fairly tough but they were never designed for anything near modern speed and roads. Enjoy it for what it is and what you can do with it.

I had a 1964 Studebaker Champ Pickup truck at the same time as the Willy's. The Studebaker was a driver with the 'big' 6, automatic and factory air. But the Willy's was a lot of fun to drive. But only on short trips.

[twowings]

Save it! Nurture it, love it...

[Lannis]

Those are fun old trucks. I had the 1954 version of it in the SUV style. That truck could nearly crawl up a wall. But he, take it home and show it some love. A lot of love would be to put the Willy�s body on a Jeep chassis. Willy�s were afterall made for the farm or ranch at a price point. They�re fairly tough but they were never designed for anything near modern speed and roads. Enjoy it for what it is and what you can do with it.

That's true.   You wouldn't be hauling something out of state with it, unless you took the back roads and planned on running 45 or 50 MPH.

Might be a nice change.

Lannis

[bad Chad]

Hi my dad had one a few years ago which I drove.    His was a 49 jeep and it was fun to drive.    The exciting part was that the mechanical brakes Is,  non hydraulic were way subpar to what I was used to.    They worked but you had to plan a long way a head of time , other than that it was fantastic fun.

[xackley]

The answer is yes.
You will not be disappointed with the fun factor.
I remember those trucks in the pennsylvania oil fields, they were worked hard, and just disappeared as time went by.

[Rough Edge racing]

 We had a 51 Willys PU for 10 years...My wife helped me rebuild the 72 HP F head engine and most of the drivetrain...  I will say this about it.... high friction steering, top cruising speed of about 45 MPH, uncomfortable ride, poor handling, cramped interior, noisy.....It was good for hauling wood  and most anything else that didn't need to be done quickly. It was fun to ride around on short trips....The 49 PU has a slightly less powerful flathead engine...Sold it to our grandson two years ago...

     

  We also owned this 47 CJ2A at the same time...I swapped in a  4 cylinder engine from a 68 Nova... It was more fun to drive than the Willys truck...I sold it ....

     

     
   

[kirb]

  We also owned this 47 CJ2A at the same time...I swapped in a  4 cylinder engine from a 68 Nova... It was more fun to drive than the Willys truck...I sold it
 

I had a '48 CJ2A that someone dropped a 283 chevy V-8 into. It solved the under powered problem. You could launch from idle with little gas.
The brakes were not great and single circuit.

A buddy just re-built an early 40's willys jeep. He was able to get all the parts he needed including an entirely new body direct from the factory, last year.

They are cool trucks/jeeps for a hobby.

[dee g]

Recently gave away a bunch of body parts that would fit that thing. Hood, grill, windshield frame. I think the spouse still has engine/transmission parts for it..... want that crap outta the garage.  :-)

[Rough Edge racing]

I had a '48 CJ2A that someone dropped a 283 chevy V-8 into. It solved the under powered problem. You could launch from idle with little gas.
The brakes were not great and single circuit.

A buddy just re-built an early 40's willys jeep. He was able to get all the parts he needed including an entirely new body direct from the factory, last year.

They are cool trucks/jeeps for a hobby.

 It's common to put V-8's into old CJ's and quickly overwhelms the flimsy frame and small drum brakes. Even with the original 60 HP engine, in first gear low range it can climb anywhere the tires can find traction......it's a short wheelbase ,high center of gravity 2100 pound vehicle originally built for combat..The original Jeep has been called one of most significant vehicles ever design..The Brown-Lipe transfer case was ahead of its time and the basic design of the Jeep or Willys truck driveline still found today in every 4x4 pu truck...

[Lannis]

It's funny what might influence people to buy something.   A '49 Willys might be on people's list for a lot of reasons - it's an iconic vehicle, we all knew someone who had one when we were young, etc.

When I were a little lad, one of my first books was a story about a farm family that had a car but needed a pickup truck.    So they went into town to see the friendly International Harvester dealer where they bought their tractors and implements, and there was a bright red shiny new IH Pickup Truck!    Perfect for hauling things to town, and they didn't need a car any more because the truck would be there now, and they were the envy of all of their neighbors, so they rode home in the shiny new IH.

I still have that book, it takes me back 60 years any time I look at it, and it was this truck:



If I'm spared, I want one of those trucks, preferably with the original IH engine although everyone these days has swapped in a new 6 or 8 instead of the old IH truck engine ....

Lannis

[Rough Edge racing]

  My junk circa 2002, a few years before the Willys stuff...I built every one from a pile of parts..They were all our drivers except when the roads were covered with deicing chemicals...
  All a lot of fun and they had many subtle changes to make them more usuable ...But no modern suspensions, auto trannys or AC

  Driving a vintage truck may take you back to being a young man....But hustling down a back road on my bikes makes me feel like a young man...

       

[oldbike54]

 Plan on buying a kidney belt and a helmet .

 Dusty

[Toecutter]

Plan on buying a kidney belt and a helmet .

 Dusty

I've ridden in Willys before. I know what they're about. Besides, I wear a helmet (and sometimes a kidney belt) now... so what's the big deal?

[twowings]

I sure had fun with my Jeep...   '84 CJ-7 4.2L I-6 w/Mopar MPFI conversion, NV3550, 4.56 Detroit Lockers front/rear, spring-over-axle on 2.5 BDS lift springs, 35" x 12.50s

[John A]

I recommend buying it, massive parts availability and it would still run after an EMP incident. You shouldn't lose money on it and you can putter with it as time and money permits.   

[Rough Edge racing]

 When I was rebuilding the mechanical stuff, many of the repop parts are poor quality.....I found Rock Auto carried most of bearings for the axles and tranny/transfer case in USA made older Timken brand..There are a few places that have genuine NOS Willys mechanical parts. The engines typically have cracks in the block deck that may or may not be a problem . 10 years ago there were literally no  sheet metal panels available for the trucks except for very used up stuff...No special tools are needed other than a large dedicated  rear brake drum/hub puller....