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I had some questions in the camping thread about my Willys. Rather than muck up that thread I thought I'd make one here.
It's a 64 Willys Traveler with a special body and suspension made for the US Border Patrol. They made about 525 of them and mine seems to be the only one still registered and plated. Willys made all 525 at the same time in the summer of 1959. Then pushed them in the back lot until they had a run of them come up. They went through in groups like 114, 87, 28 and so on, mine was in a group of 5 in 1964. Back then they didn't title them until they were sold or delivered to the customer. So even though it was built in mid 59 it wasn't titled until 64.
They had a 3" factory lift, doors on the back instead of a tailgate, flat topped fenders inside for "jump seats" down the sides instead of a regular back seat, smaller side windows and the sliding one only goes 2" instead of 12", a second 10 gal gas tank, extra gauges, slightly taller roof/a PowerLock in the rear axle and some other stuff I don't remember now.
A friend and I drive it from the port of entry in Naco Mexico/Naco AZ to the port of entry in Coutts Alberta/Sweetgrass MT and back. That was a great trip and we had a ball doing it. I've driven it from WY to AZ 8 times and all over the West. It's a lot of fun to drive and hunt/camp out of. I picked up a 40 something trailer made out of a pickup bed and I'm making a much better trailer out of it to pull behind the Willys.
I bought it off a street corner in Tucson for $1400 in 1994. It ran like shit and wandered all over the road when I drove it home. It had 4 different brands of tires and of those 3 were different sizes and tread patterns. A new set of tires fixed that and new shocks too. A good tune up (points/condenser/rotor/cap/plugs/wires/rebuild carb/hoses/belts/rad cap/thermostat/new filters and an oil change) fixed the driveability problems.
Mine still has the original paint. It had been "worked on" a lot buy the 10K previous owners so not much was still stock when I got it. I took the 305 out and put a 350 Chevy in it, a SM465 (4 speed) and NP205 (transfer case) in next. I put a dana 44 out of a Scout II (forged 1 piece axle shafts) with 4:88's and a spool in the rear, I'm building the front axle now Scout II dana 44 with 4:88's and a Detroit Locker AND disc brakes (D44 outers from a Ford 1/2 ton), I picked up a used set of leather seats I'm going to add seat heaters to, made an overhead console and a spare holder inside. When I finally get done it will be pretty much exactly what I want. I am thinking about dumping the 4 speed for a 400 turbo or 700r4 to make it easier to drive.
Here's a few pics of it. I'ts got either 34/9.50's or 33/10.50's on it with nothing but the factory lift.
My trailer is a work in progress. So far new 5000# axle w/brakes and springs, all LED lights, 2500# winch and battery to run it, same bolt pattern as my Willys so wheels and tires interchange, same width as the Willys and a little more ground clearance than the Willys. Hope to paint it to kinda match the Willys this summer.
It's a 64 Willys Traveler with a special body and suspension made for the US Border Patrol. They made about 525 of them and mine seems to be the only one still registered and plated. Willys made all 525 at the same time in the summer of 1959. Then pushed them in the back lot until they had a run of them come up. They went through in groups like 114, 87, 28 and so on, mine was in a group of 5 in 1964. Back then they didn't title them until they were sold or delivered to the customer. So even though it was built in mid 59 it wasn't titled until 64.
They had a 3" factory lift, doors on the back instead of a tailgate, flat topped fenders inside for "jump seats" down the sides instead of a regular back seat, smaller side windows and the sliding one only goes 2" instead of 12", a second 10 gal gas tank, extra gauges, slightly taller roof/a PowerLock in the rear axle and some other stuff I don't remember now.
A friend and I drive it from the port of entry in Naco Mexico/Naco AZ to the port of entry in Coutts Alberta/Sweetgrass MT and back. That was a great trip and we had a ball doing it. I've driven it from WY to AZ 8 times and all over the West. It's a lot of fun to drive and hunt/camp out of. I picked up a 40 something trailer made out of a pickup bed and I'm making a much better trailer out of it to pull behind the Willys.
I bought it off a street corner in Tucson for $1400 in 1994. It ran like shit and wandered all over the road when I drove it home. It had 4 different brands of tires and of those 3 were different sizes and tread patterns. A new set of tires fixed that and new shocks too. A good tune up (points/condenser/rotor/cap/plugs/wires/rebuild carb/hoses/belts/rad cap/thermostat/new filters and an oil change) fixed the driveability problems.
Mine still has the original paint. It had been "worked on" a lot buy the 10K previous owners so not much was still stock when I got it. I took the 305 out and put a 350 Chevy in it, a SM465 (4 speed) and NP205 (transfer case) in next. I put a dana 44 out of a Scout II (forged 1 piece axle shafts) with 4:88's and a spool in the rear, I'm building the front axle now Scout II dana 44 with 4:88's and a Detroit Locker AND disc brakes (D44 outers from a Ford 1/2 ton), I picked up a used set of leather seats I'm going to add seat heaters to, made an overhead console and a spare holder inside. When I finally get done it will be pretty much exactly what I want. I am thinking about dumping the 4 speed for a 400 turbo or 700r4 to make it easier to drive.
Here's a few pics of it. I'ts got either 34/9.50's or 33/10.50's on it with nothing but the factory lift.
My trailer is a work in progress. So far new 5000# axle w/brakes and springs, all LED lights, 2500# winch and battery to run it, same bolt pattern as my Willys so wheels and tires interchange, same width as the Willys and a little more ground clearance than the Willys. Hope to paint it to kinda match the Willys this summer.
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