1952 Willys Overland Wagon
Overview:
We pulled this Willys Wagon from the owner’s family farm in central New Mexico. The truck had been sitting in the same place since the 1970’s, most recently serving as a shelter for a family of rats. The owner asked us to build him a truck with a modern suspension and driveline but maintain the classic Willys Wagon looks. After some discussion we developed a plan to remove the Willys body from it’s frame and mount it on a 2003 Jeep Wrangler chassis. Under the hood we chose a Cummins R2.8 diesel engine to give the truck a balance of performance and fuel economy. The process entailed making all new body and engine mounts, modifying the firewall and transmission tunnel, revising the fenders for engine clearance and a full restoration and paint job for the original sheet metal. 50 years in the desert had taken their toll on the interior so everything was replaced. Modern bucket seats with integrated heaters and a tilt steering column were added to keep the driver comfortable behind the wheel. The dash gauges were rebuilt with modern electrics, a new air conditioning system was tucked under the dash, a touch screen stereo with rear backup camera was hidden behind the driver’s dash panel, new side panels and carpet were custom stitched and a full sound deadening package was hidden behind it all to to keep things quiet. The truck now cruises down the road effortlessly with the Cummins engine delivering up to 27 mpg. Ride and handling are even better than the Wrangler due to the extra wheelbase. This one is truly #builttodrive, completing it’s maiden voyage of over 1500 miles from Colorado back home on the east coast without a hitch.
Build Specifications:
Body: 1952 Willys Overland Station Wagon
Chassis: 2003 Jeep Wrangler
Engine: Cummins R2.8 Turbodiesel
Transmission: Jeep AX15 5-spd manual
Transfer Case: Jeep NP231
Axles: Stock Wrangler Dana 30
Accessories: Bestop bucket seats, Tuffy center console, Vintage Air AC, Pioneer touch screen stereo, Backup Camera
"Well Sorted did an amazing job on this complex build resulting in a better quality, more refined product than I ever imagined at the outset. They consistently demonstrated the ability to balance high-level project management to keep the build progressing with a fine attention to detail. Doug demonstrated his automotive engineering background by being able to integrate modern technologies into the vintage vehicle seamlessly. And Well Sorted's attention to detail is visible throughout the build - from an engine bay layout that looks factory to details like a fabricated panel for the A/C controls that blends perfectly into the dash. Overall, it was a first class experience from start-to-finish and resulted in a fantastic vehicle that has proven reliable and oozes quality." - Paul
