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Grand Willys project

383K views 2K replies 163 participants last post by  CNY_WK2 
#1 · (Edited)
This project has been brewing in my head for many years and been slowing gather parts and building a workshop and sheds to be able to do it.

The plan is to build a bit of a hotrod from using all the running gear, wiring, instruments, seats etc for one donor vehicle as much as possible.


Back in December 2007 I bought a Willys Pickup off eBay but it was a year before I got it home as had nowhere to store it. After much jumping through hoops with the council I built my workshop to house it.



After much looking and watching insurance auctions I was finally able to get a donor for the project. Ended up with a 2008 WH/WK Grand Cherokee with a 5.7 Hemi. It was first registered in 2009 and 12 months later T boned by a Harley rider doing a 100 mph! Hit it so hard that the foot well locked the throttle and he steered off the road into a paddock until he hit a tree.


One day these two will become one.


Getting the Grand into the workshop.


The Grand is in place ready for lots of measurements and then the strip down can begin!


Got a start on the project this week. Started by taking every measurement I could think of so I can setup all the suspension under the Willys when it gets transferred across. Also been labeling every wiring plug that I have found so far. Done the whole engine bay and have it all disconnected ready for removing once I can get to the others ends of the harness under the dash. Also unbolted every panel that can come off and removed the seats.


Being careful not to damage any of the trim when taking it apart in case I can sell any that I don't use.


Still go a few more things like the chrome roof bars, rear bumper and tail-lights to go outside.


Airbag under the dash cover was quite fiddly to get out.


What it looks like under the dash with the top cover off. Going to be fun getting all that into my Willys Pickup later.
 
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#1,304 ·
Have you thought about embossing that logo (smaller) into the sheet yourself? It's not that hard to do.If there's anybody on here that can do it, it's you! There's some good YouTube videos on how to do it. I've done it on aluminum and I have a project on my car that I'm going to emboss a logo into sheet metal. I had my logo cut out on some sheet metal by a buddy that has a cnc plasma table to use as the die. You need a sheet of a certain durometer rubber, (McMaster Carr) a press and some thick steel plates to make a sandwich.
 
#1,305 ·
The height of the logo is far greater than what can be done using the embossing technique, especially in steel. I will have a go at bead rolling it when I get back from holidays and think I have worked out how to do it with the dies I have. Otherwise will make what I need on my lathe.
 
#1,306 ·

I have decided to make a new tailgate from scratch. I can't use this rare factory one as is anyway, because it is the wrong size for my custom bed, so would end up only using the WO logo, (Willys Overland), from the middle. Better to sell this to a restorer for their build.


It is easy enough to just bead roll or emboss the logo as others have done if the letter width is kept the same as well as the height. But I want to have a go at following the factory style for the W which is the hardest part of this logo. Having the original there next to me has made making this layout easier. I am also reducing the overall size and width of the letters by 10% to suit my tailgate.


The letters are not a round bead but a V shape. I achieved that by using my tipping die on the bottom rather than the round matching profile. It gave exactly what I was after. I started with the O first as the W ends up in the foreground if done after. Rather than stopping and starting, I thought it would be easier to get continuity if I ran around several times without stopping until I got the height needed.


I shaped an old cold chisel to match the shape I wanted for the ends of the bends where the W passes through the O.


Used another flat faced punch to knock down the space in between the beads.


Now as the W changes in width, I cannot use the same setup as the O. So I am following the outline of the W while pulling up with the sheet to create the fold. This is slow work that has to be accurate every single pass.


I then flipped over the sheet and pressed the tipping die into one of my old road racing roller skate wheels. It has a soft durometer to allow the metal to push into the middle of the letter. The process was repeated back and forth a dozen times.


When I saw no more change in height of the W on the bead roller, I switched to stretching the metal by hand to get it up to the factory height. Just using the wedged end of a hammer as a chaser by moving it along the letter while hitting it with the brass mallet. I raided the recycled tyre paver from the cat run which worked great for this! https://www.clarkrubber.com.au/.../33524p-environmentally... Stretching the areas between the letters to flatten everything out was done directly on the bench without the mat.


Also planished it by having the letter over the edge of this stake and carefully hitting with a small hammer on the outside.


The results of 3 afternoons work during our fifth lockdown was worth it. I learnt more of what can be accomplished with the tools I have. I think that it is a good facsimile of the factory pressing and I can go on with making the rest of the tailgate which will have a custom design to suit my build.
 
#1,309 ·

No sure how many will see it in time as will be running the beads in about 4 hours time. I have decided to add the triple beads each side of the WO logo as looked too plain without it in my opinion on this custom bed. Can see I have already pre-stretched the area in preparation.
What my wife and I both can't decide on is should the profile of the beads match the rounded ones on the back of the cab, doors and steps, or should they match the wedge profile of the logo?
Going rounded makes the logo stand out on its own, and going the wedge shape would make the beads part of the logo design.
 
#1,314 ·

Paying the price of not pre-stretching the beaded area enough. You would have seen how big the bulge was in the previous post, but it needed more. Note the T stake I made that suits the bead that I will hammer over to stretch it. What I did get right though was carefully working the very first bed side I made so I can now use it to build the tailgate.


I started stretching over the stake just using a panel hammer, but it leaves the surface rough. I switched to using the chaser instead and can see on the top bead how much better it comes out.


I have now worked the right side and only done some on the left so far. Takes hours as all have to be stretched equally right along the whole length so they match each other and stay straight and level. I am not going to worry about getting it perfectly flat in the middle of the panel between the sets of beads, as that will be cut out later for the logo to be welded in.


I am trying to see if I can do a full closed rectangle for the bottom frame rather than just plug welding it to a piece of box tubing. Hammering down on the timber offcut away from the new fold to start with. In this case centred over the previous fold.


This fold I couldn't complete as it hit the support legs. My welding bench is made from two different sized old barbeque plates. Where the top plate stops short is very handy for finishing and crisping up folds. I hammer the bolster into the corner and the fold increases.


Hammer my flipper with the mallet to remove any dents from all the hand folding work.


All nice and square and smooth ready for the last and hardest fold of all, to close the rectangle.


I packed the area inside the fold with lengths of flat bar as could not buy it in the dimension I needed. I have been hitting it upwards to bring the last fold over from the bottom.


I made this makeshift bolster to help bring the fold over as the normal one was too tall and I risked hitting the top roll in the panel. I also used this to hammer along the fold line over the rubber mat before I started. This helps the fold start better and keep it from moving off line.


Came over really well and it is sitting there fully closed without any clamps or even spot welds yet!


I folded up the ends with a recess for where the cable stays will go later. Another 'Z' section sits over the top of the side flange and comes down onto the face to make it 50mm-2" wide. Same setup as the factory tailgate has. The centre is cut out ready for the WO logo. Have to wait to see what it came out like in the next instalment when I have time to weld it all in!
 
#1,317 ·

This time I TIG welded with a 1.6mm-16# lanthanated tungsten and 0.9-0.035 MIG wire for the filler rod. The thinner wire left even less to grind at the end. I welded it from the back this time as had easier access.


With just the right amount of planishing on the welds I got all the distortion out and everything it sitting nice and flat.


The back side was fully detailed as well as will be able to see it when the tailgate is down.


Getting the full picture for the first time really how the proportions worked out. I like it as it looks masculine and suits a utilitarian vehicle! Not sure if to create my own hinges, pivot point must be right on the edge of the bottom fold, or just use stainless heavy duty piano hinge. Even stainless external building hinges would work.


The valance and roll pan balance out better now too. Going to change the hitch cover though by removing the badge and folding a mid steel skin over the stainless to make it flush. Swap the stainless LED licence plate lamps for black ones as well to remove a bit more bling. Lot more to go on it yet including the 90* bend to make the bedside top roll flow into the tailgate etc.
 
#1,320 ·
Marcus, the rear end looks great but IMO the 800 pound parakeet in the room .. are you planning on doing something with the top tail gate horizontal roll and the top rear bed rail hollows?
For some reason my eye was drawn to those hollows before all your great craftsmanship.

I've done some bead rolling metal fab but never attempted anything that fancy.
Great job as always.
 
#1,321 ·
Yes as mention in the comments under the last photo. I also show the 90* tube bend I intend to use in the bedside making video update as well as in the photos. Was always my plan to use a bend to flow into the tailgate.

 
#1,325 ·
Such an awesome project to have followed over the years. Super excited to see it come to completion for you...just upset I will probably never get the opportunity to actually see it. Might have to make it back to Australia one of these years as I really enjoyed Perth many years ago.
 
#1,327 ·

Decided to build my own hinges for the tailgate. I couldn't buy shouldered bolts in the size I wanted, so used a brass nut and machined it down on the lathe to become a threaded collar.


I made the brass collar slightly wider than the two copper washers and one side of the hinge plate. The other side was drilled and tapped.


Welded one side to the bedside.


The other side of the hinge was welded to the tailgate becoming the cap for the bottom folded section. Notice the drain hole too. I drilled three 5mm-3/16" drain holes, the same as the factory tailgate has. The seal will sit on the other side of them. Tailgate can hinge down vertically if wanted and rests on the spare tyre.


Think they are neater than a long piano hinge or the bulky gate looking ones you often see. The tailgate is not heavy at all and only weighs 20 lbs or less than 10 kg.


For the latches I didn't like the cheap looking, but expensive to buy, concealed latches. I thought these flush door bolts might do the trick which are made from stainless steel. They are normally used in buildings to latch one door closed on a set of double doors.


I put some threaded inserts in the mounting holes as I wouldn't be able to get to the back of them once mounted. The other way to mount them would be to french them into a piece of channel and use the provided stainless counter sunk self tappers.


I cut a hole that showed the minimum possible to operate the lever. A straight sided slot with rounded ends would have been easier though!


The lever lifts up and then closes flush facing the other way withdrawing the 10mm bolt.


I made the end cap go around the end so I can slide the whole fitting back out at any time.


Rather than have it rattling in a hole, I fitted a grommet I had to cushion it.


Nice and neat.


Decided to make my own cable stays. Using 4mm-5/32" stainless steel balustrade cable. The terminal eye came from a marine supplier. The shouldered stainless bolt is actually to hold a fairing on a Honda. Bought some nylon washers to go each side of the eye.


I swaged the eye on just using a cable swaging tool, but is not designed for the stainless. I have a hydraulic swager with hardened dies coming. Rather have the tool than pay someone to do it.


This is how it sits with a nylon washer each side to keep it from rubbing on the sides. It is free to move even once fully tight against the shoulder of the bolt.


Before putting on the other end, I put some heat shrink over the stainless cable to stop it rubbing on the paint later on.


Can see now why I made a pocket in the end of the tailgate to take the cable stays.


The tailgate has some threaded plate on the inside, as does the bedside, that the bolt screws into.


The cable stay bolts end up sitting next to each other and the cables are out of sight.


I have also finished framing the ends of the tailgate and made the hitch cover flush by skinning the stainless cover. Has calmed that area down a bit more. The bedside rounded ends can be done next.
 
#1,330 ·

Starting on the rounded corners for the bedsides. These are 304 stainless, as being in a lockdown, could only choose from what I could find online locally. Would have preferred steel but they also had a larger radius than what I was after. I laid the bend down flat and rubbed it over the sandpaper to show where the top and bottom horizontal plane was. Then cut away the inside radius.


I am only using the other shell so it can get a proper butt weld that can be planished after welding. Also makes it less likely that the weld line will show up later with temperature changes.


I first welded the corner shell on and ground and planished the weld. Then added the fill in triangle at the top and doing the same again.


Always making sure it was brought back into alignment which each piece added.


By doing it in stages in situ, I had better access to the last weld done.


Last piece was the end cap to finish off this corner.


I have the same gap right around the tailgate of 4mm-5/32" like my doors etc.


For the other side I tried a different approach to see if it was any better or faster. Made the corner piece completely and was much easier and faster as could hammer it over a stake to planish it.


The down side is the weld is now deep inside the corner and can see how much it pulled the corner down out of alignment. I even used the popular tack and let cool method here to try and minimize it.


I supported the corner with the timber, not to force it upwards, but to stop the bottom edge getting bent downwards as I manipulated the metal using things like an old jack hammer bit!


What I did see happen is a fine crack appear in the mig weld after using the cold tack method. I don't have this happen if I do the hot tack stacking technique. It only happened on section on the top rather than the bottom. Only difference was that there was a small gap in the join along the bottom and shows why some that do the cold tack method, leave a gap or grind a bevel to the edge. I fixed it by cutting a groove and hot tack staking the weld. The extra shrinkage helped pull the corner up as well.


I also used some PDR tools, Paintless Dent Removal, to lift a few small low spots to finish it off.


Both corners now complete.


Looks much more integrated now with the bedsides flowing into the tailgate.


Overall shot. Looks custom without being in your face obvious.
 
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