Gallery E23

Owner: Howard Ware
Email: howard_ware@hotmail.com
Location: Australia
Year: 1961
Engine: L6-226
Transmission:
Transfer case:

July 24, 1999

Hi Rick,

I'm Howard and I just became a Willys owner. I'm just in the throws of getting this old Gal started. But on cleaning the starter motor noticed the cog seems to be engaged with the ring gear all the time would that be right? and if so dose the cog and shaft need oiling, unlike the bendix type of starter motor that engage on rotation. the other thing i'd like to know is the number of the points and a maker. Her number is 55168 23237 which would indicate a 1961 cab. ... It has the L6-266 engine.

Hope you like the pic.

Howard

Notice that the bed on Howard's truck is not the same as the bed on most pickups. I wonder where it was manufactured?

Rick

One year later and not a lot to show but the brakes are all done, new linings, re-sleaved master and wheel cylinders, new piping through out, new clutch and the steering box has been reconditioned.

These Willys were imported as Cab and Frame with the bed made locally.

The plan is to glue the roof back on using a two part epoxy resin.

The rust was so bad around the rim of the roof this was the easiest way to tackle the job.


Repairing the axe holes required the door skins to be split to gain access so the large gashes could be beaten back, not to mention the rust.		The VH 40 brake booster fits neatly between the inner guard and the manifolds. No longer do you need both feet on the brake pedal to make it stop.

March 04, 2000

Well Rick 12 months down the track and the Old Girl looks much the same. I found out a bit about the history. It was railed over from Sydney where it arrived in 1961. Most likely one of the last made in the US in 1960. The bed was made by a coach builder in a local suburb called Claremont. The first owners were the Western Australian Department of Agriculture who used the Willys to patrol thousands of miles of Rabbit proof fences between Western Australia and the rest on the country. It must of been a hard life for the truck as well as the drivers as most of the region is drought stricken Desert with no roads and day-time temps in the mid 90s and a few degrees above freezing at night.

Normally the Government sold their vehicles off at auction with about 60,000 miles on the clock. The story was that this one was sold with a lot lower mileage but very much later in time than usu al. I was unsure why this was until I removed the radio blanking plate to find the remains of a sig n written on cardboard saying Do not drive no oil in sump. It had been taken out of service and lef t in the corner of the holding yard with a hole in the sump for years.

The new owner was a farmer in the south of the State who used it on his property until 1970. It is said, one day while out gathering firewood the Willys refused to start so he took to the drivers door with his trusty axe. Having still not vented his fury he pulled out a gun and shot the old gi rl, then banished her to the barn. The property was later sold and the new owners had an unwanted W illys on their hands. Enter yours truly.

Regards,

Howard