Updated 5-23-11




The 1962 Willys body is coming off the Willys chassis (frame) and going on:

This 1977 Chevy K/20 chassis (frame).

With this 1980 GMC K/25 350 engine, TH350 trans, and NP205 transfer case.

So it will be the 1962 Willys pickup truck cab, on the 1977 Chevrolet K20 chassis, with the above 350/350/205 drive train, and a GM 10 bolt up front, and a GM 14 bolt full floater in the rear (4.10 or 4.11 ratio). I am keeping the 8 lug GM wheels. Not sure on tire size yet. I do have a brand new set of 36" Super Swamper TSL Radials mounted on American Racing Outlaw II wheels, but I am leaning more towards a stock GM 16" wheel. The Super Swamper TSL's are 14.5" wide. I am going to widen the Willys pickup fenders between 4" and 8" at this point. I don't want to go too wide though. I also like the look of the old tall skinny "snow tires" it had on it when I got it.

My 77 Chevy has an RHS small block 400 in it, with just a couple of thousand miles on it. I made a mistake (20 or so) YEARS ago, and bought a complete "built" engine from Racing Head Service out of Memphis, TN. They did not stand behind it at all, and treated me like an idiot when I had a problem with it. Simple problem, oil pressure is great, then once up to operating temperature, the oil pressure drops to about 8 PSI, if that, at idle. They tried to convince me that was OK. NO IT IS NOT OK. We tried installing a high volume oil pump, and it was no help. They tried telling me I had my oil pressure gauge hooked up to the wrong place on the block, BS. I tried disconnecting the stock mechanical gauge, and installed another mechanical gauge, and it read exactly the same. Add in a blown head gasket at less than 3000 miles too. Oh, and the intake manifold leaked antifreeze and oil around the bolts. I even bought a new intake to try and solve the problem. No good, still leaked. Had it off and back on 3 times including the new manifold, and not including when the head gasket blew. What angers me the most about it, is that I had two bad engines, both were from ATK, and both failed with only a couple of thousand miles on them. Both developed rod knocks. The first ATK motor the oil pump drive rod fell out into the oil pan (somehow????) and they warrantied it. The second one developed a rod knock for no apparent reason, and they said it was a continuation of the first warranty, and I was past the 3000 mile mark, so no warranty anymore. SO after reading about RHS in Off Road Magazine, and seeing the ads in 4 Wheeler, I went for the RHS motor. BIG MISTAKE. I see they don't even sell engines anymore. I wonder why!?!?

My 80 GMC has a Jasper motor in it. No problems with it. Has about 20,000 miles on it. The trans was rebuilt, and has about 15,000 miles on it, if that. So they are going into this Willys project.

We started the project 4-8-11. Photos were added pretty much daily until we had to stop due to work load in the shop around 5-23-11.


 

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Last Update: 04/14/2012 12:03:14 AM