1932 Willys 6-90

[Gojeep]

Both doors are the same length in the lengthen photo, it just a slight angle of the photo that makes it look otherwise. The stock doors are identical in length factory.

[zuffen]

One advantage you do have is all the glass is flat, so you can alter window shape or size easier than '50's and onward cars.

[Gojeep]

Yep, just like the truck.
I have to replace it all anyway as smashed all the original glass up, even though most of it was undamaged. Not toughened so would never run it and not allowed to either.

[Gojeep]

My friend Chuck suggested the our model should be called a SRT8-88. The perfect combination of the SRT8 and 8-88 model names.


My biggest concern has been the difference in width between the A pillars between the SRT8 and the Willys. An incredible 460mm-18"! This is due to the massive taper in the body of the Willys with the width between the A pillars being 355mm-14" narrower than the C pillars. So I stretched the distance between the A pillars in the above photo making the windscreen 460mm-18" wider to see what it would look like. Better than I feared actually and gives it a very chopped look without loosing any height at all. The rear of the body will be made only 100mm-4" wider as planned, it just wont have the taper it does now and be the same width all the way down the body.

[robtus]

Hi Marcus, your Willys body really benefited from the extra width as it aligned it with the later Willys that we all recognise. Have a look at HotRod heaven stretched limo cars, they have been widened a small amount and look good. They have matching 4 door sedans that have not been widened. The reason that the Limos look ok is that they still have the original body curve from front to back. Widened 6 inches all the way through. I just spoke to Dave who owns those cars and he said you are welcome to come and take a look. I will PM his number to you.

[Gojeep]

Thanks mate. Had a look at their website. I wont be making it slab sided as the curve is important for sure. It will just mean the widest part will most likely be at the B pillars instead of the C pillars.

[Gojeep]

Video update of the ideas for the '32 Willys build.

[robtus]

I had a chat to Dave and he said that the gold one was stretched a bit extra, but also they raised the roof 2 inches. I had a look at his cars about 8 years ago when I was stretching mine, and I also owned that Ugly REO thing.. The rear view is a bit unkind, they really look like a bus from behind. The infill panel on the silver one is just another door, but on the gold one they made a fibreglass section with that solid bit. They also stretched the rear door on the gold one. Worth a look and a nice day out...

[Gojeep]

Hi Marcus, your Willys body really benefited from the extra width as it aligned it with the later Willys that we all recognise. Have a look at HotRod heaven stretched limo cars, they have been widened a small amount and look good. They have matching 4 door sedans that have not been widened. The reason that the Limos look ok is that they still have the original body curve from front to back. Widened 6 inches all the way through. I just spoke to Dave who owns those cars and he said you are welcome to come and take a look. I will PM his number to you.

Been thinking of your comments and I'm always concerned over proportions. It is why the truck turned out half decent.
From the back of the cab forward it was increased in width 9" at the firewall which ended up being 10" at the back of the cab due to the extra length added to it. 7" in the cab and another 3" in the bonnet, so might be why it works.

For Elvira, it would actually be easier, and more practical inside, not to shorten the SRT8 floor between the firewall and rear axle centreline. But due to the Willys have the front axle further forward of the firewall than the SRT8, it would end up with nearly 130" wheelbase overall all. It would help balance out the extra width. Overall the length it would still be 8" shorter than our daily driver the Jeep KK Cherokee! The Willys would have a much longer wheelbase though making it harder to park, but not being 4wd, many the turning circle wont be that different?

Our daily Jeep which is 8" longer.

[robtus]

My 34 Limo is 161 inches and is a bit of a challenge. Good in a straight line but not something I would want to try and park at ALDI...

I can understand why you want to keep all the modern features of the SRT8, but surely you can re-fit most of those bits and keep more of the 1930 dimensions by throwing away the modern sheet-metal. I know it would be a bit more of an engineering challenge, but you are certainly up for that. For example, the dash and all its features could be re-worked to a smaller scale and still retain the important stuff. My A/C is a plastic Diahatsu unit ripped apart, reconfigured and narrowed and it works better than factory as I can now have hot feet and cool air from the vents at the same time.. It even has a charcoal cabin filter and plenum chamber, and electric cowl vent... I built it upside-down on the bench during the chop.

[Gojeep]

Do you feel you have ruined the 1930's body by making yours that long?
This will be over a foot shorter than yours in wheelbase alone, so think of it as a mild limo.
Plenty of 1930's Caddies, Duesenberg's etc that have the length I'm going too as well and look perfect. It was your suggestion after all to make it longer to suit the extra width.

[Gojeep]

First piece of non bolt off parts coming off. The Willys frame will replace these to keep the build registered as a '32 Willys, as that is where the identity of vehicle is determined in this country.


The suspension mounts are all gone now too and none were going to be used anyway. Next will be the front rail supports still left on the outside of the firewall. The ones that back up to this on the inside will be left in place.


The lower curved windscreen support, that was forward of the firewall, was removed. The Willys windscreen sits a foot back from the firewall and is completely flat.


The problem was the windscreen support join was also cut away leaving this gap. I left some extra material that I have just started to bend straight on the far right of picture to meet up and close the gap.


I want it as flat as possible so have started straightening up the angled part with the round hole in it which is just for a harness loom grommet. The large rectangle hole is the fresh air intake for the A/C system which will be completely reused.


Using a laser level to show where the angled part above the brake booster needs to be flattened to meet up with the inner cowl.


Using an old tool I made for hand doing flanges. Just a rod with a slot cut into the end of it. Can see I have other depths and angles on the end too.


Once I had gone as far as I could with the first tool, I switched to one that allows me to get it even closer to vertical.


Close up showing how this one differs from the first flanging tool.


The rest was completed using a hammer and spoon as there was limited access on the inside with an internal support in the way.


Fully welded up. The space above the seam will be covered later once the Willys cowl goes over all this and over the top of the SRT8 dash. A fill panel will then be made between the new firewall seam and the underside of the cowl, just like I did on the Willys Truck.


All the spot welds that were removed from the braces etc were planished and any over drilling from the spot weld cutter, were welded up. It was then sprayed with etch primer to stop it from rusting in the mean time. I rather do all these fiddly time consuming things now rather than after strip down and before painting for the final time.


From the back of the grille bars, inside the Willys radiator shell, to the firewall is 200mm-8" shorter than the distance from the front of the condenser to the firewall of the SRT8. I don't want move the Willys grille that much further forward in the frame. So before I pulled down the SRT8 I measured the distance from the firewall, where there was no padding, to the heater tube and it was 180mm-7".


So I hooked up the engine and transmission back to the hoist and wanted to see how much I could close up that gap. First attempt showed that the transmission fill tube was hitting the firewall and tunnel join first. It is indicated by the red arrow and is on the other side of the engine to the heater tube just behind the pink cloth.


I have my late fathers old steel conduit bender, he was an electrician, and it was the right size for the transmission tube. So I increased the first bend as it comes out of the transmission pan, and then later one in the opposite direction further up. I also had to alter the support bracket as it was too long after the modifications.


Then everything was hoisted back up to see how far it could be pushed back while still keeping the factory height and angle of the engine and transmission. Also the factory offset of 10mm-3/8" to the divers side of this RHD. It went from the 180mm-7" to only 40mm-1.5", giving me a gain of 140mm-5.5". The further back the engine is from the front axle centreline, the better too for handling. The Willys already has the front axle 240mm-9.5" further forward than the SRT8, and now it has another 140mm-5.5" on top of that! The whole engine will be well behind the front axle centreline now.


I have cut away the roof skin in one piece and stored it with the roof off the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee donor I used for the Willys Truck. Maybe I can make a new roof skin from the both of them? Either that or off a van or make a new one from scratch. Least I had practice doing such a large panel for the Trucks hard tonneau.


I have cut away the rear of the body in a straight squared off line for now past the widest point I will need. The rest will be cut away once I start fitting up a widened rear wall from the Willys. Plan on leaving the lower part of the tyre well in place as that is where the battery and cabin fuse box was located on this. Make a hatch over it level with the floor in front of it. The whole area between the wheel wells will also be very useful storage access from the flip forward rear seats.


The front A pillars were cut just above the dash and the B pillars at the top of the lower straight section. The upper pillars lean in way too much for a 1930's body. The C pillars were cut off just above the rear parcel shelf.
Believe it or not the length you see here from the firewall to the start of the rear wheel well, is 420mm-16.5" longer than the Willys in the same section. I am thinking of making Willys doors the size of the actual openings seen here, and leave the whole floor intact. So long as I can make that look half decent. It would mean the back edge of rear door of the Willys would be further forward on the wheel arch, just like the 8-88 pictured earlier. Would make the rear doors suicide opening, hinging from the C pillars, as well just like the Willys is now if possible. The Willys would still end up 200mm-8" shorter than my daily driver, which is the small 2010 Jeep Cherokee, (Liberty), but with a 129.5" wheelbase. I might start with mocking it up like that to see if it will work or not. If not, then cut a section of the rear floor out if not.

[robtus]

Do you feel you have ruined the 1930's body by making yours that long?
This will be over a foot shorter than yours in wheelbase alone, so think of it as a mild limo.
Plenty of 1930's Caddies, Duesenberg's etc that have the length I'm going too as well and look perfect. It was your suggestion after all to make it longer to suit the extra width.

I think adding length to offset the extra width is a good idea. I have had a few non-car people describe mine as a bus or hearse but to me it all works. Yours will only have 3 side windows and by lengthening the doors will give it a chopped look anyway.

I see you are well under way with cutting up the SRT8, it will be interesting to watch... Thanks..

[zuffen]

I spotted the conduit bender as I have one identical.

My late Dad was a sparky as well.

I've had the bender for 30 years and never used it, but it follows me from house to house.

Interesting trying to use the door pillars. At least by retaining the lower portion you have the option to use them or make new ones.

[Gojeep]

Do you feel you have ruined the 1930's body by making yours that long?
This will be over a foot shorter than yours in wheelbase alone, so think of it as a mild limo.
Plenty of 1930's Caddies, Duesenberg's etc that have the length I'm going too as well and look perfect. It was your suggestion after all to make it longer to suit the extra width.

I think adding length to offset the extra width is a good idea. I have had a few non-car people describe mine as a bus or hearse but to me it all works. Yours will only have 3 side windows and by lengthening the doors will give it a chopped look anyway.

I see you are well under way with cutting up the SRT8, it will be interesting to watch... Thanks..

Moving the rear most window and thickening up the panel behind will help proportions too. All great suggestions that will work better this way. I wanted to remove it completely to start with, before any lengthening was proposed, but Lisa hated the idea. This way I we get a bit of both.