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Willys M38 Build

Covering the overall build of my Willys M38 copy. The plan is to build a flat fender for general wheeling and holidaying around New Zealand.

Tacking it together

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September 15, 2011

Don started tacking bits back together tonight. Nice to be adding rather than removing steel for a change!

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Exhaust and brakes

June 02, 2012

Been quietly plodding away on the Jeep still though haven't had the camera out there for a while so no posts. I've made up some roll cage mounts off of the chassis behind where the seats will mount and rebuilt the water pump with an omix kit. I've also fitted Toyota MR2 rear brake calipers and Suzuki Vitara rotors to the rear of the Jeep to make it 4 wheel disc braked and also the MR2 calipers provide a decent mechanical handbrake. Overall a pretty straight forward conversion with help from Don in designing the caliper brackets that bolt on to the stub axle flange. I've also had a crack at making the headers which has been a learning experience. I had to modify the front plate of the motor to fit my fuel pump in first so I had everything in that was going to be in the way. You can see in the picture below, the lower diaphragm (vacuum wipers) slots into the plate. Don had me draw up the flanges and get them laser cut at the same ti...

The windscreen saga continues

February 04, 2013

So the screen was completely stripped and the more paint and bar work removed the worse it looked. I first removed the centre cross brace and replaced it to keep things square. I removed and made new sections of lower frame as the old ones were rotten just above the forward bend for about 150-200mm. The section below the vent was removed right across at this stage too. We flattened out the old bottom section to get a basic shape for the new one and cut it out. Then dummied it on to see how well it fit. Don stepped in as master manipulator of metal and got some nice curves going on along the cowl edge. Two monkeys in a Jeep Nest was to hammer weld the bottom section and another couple of patches in. Don to the rescue again with his pretty welds - kind of important as I'll be able to see the backs of them every time we go out! Next a bit of a clean up where I'd tacked panels, drill the cross braces for the wiper motors and then ...

It's been a while

December 22, 2011

So I haven't posted anything on the web for a wee while though I've still been plodding away on the Willy's. The block was stripped out and steam cleaned again while on the engine stand so we could have a decent look at everything. It was transported in true Willy's style being dragged behind Dons pickup to the wash bay. I'm on a bit of a budget so in the end it was decided to re-ring and bearing it all in standard sizing and reassemble so I can keep moving forward on it. Thanks again to Don for the spare pistons and things! The bearings and rings are due to arrive tomorrow (23 December) from the States so hopefully it won't be to far after Christmas before we can start reassembly. While I'm waiting on them, I've continued on with stripping the body some more and my seats also arrived from the US. They're Empi Race Trim seats designed for Jeeps (lower side bolstering than a true race seat and more upright). I wasn't so sure on the co...