Thread: Oh no not another Willys Gasser build, this time a Willys shop truck

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Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

You do more work in less space than anyone I know.

Do you know Jack I get asked all the time how I work in such small areas and my reply is always it's not the size but how you use it
Even my proper workshop isn't massive, just enough space to work on 2 cars but hey you learn to work with what you have !!!
In my opinion anyone building a car must be fully committed to see it through to the end.

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Its been a bit chilly here this week so looked for a job to do that could be done in the nice warm workshop Spotted the dash on the wall so decided to plan the layout, I'm using a set of Dolphin 3 3/8" quad gauges with a electronic speedo run off a Cyberdyne GPS sender because I stock them and want to use stuff on this project that I sell, I usually like white or black faced gauges on my own cars but thought I would have a change so have gone with a Tan face, it will look good against the final colour and be a bit different.
Heres the proposed dash layout











Dug my 3 3/8" holesaw out and viola the 2 main gauges was in !!!








Next I got to thinking about switches & warning lights, I had a set of really nice old warning lights from a Warbird but wanted to keep them for another project, luckily they have been reproduced but unfortunately not in the original stainless steel, these ones are chromed but I just love the look of the jeweled lens. My plan is to use mostly Red but one Blue for high beam as i'm not keen on lots of different coloured lights on the dash.










Moving on to switches I rummaged around my stock shelves and found a universal ignition switch and a selection of push pull switches, I like the push pull switch as it suits old cars better in my opinion, the Headlight switch also solves the problem of the dipswitch being on the floor which always looks looks untidy to me, this one has side, dipped beam and high beam all in one switch so nice & neat, the knob$ I will replace with custom made jobbies.








While searching around I remembered I have some of these Classic instruments Rocket tachs so will fit one either on the column or on the dash, decision to make, don't like the mount so will make a stainless mount later.









Thats it for today as we are now off to The annual Hotrodders ball for a few beers

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I like the Rocket tach there. Looks like there is lights where the fire would come out of the rocket?

Originally Posted by stovens

Looks like there is lights where the fire would come out of the rocket?

Good Eye! had't noticed that. cool

Originally Posted by 34_40

Good Eye! had't noticed that. cool

Me neither Charlie !!! I might have to wire it up to see

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Description from Speedway, "the retro styled, half sweep tachometer features a dual layer design, color changing rocket booster, a red pointer, and a rich black face with bright white numerals and indices. Finished with a stainless low step bezel and flat glass the Rocket Tach comes mounted in a chrome cup that allows for a variety of mounting positions.

And another is even better.......Not only is the Rocket Tach a half-sweep gauge it also has a rocket booster that changes colors. The more you mash the gas...the rocket booster changes from light yellow to yellow to orange and finally to raging dark red! How much fun is that?!

Been fiddling with the hood fit and now pretty good, I'm not a fan of tight gaps on old cars so these are stock willys size gaps.
I aim to fit inner fender panels as this is a street truck so I decided to fit brackets here and there to keep it all nice and solid, working from the back of the fender forward I made a bracket that bolts the the fender lip and then bolts to the firewall.














Just adding the first bracket makes the panels fit together nicely as the fender follows is natural curve instead of sagging slightly under its own weight. A little sanding of the gaps and it should be there.












While I was there I radiused the hood corner and made a template for the infill panel





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Great work! That tach is really cool!

That infill really improves the look on those radius corners in IMHO

Steve,
Just curious, and it's of no concern at all but wondering why you cut away material to radius the corner, which increased the size of the "infill panel" significantly. More strength to the nicely curved hood line to infill panel, or something else. Again, just curious and always looking to learn.

Roger I think part of it is a clearance issue on closing the hood, thus the radius, and the other part is it looked like a real tight gap, before the re-radius cuts. Now wider and more uniform. It's a British thing....Mind the gap!

Looks like I totally misunderstood the "infill panel". I was visualizing it as an extension of the hood to fill the corner, but not considering that it would bind on the upswing, thus the infill panel on the body, and the nicely radiused corner to open cleanly. Sorry for the bother, Steve.

Originally Posted by rspears

Steve,
Just curious, and it's of no concern at all but wondering why you cut away material to radius the corner, which increased the size of the "infill panel" significantly. More strength to the nicely curved hood line to infill panel, or something else. Again, just curious and always looking to learn.

Thats how willys are mate

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Traced around the template last night onto a bit of 16swg sheet steel welded some mounting studs in place. plug welded them and sanded smooth.












To keep to the rivet theme i filed out the mounting holes in the hood hooks.








I decided rather than just have an edge on the filler piece I would add a return, tacked it up and then welded and smoothed off and a squirt of primer.












Here its back in place, still needs a bit of sanding to even up the gaps but its looking much better.











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