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

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Now remind all of us again that you are building a " Shop truck " to tow the Coupe to the Strip and put parts etc in the back ? Tui Advertisement ,Yeah Right... Tui is a beer brewed here in NZ and they have some excellent advertisements that end in Yeah Right. But I digress, The bed looks amazing Steve and I personally wouldn't want to be the first person to drop something in it and damage it.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Very nice work! Your rivnut tool is better than mine. I just use a bolt and a little larger nut with some washers the ones our small tool won't do.

I know what you mean Ryan as I've used the washer method myself in the past but this definitely works better and is easier to use but £22 was to much for me, that's about 35 bucks !!!

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Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

Now remind all of us again that you are building a " Shop truck " to tow the Coupe to the Strip and put parts etc in the back ? Tui Advertisement ,Yeah Right... Tui is a beer brewed here in NZ and they have some excellent advertisements that end in Yeah Right. But I digress, The bed looks amazing Steve and I personally wouldn't want to be the first person to drop something in it and damage it.

Hi Whip, yep I know what your saying but I won't be hauling engines/Trans etc, more like cardboard boxes when I collect my parts from my shippers.
It's a bit tricky having a ratty old shop truck as that's what people see and make comments on, by making it a nice ship truck it shows what I can do for them and shows I use the parts I sell, if you see what I mean ?

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Sounds like good thinking in my mind Steve!

My mate Jason popped in to see me and asked why the diff was on the floor so I explained that I couldn't fit it in my current predicament so being the good old boy he is offered to pop it into the case for me.
For those that don't know the 9" diff is incredibly heavy at about 85lbs and are bloody heavy to fit when laid on your back under a car !!! Mine is slightly lighter as i've used a forged aluminium carrier case but still awkward to fit !!!

Here's the spec for anyone interested
Speed-master case 356-T6 Aluminium big bearing thru bolt style
31 spline Detroit TrueTrac limited slip diff
3.55 Richmond gears
Daytona aluminium pinion support
Speed-Master cut to fit 30% stronger halfshafts

As this truck is only gonna have 400bhp or thereabouts I have used slightly less expensive but still quality parts as it don't really need anything better, This diff will still cope with 500bhp plus.












Next up was the half shafts, No need for Strange Engineering shafts on this car so I decided to use a pair of Speed-Master 31 spline cut to fit shafts which come with 3 handy common stud patterns, they have 9" of spline so can be cut to fit just about any width axle and are 30% stronger than a stock axle.
First job was to press in the 3" wheel studs, I've used Moroso 3" with open ended nuts as the guys at the track like to see some thread sticking through the wheelnut, these were pulled in place with a few washers a nut and a cordless impact driver.








Next the length of the shafts was carefully measured and the shafts marked and the excess chopped off with a thin cutting wheel in a grinder, then the ends were chamfered and they were bolted in place.
The 11" drum brakes will go on later when the case has been painted.










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Got a bit of bench work in last night, I bought the generator/alternator a while ago but hadn't got around to making the mount for it, this was a nice sitting down job
I found a nice spot for it and noticed the flat area on top of the timing case was just about spot on, I havn't fitted the aluminium case yet so did a bit of measuring up and drilled & tapped 4 x 3/8" unc holes in it to accept a plate.








Next the plate was made in 3/8" aluminium. I also cut up some 1" x 3/8" plate and welded on some ears for mounts. Then bolted the plate to the timing case, I slotted the bolt holes to allow a bit of adjustment for fine tuning.














Next I needed an adjusting arm, I was just abut to start plasma cutting a bit of 3/8" plate when I noticed an old shifter stick hanging on the wall and thought why not
A bit of chopping about at the end and it fitted a treat







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Great work! Those rear end parts are nice! That should take anything you throw at it unless you go crazy like the coupe later on. The alternator brace is sweet! I really like the vision you have for using things you have on hand!

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Great work! Those rear end parts are nice! That should take anything you throw at it unless you go crazy like the coupe later on. The alternator brace is sweet! I really like the vision you have for using things you have on hand!

Cheers Ryan, yeah that will be fine for the pickup as its never gonna be a serious race car, just a bit of fun. My coupe is all Strange Engineering stuff and has a spool but I just built a new 3rd member for it with aluminium case, Detroit Truetrac etc as I found the spool a bit too dangerous on the street.

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Those spools make it hard to turn in to a tight spot too. Plus pushing the car is loads of fun too. Haha My Vette has one and I've had to push it a time or two.

Steve, I have been following this and your coupe thread since the onset, what in inspiration for us all. To all the wifes and better halves, Steve has shown why we never throw anything away and why we amateurs too need the tools the pros use. How does anybody ever get along without a lathe and mill.

Jack.

P.S. Never mind we don't all have the same skills as the pros.

Originally Posted by Jack F

Steve, I have been following this and your coupe thread since the onset, what in inspiration for us all. To all the wifes and better halves, Steve has shown why we never throw anything away and why we amateurs too need the tools the pros use. How does anybody ever get along without a lathe and mill.

Jack.

P.S. Never mind we don't all have the same skills as the pros.

Thanks Jack, yeah good tools make a huge difference
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Well she who must be obeyed has spoken and told me to put the truck away in the lockup for a few weeks so I can rest up my foot Sue said its too tempting to go outside and struggle to get stuff done

So my mates Brian & Steve popped around to move it for me, its the first time i've been able to stand back and eyeball the overall look & stance and i'm pretty happy with it It needs to come up an inch in the rear and about 1.5" in the front but thats easy as I already allowed for it.











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The truck's looking great, and much as you hate to agree Sue's probably spot on with her "suggestion". We've about got to be tied down to keep from wandering into the shop....

Originally Posted by rspears

The truck's looking great, and much as you hate to agree Sue's probably spot on with her "suggestion". We've about got to be tied down to keep from wandering into the shop....

Sue is always right Roger, even when she's wrong

Steve is the 2 fingers held up in the photo to say "2 weeks then she's coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"