Is it do-able?

[49willy]

hey guys, new to the site here and just had a few questions. I might be picking up a 1949 willy off my uncle for 500 bucks. he has a few spare parts with it such as a distributor, gas tank, damper, carb, wiper blades and some other little things. i have always wanted a project car and this looks like to be like the right one. anyways...is it even possible to drop a new drive train into it such as a small block v8? has anyone ever done an engine swap here? and am i just wasting my money with this jeep? (sorry no pics yet will post soon)

also, would this be even road legal/insurable?

 

[TwistedCU]

hey guys, new to the site here and just had a few questions. I might be picking up a 1949 willy off my uncle for 500 bucks. he has a few spare parts with it such as a distributor, gas tank, damper, carb, wiper blades and some other little things. i have always wanted a project car and this looks like to be like the right one. anyways...is it even possible to drop a new drive train into it such as a small block v8? has anyone ever done an engine swap here? and am i just wasting my money with this jeep? (sorry no pics yet will post soon)

also, would this be even road legal/insurable?

It is definitely do-able. What kind of small block do you have in mind? Advance adapters makes a ton of stuff to help in these endeavors. Check out their website

 

[49willy]

i was thinking a crate 350. not high performance or anything just the low end modle with 310 hp and 290ish ft lbs of torque (i think). and i was thinking a 4 speed unless there is a good option out there i should be looking for.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

It's doable but keep in mind you want to look for a short transmission/transfer case combo due to the short wheelbase. A granny low truck transmission like the SM420 or SM465 with a D300 would be good combos.

 

[redrooster]

Yes, but doesn't the willy's have an offset rear end. He would have to swap axles to run the Dana 300. You can install the 350 with a short manual transmission and adapt to the Dana 18 case, but note that the axles aren't incredible strong in the willys. If you plan on trail riding it, a 310 horse engine will make scrap metal out of the axles in short order. Should be ok for street use.

 

[jps4jeep]

ANYTHING is possible with a welder and torch... just depends how creative you are.

 

[LRwrnglr]

I've also heard of guys actually just transferring the body from a vehicle like the Willy's to like say a YJ frame. This way you have a frame and suspension parts that aren't so hard to find and you can probably do a lto more to it than with the old willy's suspension, just my two cents.

LR

 

[49willy]

Yes, but doesn't the willy's have an offset rear end. He would have to swap axles to run the Dana 300. You can install the 350 with a short manual transmission and adapt to the Dana 18 case, but note that the axles aren't incredible strong in the willys. If you plan on trail riding it, a 310 horse engine will make scrap metal out of the axles in short order. Should be ok for street use.

what else am i looking at here, will a 350 be to heavy for the front springs? im planning to lift it eventually its not going to be a fast process its going to take a lot of work. here are some pictures.

 

[currupt4130]

You're looking at a bit of work to get the frame, suspension, and drivetrain up to the point that it can handle the weight and power of a 350. Not out of reach by any means, just some work. Maybe look for a set of axles from a CJ (try to find one with a 44 rear), get a Dana 300, and figure out what transmission you want. Then if the frame is in good condition you may consider boxing it in and coating it with something to prevent corrosion and rust. There's certainly a lot to do, but like I said, it's just a lot, it's not necessarily hard if you can weld and have the time.

 

[49willy]

thanks a ton guys. My uncle says the frame is in decent shape. a couple rust holes in the floor and maybe a couple in the panels. hasn't ran in 7/8 years but the only reason it died in the firstplace is because the fusebox/wiring got shorted out by water. does anyone know of any good places or website i can get original parts or replacement parts for a CJ that old?

 

[redrooster]

Anything is doable if you have the time, energy and money. If it were me, I would strip that thing down to the frame and start by reinforcing it. Then you have to choose what transfer case you want to run so you can decide on axles. Next comes suspension, you can probably get lift springs but I don't know how strong they are. I would research converting it to YJ springs. Once you have a rolling chassis again you can work on the engine and transmission. A 350 can be made to work, but a 4.3 V6 may fit better and give you more transmission options as far as length.
Since you would have the body off, you can sandblast or strip it down to bare metal and fix all the rust.
Sounds like a fun project. Have fun with it.

 

[49willy]

The first thing i am going to do with the willy is get it running, fix any body work that needs to be fixed and get it painted, then get a top re done for it so its atleast driveable. then i will start with the upgrades. oh and of course ill make sure the frame is solid and what not.

 

[49willy]

A 350 can be made to work, but a 4.3 V6 may fit better and give you more transmission options as far as length.

today i was thinking, why not diesel? is there any reason not to run a diesel? to me it seems like a good solution, lots of power at low rpm's mainly torque and good on gas. i wouldn't need a big diesel engine to accomplish that either. does anyone know anything about putin a diesel in a jeep/willy?

 

[currupt4130]

For a 4 cylinder diesel, count on a weight of about 700 pounds, easy.

 

[redrooster]

In stock form, not the best platform for a diesel. You would need major reinforcement to the frame and heavier duty drivetrain. This may also not be a good project for your first Jeep due to the lack of aftermarket support for diesel swaps forcing you to more than likely have to fabricate one off parts. Gas engine swaps are common and have alot of support.
Have you considered just doing a restoration job and possibly adding a lift and tires. Those engines were pretty decent for putting around the trails. With a lift, tires and locker for the rear, it would be a fun little machine. If you want to test your fab skills and resourcefulness, you could add power steering to the mix.

 

[49willy]

maybe im just taking it to far...lol. for now im going to get it running under its own power, it needs some body work and a new paintjob so those are my priorities right now, unless something else comes up.