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OT: Retro Wrangler/Willys Pickup (long)

Jeff,

Just my 'pinion, but I don't care for the marker lights. It just doesn't look right for that jeep.

Truck
 
jscherb said:
OPINIONS WANTED: Clearance/marker lights on the cab roof: yes or no? I'm leaning toward "yes" but would like to get your input.
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Gosh... definitely NO!

Clearance/marker lights look good on rigs that are so tall they need it (like class 8 tractors). On anything else, it just looks ghetto.

And putting it on your work of art would also seriously detract from your skill and labor put into the vehicle.

For me (my 2 cents) the answer "NO" seems by far more clear cut than any other decision you've encountered (e.g., spare tire cover design, decal design, bed tie-downs, etc.).
 
Jeff! I finally had to register here after following your entire build because I HAD to voice my opinion with regard to the idea of cab marker light.

As stated by others, cabtop markers aka: clearance lights have their place on big rigs and dually pickups where the lights are serving their purpose by indicating that the vehicle is 8' or wider. But yor truck and its Willys forefathers do not need such lights!

Also in my humble opinion they just look tacky on any vehicle.

You have done an amazing job so far; as for the rooftop lights, don't do it!!!

Otherwise your truck is a masterpiece!!!!!!!!!
 
Ok, I'll cast my vote for NO on the cab lights.
 
definitely no.

nice work jeff.. it really turned out very nice.....

have to agree on the lights. probably wouldn't go with the theme of the build and I would leave them off.

UNLESSS possibly you had a long arm, and about 40's on it.. then MAYBE lets talk.

I've been tempted to take one of my GR8TOPS half hardtops and buy some of those LED small lights and put them at the front end of the roof ribs on the GR8TOPS just to see what they would like but I have always feared the lashback. I guess I can always use this particular part of the thread as my threat. :eek:

on a side note.. what are those 2 brackets that are wrapped around the frame right under the spare tire carrier. they were silver before you added the frame stiffners.

matt
 
donaghy said:
on a side note.. what are those 2 brackets that are wrapped around the frame right under the spare tire carrier. they were silver before you added the frame stiffners.
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Matt,

They are U-bolts to attach the bed mounts to the frame. You can see them on the front mount in two ot the photos in this bunch I posted in early August. I painted them because they show, and because they are zinc-plated steel, which will eventually rust in that location.

I thought about welding the mounts to the frame, or drilling holes through the frame and bolting them, but decided on U-bolts because 1. they were easy 2. they are more than strong enough 3. if I ever decided to change the configuration of the truck, these will come off the frame easily without grinding or leaving holes.

Jeff

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jscherb said:
Today I was contacted by a magazine interested in doing a feature story on the truck. Can't say any more just yet.
Jeff
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:thumbsup:
 
Jeff, still have the actual -10a top panel? I was curious if you could do a Paint Shop version with it in place like you did with these.

Something about the angle of the World Cab top coming to an abrupt end without any flat/horizontal space behind it is throwing me... I think this is why I like the soft top look so much, the angle from the windshield to the larger flat area on top is more appealing to my eye. Maybe it's just the mockup/photochop though.

I won't bother mentioning my opinion on the marker lights ;)

And something's telling me it won't be weeks before that hard top gets started :D I think you have the fabrication bug now...
 
bigwalton said:
Jeff, still have the actual -10a top panel? I was curious if you could do a Paint Shop version with it in place like you did with these.

Something about the angle of the World Cab top coming to an abrupt end without any flat/horizontal space behind it is throwing me... I think this is why I like the soft top look so much, the angle from the windshield to the larger flat area on top is more appealing to my eye. Maybe it's just the mockup/photochop though
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Yes, I've got it. But don't worry, I'm ahead of you on that one - I plan on reshaping the slope and rear of the top panel to avoid the "wedge" look. I'll slope it up from the windshield more gently than the stock World Cab, and it will curve down slightly towards the rear. Already got that in the plan.

bigwalton said:
And something's telling me it won't be weeks before that hard top gets started :D I think you have the fabrication bug now...
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Well I did lay out the parts on the garage floor to make some measurements and do a little planning... in the photo below you can see the -10a top panel, the -7 top panel, and the -10a rear wall, all upside down. I've designed exactly how the Bestop aluminum TJ windshield header will integrate with the -7 top panel, where the -7 panel will be shortened, and how the roof will slope to address your concern.

BUT... I won't cut any metal until I do a little maintenance on the Scrambler - all the while I've been assembling the pickup the steering box in the Scrambler has been leaking. So tomorrow I begin disassembling stuff to get at the input seal on the steering box. When that's fixed I'll allow myself to begin cutting on the pickup hardtop. I don't think the Scrambler maintenance job will be fun so it may take at least a few days...

Jeff

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jscherb said:
I won't cut any metal until I do a little maintenance on the Scrambler - all the while I've been assembling the pickup the steering box in the Scrambler has been leaking.
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Ok, we'll let you slide this time, that's an acceptable excuse ;)
 
Now if it were truly retro it would have a tree baller or at least an auger attachement to help plant those trees.........

Seriously though, outstanding work and what an incredible project! I wish there were some way for me to borrow it for next week's 'big adventure 2008' trek from Grand junction to Moab, I would be the envy of our little band of miscreants! Plus it would then appear in 4WD and SUV in a couple months. But i'd hate to get it dusty and dirty not to mention the inevitable pinstriping in the new paint.

Keep up the good work, I'm eagerly awaiting the next project, need a subject?

FWIW I don't recall the steering box input seal being to hard a job to replace.
 
trust said:
...Plus it would then appear in 4WD and SUV in a couple months.

Keep up the good work, I'm eagerly awaiting the next project, need a subject?

FWIW I don't recall the steering box input seal being to hard a job to replace.
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I'm working with a magazine on a feature article now. Can't give details at this point.

What did you have in mind for a next project?

The Scrambler steering box turned into a bigger project than I was expecting. Decided to replace it with a reman unit. Had some fun breaking off 25-year old bolts in the frame and then replacing the welded-in frame nuts.

Jeff
 
jscherb said:
I'm working with a magazine on a feature article now. Can't give details at this point.

What did you have in mind for a next project?

The Scrambler steering box turned into a bigger project than I was expecting. Decided to replace it with a reman unit. Had some fun breaking off 25-year old bolts in the frame and then replacing the welded-in frame nuts.

Jeff
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Great Jeff, I'll be looking forward to seeing the article, please do give us a heads up when you can talk about it so we can all be sure we get that magazine for that issue.

I was thinking you should do a Hemi, 5 spd auto trans into MY scrambler, I don't think it's been done yet and I sure won't ever get it done and I don't have the zillion dollars to hire it out (incredible how much money some people seem to be able to stick into a jeep! $17k for a used hemi and 727!).

Actually I am wondering if you are thinking of a ladder rack or shell for the retro?

Ugh! that sounds like a real bear of a job, one of the positives of living here is the relative lack of rust, notice I said relative. Glad you got it done.
 
trust said:
...Actually I am wondering if you are thinking of a ladder rack or shell for the retro?

Ugh! that sounds like a real bear of a job, one of the positives of living here is the relative lack of rust, notice I said relative. Glad you got it done.
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No plans for a cap or shell, but I do have a reasonably nice ladder rack. I got it along with the old Willys bed I bought during the design phase of the project. It should fit in the stake pockets of my bed, haven't tried it yet. I would have to clean up a little rust on it and repaint it first, and find some way to prevent it from scratching the paint around my stake pockets. It's on my list of "get around to" projects.

My Scrambler was from the south so it is very rust free, especially the frame, but even southern Jeeps can get dampness inside the frame that rusts the bolts tight over the course of 25 years. It's now better than new though, brand new nuts welded in and brand new hardware to attach everything. Project wasn't too bad overall, just took some time. Still haven't reinstalled the steering gear, just finished the welding and touching up the frame yesterday and ran out of time. Just bolting parts back on from this point on.
Jeff
 
jscherb said:
What did you have in mind for a next project?
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Matching trailer :thumbsup:


Ladder rack will be cool! What about a set of two-board wooden slats? Always liked that look on older pickups.
 
bigwalton said:
Matching trailer :thumbsup:
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Now why would I need a matching trailer when I have a 6 1/2 foot pickup bed? Trailers are for stock Jeeps that have no cargo capacity :)

bigwalton said:
Ladder rack will be cool! What about a set of two-board wooden slats? Always liked that look on older pickups.
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Yeah, a couple of weeks ago when I took that load of scrap metal to the scrap dealer I saved the ladder rack because I thought it might be cool and useful on the pickup, I'll have to experiment with it on the truck soon.

As for boards... If you look waaaay back at the first post in this thread, and then later as I was building the model, you'll remember I was originally designing the truck with side boards in the stake pockets (single ones, not the two-board ones you're talking about.) While I was building the model I think people might have commented that they liked it better without the boards so I stopped thinking about them. Also check the drawing I did of the Willys pickup in the first post - it has double boards.

Here's the engineering problem... since I used the Timber Tech composite for the bed floor, I really need to use the same stuff for the side boards so it matches. If they didn't match it would look strange. Remember how I had to add extra crossmembers in the bed floor because the TimberTech isn't as stiff as actual wood? In order to span the distance between the stake pockets (a little over 6') I need to do something to stiffen the TimberTech. There's probably a solution using steel angle to back up the boards, but I haven't focused on that yet.

What does everyone think? Would side boards look right or should I leave it as is?
Jeff

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