So McTaggart and I have essentially agreed to end the station wagon blog war that we have been engaged in over the last couple of weeks. Much like the Korean War, we have not declared a truce or anything like that. We have basically agreed to stop slamming each other and using wagons as the ammo. Why did we agree to stop? For the children, of course! Both of us are sitting on large stocks of station wagon ammunition and I’d be remiss if I didn’t leave one more gem for your prying eyes before stockpiling all of the weapons in some Cold War style situation. I really like this 1962 Willys station wagon because it is a pretty early example of what a hardcore SUV should be. There’s a PTO driven winch, very little in the way of creature comforts, and a far higher concentration on capability than “comforts”, “driver aids”, and “crap no one needs”.
The 226ci flathead six engine in the truck will run until the Earth is swallowed by the sun in a billion years and the little manual transmission and transfer case behind it will be by its side all along. The seller claims that the truck will run 65-70mph and that kind of surprises us. We’d have figured this thing for a 55-60mph top end all day long. The tires don’t appear to be too tall and we don’t think that this thing has an overdrive so maybe the gearing is deeper than I expected.
The neatest thing is when you look inside the wagon and see just how spartan the interior is. The radio is mounted to the left of the steering wheel, because why would you want anyone BUT the driver to access that thing? In the center (where one would expect to find the radio) is a single gauge and that’s about it. The window cranks seem to be a luxury in this Willys and that’s OK with me. Basic stuff like this really turns my crank.
So as we draw the curtain closed on this acrimonious clash of wagons, I sincerely hope that tensions do not rise again between us….but I strongly suspect that won’t last long!
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PHOTOS OF THIS SWEET 1962 WILLYS STATION WAGON –
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE AD FOR THIS SWEET 1962 WILLYS STATION WAGON
It’s amazing that over the years people are so much taller now. I’m just six foot (now) and would have to cut my legs off at the shin to drive it. NOT including my midsection (now). 🙁
Yeah, don’t think I could fit in that. But that rig would be bitchin’ with a pissed-off 4-BT Cummins
Name a vehicle that wouldn’t be PO’d with a 4BT – but the issue would be gravity. That jeep frame would say eff-u if you put the 1000 lbs of cummins between its sheet metal rails.
I’m not in love with those – to me their owners are like Titan or Tundra owners, in short, people who paid too much for a truck half as capable as the competition.
In my mind, I’m telling myself the frame is probably junk and needs replacement, so might as well go with a Cummins-friendly tube frame.
As to the Willys wagon ? A resto mod waiting to happen . A dream project of mine I’ll probably never get to . Oh well . At least I have the Thom Taylor illustration of what it’d look like if I ever did .
As to the Wagon Wars ? Hell ! I took both Brian/Bryan’s down with a single entry with that Paul Newman turbo Ford V8 powered Volvo soccermonster wagon . Fact is . Neither of you even came close 😉
PS; Nick D & john ; You both serious ? Either of you ever sat in a Willys wagon ? Don’t let the photos fool you . At 6’5″ 36″ inseam I fit with room to spare . Seriously . When have either of you ever seen a Yank Tank of old that wouldn’t accommodate the average NBA player ? Its todays cars those of us of a certain height need to cram ourselves into
Yeah, I guess it’s just the photos. It looks like there’s not much room between the driver’s seat and the fire wall. Probably has to do something with the steering column angle.
I have a real soft spot for these. My grandfather had one,Im too young to remember it but he always spoke highly of it. Drove it all over ny and nj and carried all the supplies to build his house in/on it. He used to say it was a little tank.