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Installing Rack and Pinion Steering on an old Willys (4 hours)

August 16, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: . This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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UPDATE:  Sam has provided some detailed instructions (which will replace mine) and will also be sending some pics when he completes his next installation.

One idea Sam has shared with eWillys readers was the rack and pinion steering modification he has been doing.  He describes this as a pretty straight forward installation that can replace the stock steering in any flattie.  Sam says this takes him about four hours to complete. Pics are forthcoming on this modification.

Sam describes the process as follows:

1) Remove Steering: Take out the existing steering mechanism and the mounting plate.

2) Remove Drag Link: Remove drag link from old box to bell crank

3) Layout Straight Edge: With front wheels straight ahead, use a straight edge  (anything will do, I use a piece of conduit) and lay one end on the passenger side tie rod from the spindle and the other side on the frame rail directly above the drivers side tie rod end at the spindle  This will give you the approximate location for the rack and pinion.  DO NOT USE original box location as this will put the cross link through the engine block.

4) Where to Mount Vega Plate: Take the Vega box mounting plate (The plate Sam uses is this plate from Unisteer.com) and using a large C-clamp, attach to frame with the top of the plate even with the top of the frame.  This will put the mounting holes in the right place.  You will notice the top two holes are inside the opening of the frame and the third hole is below the frame as it should be.

5) Temporarily Mount Rack: The rear edge of the Vega plate should be ONE inch ahead of the line from the tie rods towards the front of the vehicle.  NOTE….at this point, it is very important to temporarily mount the rack (You may use longer bolts to clear the C-clamp).  Once mounted, move the wheels all the way to the right and make sure you have at least one inch clearance between the cross link from the Rack and the oil pan.  Do the same with turning the wheels to the left.  If you have the proper clearance, you have the right location for the mounting plate for the Rack and Pinion.

6) Weld Plate to Frame: Weld the Vega plate in place and be sure to use the supplied gusset ( I use two of them, as I have found that with one gusset, there is a chance for mount twist under harsh conditions such as four-wheeling……strongly suggest you do the same  grin grin)

7) Attach Rack and Pinion: Bolt the Rack and Pinion in place and attach the cross link to the Rack and with the Rack centered and the wheels dead ahead, mark the cross shaft for cutting allowing for the length of the tie rod end.  Now you may cut, thread, and install the tie rod. The unit Sam uses is this cross steer rack from unisteer.com (that link is dead, but this may be the one).

8) Determine Steering Rod Length: Using the conduit, determine the route from the bottom of your steering column to the Rack and Pinion.  This varies with engine and frame variations but is very simple.  Usually all that is required is to determine if the column needs to be shortened or if a double joint is needed.  At this stage, determine what your shaft is…..splined, D shape, square, etc.  This will determine which joint to use.  If round, (with roll pins) I strongly suggest you modify it to D-shape for strength. Sometimes you have to use TWO  rods from the column to the box.  If so, USE ROD SUPPORTS before and after middle joint.  You can get everything you need from Borgson Joints.  If you choose the shorten your column (to use One Rod) you can can get the necessary seal and bearing from them too.

9) Double Check Everything: Double check everything for tightness and clearance and YOU ARE DONE — smile, have a beer.

This sounds simple and it really is, I’ve done soooo many of them, that I can do it start to finish in four hours.  If anyone still needs help, just call me or Dave and I’ll be more than happy to walk you through it.  The last one I did cost $612.42 for everything,  Somewhat cheaper than regular boxes and a whole lot better looking and steering.

If properly installed, you’ll notice the steering much tighter while driving and capable of easily turning under the weight of even a V8 when parked.

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Dexter finds a pretty complete, 1943 MB at a good price

August 15, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Features, MB This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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Dexter is pretty excited about this find!  No bad mods, though there appear to be a few things that need to be changed to make it closer to original.  He should get an excellent stock MB out of it with some time.  Below are a few pics and here are many, many pics.  You can see a discussion about his find at the G503 site.  Congrats Dexter!

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Me and Dad Circa 1982 near Milk Lake, Wa

August 15, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Biscuit, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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From the scrapbook archives comes this image of Dad and I readying ourselves for another day of jeeping.  I believe this was in 1982 (which would make me 17 and dad 49).  I remember the overnight at Milk Lake because we slept in the lean-to (see the blue tarp in the background), which was the first time I can remember doing that.

In the pics you can see the aluminum storage units with some supplies in them.  Dad built those from Boeing Surplus leftovers, rivets and a rivet gun.  They were light, easy to pack, and stored over the wheel wells, between the roll cage bars, so they were accessible on the trail as well.

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Odd CJ-5

August 13, 2010 • CATEGORIES: CJ5, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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While looking for a clean example of the Willys Overland script, I came across an auto-created page, a page of complete jibberish that attempts to make the owner money by getting hits and advertising google and craigslist ads (therefore, I won’t provide a link).  However, on this same page I found this odd CJ-5.  It looks like the picture is somewhere in southern Utah.  Anyone seen this elsewhere?

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2 Webpages: Early MB Differences & British Airborne Jeep

August 12, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Features, MB, Website This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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I was looking up something for a reader when I stumbled upon these two webpages.  One page documents some of the differences between very early MBs and later ones.  The second page provides detail pics of a British Airborne Slatgrille in Signal Configuration. I thought both pages have nice detail pics and explanations.

The British Airborne Slat Grille in Signal Configuration:

The Early MB Differences Page:

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A Reader Files a report from Thailand .. sort of …..

August 11, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Features, MB, Reader Stories This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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A reader named Bob was vacationing in Thailand when he spotted this pair of nicely restored MBs (one is a slat grille). An intrepid reporter, Bob captured the jeeps on video (download the video here — 11MB) which shows closeups of both jeeps and with a still image (seen below).  He also talked briefly with the owner, Pete, who has two blotspot websites devoted to his Jeeps (the 1941 slat grille MB & the 1944 MB & Video of both Jeeps by Pete).  Thanks for sharing Bob!

Bob filed this report, “I just came across these MB’s on the side of the road, as I was touring the island on a motorbike.   I’m sorry I don’t have much info about Pete. I met him in the small bar across the street ( see in video with balloons across the front ) and we talked a little about the Jeeps.  Pete emigrated to Thailand from the UK.  He’s a really nice guy with a Thai wife and some kids.  He claims you cannot import any of these Jeeps to Thailand anymore.  I’m not sure if it is because of the Left Hand Drive or not.  He said they are very valuable there too – worth over 1,000,000 Baht each ($31000 USD).”

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Willys Jeep driven around Killymoon Castle in Northern Ireland

August 10, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Features, videos This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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Randy forwarded me this video about a recreation of a 1943 drive in a Willys Jeep around Killymoon Castle, Cookstown, Northern Ireland.  The folks at the Wartimeliving History Association helped make this video. The video is dedicated to the men of the 505th regimental combat team 82nd Airborne Division United States Army, Stationed in Cookstown Northern Ireland 9th December 1943 to 13th February.  I don’t have any history about the original drive.

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Original Bobcat Ad – and Bobcat Examples

August 9, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, Tires and Rims • TAGS: , . This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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As I have mentioned a few times, I grew up in the Wandering Willys Jeep Club.  In 1971, the club lead an effort to record all the members from Clubs in Region one of the PNW4WDA, their names, addresses, phone number,  jeep types, jeep names, their jobs, and assorted other info.  As far as I know, this was the first and last directory of its type created.

One of my favorite finds in the directory was an early Ad for Bobcat Fiberglass bodies, complete with the watermark logo of a bobcat (which I didn’t notice until I scanned the ad). Below is the Ad with owner Fred Weis listed as the contact person.  Apparently, sometime later Bobcat products were owned by H.C. Van Wagner, as shown by this business card embedded in one of my fenders (yes it is still there).

Below is the original Ad, followed by a later business card. One interesting bit of info is that I haven’t seen any Bobcat CJ-3B bodies (that I know of).

Here are some Bobcat Products:

This is supposed to be the first Bobcat body produced:

Here is an example of a raised hood:

Here’s a body .. note the wide rim around the rear edge of the body.  Also, the step doesn’t cut in to the body at the end and there are no drain holes by the step. (similar to mine)

Here’s an example of the body that I purchased, which was a light body racer.
“Note the much wider edge (maybe 2” wide).  This body was hacked up a little bit,
but hopefully cleaned up nicely for the guy who purchased it:

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You Know We are in a Recession When ….

August 9, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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Kevin forwarded this to me (note the generator is sitting on a carrier behind the jeep) …

“The owner said to fix his factory installed a/c unit would cost more than the Jeep was worth…He had the generator for his work and used scap 2×4’s and screws from the job site,.. went to Brandsmart and bought the AC Unit for $88.00.”

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The 135 MPH Jeep Test

August 8, 2010 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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As I mentioned a couple days ago, a reader named Dave spotted this article and wanted to share it with readers.  The article published in the 1960 edition of All American Word follows the All American Engineering Company Testing the air drop of a jeep by a pallet rather than via a parachute.  To test this concept, the AAE built a special vehicle to mimic the landing of a jeep atop a pallet at speeds of 135mph.  As you can see, the test was successful (at least the one captured in the photos).

Dave writes,”I was in Georgetown, DE recently which is a small town on the DelMarVa peninsula, and I ran across this very interesting use for a VEC CJ2A! I think it might fit your recent “museum” series of posts and I’m sure that your eagle-eyed readers will immediately recognize the historical relevance of this column shift speed demon! Apparently, this was a precursor to what is now known as LAPES or the Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System which is still taught, practiced and used today by our Military for forward area resupply missions. I watched C130 crews practice this (with varying levels of success)! at Whiteman AFB in western Missouri in the late 80’s. Fortunately by that point they were only destroying HMMWVs and military pickup trucks! The 8 of 10 or so operations that were succesful were really cool and you could certainly see the advantages of this type of operation.”

Click on the link below to see some closeups

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