David EilersJanuary 6, 2012

Part III of the Ford Jeepster

UPDATE: Bob reports the vehicle arrived safely in Ohio. He verified that the frame is a Ford and the body is well-built.

He reports, "The thing looks pretty solid and seems to be made out of thick steel and very well made. I just can't imagine some guy in his garage making this thing, but I could be wrong. Someone updated the running gear with a mustang straight 6, auto trans and the mustang differential. You can clearly see where it was column shift originally, and the frame is definitely a 46 ford."

"The grill does seem stamped from what me and some other guys who looked at it think. There are no indications of it being welded up from pieces. The hood looks the same, like it was made in one piece. The window glass looks like cj3a, 3b era, but the frame is not."

15 Comments

Barry EvansJanuary 5, 2012 at 5:51 PM
Please keep me advised if someone figures out what this vehicle is!! I have 4 VJ Jeepsters and man does it ever look like a cross between a CJ2A & VJ Jeepster. I think the engine is an 80ies swap, but someone said the the frame looks Ford?? Front suspension, at least from the photos, resembles the planar front suspension of my Jeepster. AWESOME find!
BobJanuary 6, 2012 at 12:44 PM
There's going to be an effort this weekend to get this thing running and see if it will move under it's own power. The trans linkage needs some work. One funny thing about the engine swap is that the motor is way too tall, leaving no room for an air cleaner. Good thing nobody cut a hole in the hood. The only area of concern we've seen so far is the rear differential swap. The spring perches on the front of the springs do not sit on the frame very well, looks like they have maybe 1/2 an inch of frame contact and the welds look like they were done by a 9 year old. The back hangers are not much better. Also, the body seems to be a one piece deal on this, there's not a seam anywhere to be found. The other Bob seems to think it's a unibody deal, but I tend to disagree. The body is welded to the frame in several places though.
BobJanuary 7, 2012 at 2:51 AM
Well it runs, rough and smokey but it runs. Needs a carb rebuild and a few other things.
deilersJanuary 7, 2012 at 2:52 AM
Thanks for the update!
markJanuary 7, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Great Mystery! History Buffs, Car Buffs, Ford Buffs, Willys Buffs....Who will solve it? Here's one MAJOR clue, the front grill emblem, surely that had to be documented somewhere deep in the FoMoCo archives. They guarded those iconic emblems pretty well and more than some of the other design patterns. And I still can't get past the dash, it appears identical to an early Bronco. Keep us posted.
Barry EvansJanuary 7, 2012 at 8:59 PM
Yes the dash does resemble an early bronco, but if you look at early C-101 Commandos is has a strong resemblence there as well. The windshield frame also looks early CJ5 with the wiper up top. May this was an attempt to revive the Jeepster in the late 50ies? What is the Radio?
BobJanuary 9, 2012 at 12:59 PM
I think the emblem is a later thing from something else.
steveJanuary 9, 2012 at 2:16 PM
No comments on the serial number? should be a clue there?
BobJanuary 10, 2012 at 12:01 AM
I can't say what the radio is as I did not look at it that close. The glass looks to me like 3b or 3a but the frame is its own thing. We have the carb off right now for a rebuild. It's a carter yf but a different model than an f head has. The motor, obviously a replacement at some point, is a ford 200 straight 6. It has a broken exhaust manifold. We found one at the local pull a part.
DennisJune 3, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Any updates on this???
DennisJuly 25, 2012 at 11:06 PM
Anyone?
Steve NolandJuly 8, 2015 at 4:09 AM
Did you ever figure out what this is and who made it? Another one has turned up.
deilersJuly 8, 2015 at 6:47 AM
Another one has turned up? I hadn't hear that. Tell us more or send some pics to me at d@ewillys.com. - Dave
jojoMay 8, 2017 at 6:06 PM
This address states a qualified auto insurance company can obtain the info from the license number. https://www.add123.com/autodata/ut
BobAugust 10, 2023 at 1:40 PM
Just a note to let you all know that the Bob who bought this and was working on it passed away three years ago. The vehicle was dismantled and is sitting on a rotisserie right now. He also acquired the parts from a 46 ford to supply some of the missing suspension components and a flathead v8 engine and transmission. This thing was very heavy built and has some odd choices as to construction. Like the body on frame aspect of it..