RamCharger.net

I've been busy and not on the net much lately.  Internet at home is down as a result of "IMPROVEMENTS".  Hopefully the cable company can get it back up soon.

Looks good.  We may not have to pull you out at all...

I'm still on track to head to Hidden Falls.  I plan to take off the 19th and actually planto get there early on Friday.  If you guys don't come early I might get a chance to break the Willyreplica before you get there.

Quote from: DerangedMoose on September 17, 2012, 10:21:41 AM

Quote from: rjtx667 on July 30, 2012, 09:35:05 PM
just have to love it when that happens. Once my sister did something like that, she was getting ready to go out of town and stopped by for dinner. It was pure metal on metal and later I found the rotors scored about 1/8 inch.

I had to do a quick brake job that night before she could leave.

I bought a mustang  that  had been metal to metal so long that the whole inner part of the rotor was gone not even the cooling fins in between the two was there  only the outer part of the rotor.

I'm a little behind here lately because I've been without working internet.  However, I did help someone in our family a while back on a car thatthey bought that was missing one side of a rotor like that.  Scary thought is that car was onthe road in the town where we lived....

If your family is not coming, I will share costs on the house if you want.

Quote from: DerangedMoose on September 19, 2012, 09:30:22 PM

Quote from: SixGun on September 19, 2012, 12:37:01 PM
Can't tell you it's a secret.   

http://hiddenfallsadventurepark.com/

   wow awsome place.  we have a hidden falls here in TN but I didnt think the owner  let anyone on the property.

We will save you a camp site if you want us to....

Quote from: rjtx667 on September 18, 2012, 08:07:02 AM

Quote from: workgoats on September 17, 2012, 07:00:58 PM
It is said to be running but without brakes.

that sounds like a really really bad combination there, at least if your the one driving 

Looks cool, but man thats going to be a bunch of work.

What size engine is in it?

My information shows only a 4 banger in 1953.  It is probably a 1954 or newer.  It would have had 226 cubic inches and 115 HP, with 190 pounds of torque at 1800 RPM.

It would most likely have 4.88 gears with a Spicer 18 transfer case.  Low range was 2.42:1.  It would have had a 3 speed standard.  There were no options available other than 5.38 gears.

Turning circle would have been 37.8 feet. (a 1983 RC had a turning circle of 36.9 feet)

I had a '51 wagon.  It was a 2x wagon and the grille was a little different.  It had more horizontal bars and they were all chrome.

Here is the grille from my 51 wagon that was grafted onto a 56 pickup.

I have a lead on a 4x4 Willys Wagon.  It is said to be running but without brakes.  The picture I'm posting is several years old.  When I find out more specifics I will see if someone can go and inspect it.  It is in or near New Braunfels.

I have asked what year, title, how much and can we inspect it.

I don't have a place to put it or funds to buy and work on it.  Anyone interested?

BTW, the back window looks different from the wagon I had.  It almost looks like it has ambulance doors on the back.  If it does, it would be pretty rare.

I have installed a tow bar in order to haul the project out to where I can do a little test driving.  I will design some "D" links that will attach to the tow points for extraction (although it shouldn't be needed).



I have basically finished the structure for the hood.  It is hinged from the left fender.  I expect to skin it later this week with a fiberglass panel and pop rivets.  It can be re-skinned with sheet metal later if needed.





I still have a lot of grinding to do, especially around the window frame.  I have to have the front driveshaft rebuilt and a windshield installed.  I WILL be ready for Hidden Falls in October.

I'm still planning on taking the Willyreplica to Hidden Falls on the weekend of October 20.

I plan on arriving Friday morning and coming home some time on Sunday.

Anyone interested should be planning...

Quote from: rjtx667 on September 09, 2012, 04:16:51 PM
what color blue is that? I like it.

I don't remember but I will look it up.  The more I think about colors, the more I like olive drab....

So, to cure the motor mount / differential top control arm contact, I decided to raise the front a little and make it stiffer.

You will have to pardon the pic quality in these.

Here is the before pic with the suspension all the way down.



SixGun helped me secure a set of springs from a Grand Cherokee with a V-8.  We don't really know if these are stock springs or not.  They are stiffer than I expected.  Here is a pic of one of the original springs and one of the replacements from the Grand Cherokee.



The springs may be a little larger in diameter but they do have an additional coil in the save distance.

I had a fear the height was not enough so I decided to add an inch of spacer.  I found a guy who had done this before and I did something similar, starting with a couple of cutting blocks bought from the grocery store.



The center holes were drilled out with a hole saw and the outside cut with a jig saw.  The circle drawn in between is the amount that has to be beveled out to fit the spring tower.  I beveled it out with a dremel tool.  It was down and dirty.  I may never get all the plastic stuff out of the garage.



Here is what it looked like when I got it all back together. 



Total lift at the front was 2 1/2 inches.  That was actually what I was hoping for.  After getting it back out on the street, I have decided not to lift the back now.  I like the way it sits now.

I don't know about the function of the front sway bar.  I have custom mounted it to both clear and protect the bottom of the radiator.  Both links sheared when I took it loose so I have rebuilt the links and lengthened them a little.

I also added a 2" extension to the bump stop to be sure the axle does not make contact with the motor mount.  I made that with 2" pieces of tubing and a washer welded to each end.  One has a nut welded inside and the other has a bolt.  I screwed the extra two inches in and then screwed the original bump stop into the extension.

You can see the extension in the after picture.  I drove it over some dips in our street but it hasn't had a real test.  I have a tow bar on it today and this afternoon I will take it to where I work.  We have a driveway about a half mile long and I intend to drive it back in forth long enough to see how the radiator holds up.  We also have a couple of gullies and I might see what it will do off the road a little.

Lone Wolf McQuade is showing on Encore today.  It will be on at least two more times.

It was the inspiration that caused my truck to be built like a half-track.  The RC came later...

I bought some hose from my NAPA store for the willyreplica but it was a straight piece of hose and it was real stiff.  It worked for me because I really didn't care where the filler ended up.

I have built one completely from scratch.  My project doesn't have all the bells and whistles and I did without the bulkhead connector.

Only thing I can say outside of the work is that it hasn't caught on fire yet.  My grand-children did give me a fire extinguisher though.  I think their lack of confidence is showing.

Quote from: BradNTx on August 28, 2012, 10:14:45 PM
Glad to see some familiar names, and a site with a cool name to visit. I've got a list of 100+ RCC member email address- if you guys want, I could send a mass email this coming weekend with a message about this site. 

I can't see that it will hurt to do that. 

Brad,

I will send you an excel file with some additional names you might not have.