Words: Tommy Parry Images: DD
Like most hot rodders, DD wanted to start his build with a pristine ‘30s Ford, but reality knocked when he looked at the cost of one of those cars. Unable to find an affordable Ford, DD kept his head up, turned to the neighborhood postings and found himself a ‘54 Willys that was in wonderful shape. The previous owner had taken care of it over the past three decades, and already had zeed the frame and lengthened the wheelbase for a little added stability. Seeing as DD wanted to implant a Ford 302 into this Willys frame, a little added stability would come in handy.
That V8 came along with a C4 transmission and a Ford 9”, so some of that grunt would make it to the pavement cleanly, without being converted into tire smoke. At the other end of the frame, an I-beam setup offered a little more steering response, and a homemade flat top brought the center of gravity down somewhat while adding major style points.
After DD added a coat of primer, he picked out a drab olive paint scheme that suited the theme of the build. That army green was dashed on the cab and the grille, which were then placed atop the completed drivetrain. For a little extra power, he threw in a baby cam and some ‘90 Mustang heads. That power would be better controlled by the C4 transmission, which was rebuilt, strengthened and topped with a Hurst shifter.
Next, DD patched the floor and extended the shifter console, and then started working on the bed. After he fixed the bed’s spot welds and removed the stock uprights, DD formed a new bed with the top rails. This added width so it could fit over the frame, and gave the car a more muscular appearance, which was improved upon by a coat of drab olive paint.
An unfortunate consequence of the wider bed was that DD no longer had much clearance for his wheels. Thankfully, he was able to find a nearby shop which, for a modest fee, reversed the wheels and gave him some much needed room. Though it didn’t look like it, DD was adhering to a strict budget and intended to make the most of the parts he already had.
Next, to keep the car looking almost-period, he stealthily mounted the fuel cell just over the rear wheels, which would benefit from by a little additional traction. With a layer of high-gloss clear coat on the bed’s olive floor, he had transformed this rugged creation into a gorgeous head-turner.
Spurred on by this latest development, he turned his attentions to the interior and built a few tasteful additions that made it a comforting place to be – as comfortable as a location can be when an exhaust pipe exits just a couple of feet away. DD laid the floor with fake Dynamat to keep his wallet flush, built a shifter box and added a dash plate with circular gauges as close to stock as round gauges would permit. The crowning achievement of the interior was undoubtedly his bench seat, which DD formed from old office furniture, some steel tubing and some patio furniture material to cover it all.
After wiring the windows, plumbing the brakes and adding a few tasty graphics with one-shot enamel lettering – he was a sign painter, so he had to – he had his gorgeous warhorse. He could’ve rested on his laurels, but being a thrill-chaser as well as a consummate car builder, he grew bored with the 304 and pieced together a motor with twice the power.
After grafting a Ford Racing 331 to a Scat bottom end, a high-lift Comp cam and an FI fuel injection system, he pulled out the big guns. A towering Don Hampton 671 supercharger, standing proudly above the grille, was the final ingredient in the propulsion department, and with more than 600 horsepower on hand, he needed a stronger gearbox.
An Art Carr transmission rounded out the new powertrain, and without any weaknesses, the build was comfortably finished. Rugged, clean, classy, and powerful – this immaculate Willys had it all. Perhaps it pays to try a platform a little less common, since there aren’t many Willys that can command this kind of attention.
