Up front, the Dana 44 axle seems undersized when taxed with 39-inch Swampers, but Todd has had good luck with the combination of an ARB Air Locker, 5.38 gears, Yukon chromoly axle shafts, and Longfield 300M U-joints. The Longfield joints don't use needle bearings and are thus prone to wear, but Warn hubs keep them from spinning when the Wild Willys is headed down the pavement. In the rear, a Ford 9-inch from an F-150 was added after the housing was shaved for more ground clearance and reinforced with a 3/8-inch plate. Full-floating Chester axleshafts are 31-spline at the carrier and 24-spline at the housing ends. When he was still living in Fargo, Todd bought the second True Hi9 third member in production from the manufacturers at Weivoda Auto, located just down the road. The third member uses 5.38 Richmond gears, a full spool, and is still going strong after all these years. Weivoda also machined the housing ends and drive slugs for the full-floating conversion on the rear axle. Stopping power comes from the a hydroboost system and disc brakes that use the same 1/2-ton Chevy rotors, calipers, and spindles at all four corners.
Body and Interior
When Todd converted to coil springs, he stretched the wheelbase on the Willys out to 101 inches. To accept the longer wheelbase, six inches of sheetmetal were added to the hood and fenders, and another four inches were added to the rear fenders. The longer front end provides plenty of clearance between the HEI distributor and the firewall, solving a common problem on most flatfenders with GM V-8s. To access the engine, Todd built fenders that attach to the hood and grille, complete with inner fenders. The entire front end then tilts forward for access to the engine compartment.
Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the windshield frame is actually from a CJ-3A, not the original 2A. Behind the glass, occupants are protected by RCI plastic bucket seats and a six-point rollcage that Todd fabricated himself. The floors were replaced with expanded metal for better visibility, and the transmission hump is made from diamond plate. The rear fenders were notched to move the seats back, and more diamond plate is found in the form of a tool box that spans the distance between the fenders. Under the box, a 14-gallon aluminum fuel cell feeds the small-block. Todd and Deb even added a spare tire mount on the back of the cage to carry a fullsize spare for runs that require it, like the Dakota Territory Challenge.
Good, Bad, and What's It For
Todd and Deb's Jeep works wonderfully in the technical rocks of South Dakota, but with no sway bars and a tall ride height, it can get light in off-camber situations. Deb maintains that once you get used to how the suspension reacts it is very predictable, a claim she backs up by driving the Jeep to work during the week. Also, their 13-year-old daughter Abby Jo has become so attached to the Wild Willys since she started driving it on the trail last year that both she and Deb have claimed it as their own. Seeing the writing on the wall, Todd is currently in the process of building a TJ so he will have something to drive in the future.
Why I Shot This Feature
I was really drawn to the owner-built parts on this flatfender, from the tilt front end to the coil suspension. There aren't many components on the Jeep that Todd didn't build himself, and he isn't afraid to try new ideas. He is also humble enough to admit when they don't work and go back to the drawing board to improve his Jeep. After fourteen years he has the Wild Willys pretty dialed in, and the combination of big tires and little sheetmetal work great on his home turf in the Black Hills.
-Harry Wagner
Hard Facts
Vehicle: '47 CJ-2A
Engine: 350 TBI Chevy V-8
Transmission: TH350 automatic
Transfer Case: Dana 300 w/ JB Conversions 4:1 gears
Suspension: Triangulated four-link (front and rear)
Axles: Dana 44 (front), Ford 9-inch (rear)
Wheels: 15x10 TrailReady beadlock
Tires: 15x39.5-15 Super Swamper TSL
Built For: Crawling in the Black Hills