My name is William Welch and I’m from a small town in Kansas. My jeep came from Western Kansas where my grandparents lived. It had been my grandpa’s, Bill, and during my Sophmore year of high school he was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors didn’t think he would make it and he concurred that one of his grandsons should get his jeep. He passed away that following year and it was decided that I would be the one, out of my two brothers, to receive the Jeep. It’s a 1963 Willys Utility Wagon with a 230 OHC Tornado hooked to a T-90 transmission with a Spicer 20 transfer case.
I took automotive classes my Junior year to start preparing for my future career which also helped me in figuring my Jeep out. I got it up and running and started fixing some of the problems that I could afford. It had no windows or lights because of kids shooting them with b.b. guns. After a few months I had replaced them and could drive it to and from school. The driver seat in it needs fixed on account of it’s broken in half. There are some little rust spots but nothing so major that its not fixable. I still haven’t gotten alot fixed that needs done to make it ready for more frequent driving. It still needs: a new suspension, brakes and tires, not to mention a paint job and some window seals. Toward the end of my Junior year of high school I was unfortunitly involved in a wreck while driving it to school one day. I was blamed for the wreck because the guy speeding was a fire fighter. The hood and fender got bent and the frame a little as well. After that wreck I was distraught because I felt as if I had let Grandpa down by getting into that wreck. I was reminded afterwards, by my mother, that Grandpa would have been more worried about me not the Jeep. I got new mounts for: the motor, tranny, and transfer case, and I had the school’s body shop fix the frame as best they could without having any specifications to go by.
Once it was up and running again I started trying to find ways to get the money to finish fixing it up but before I could I was graduating from high school. I am proud to say that I’m probably the only one who has taken a Willys Wagon to prom at my school. One day I will have it fixed up right so that Grandpa would be proud of it, and me. I’ll also be able to take Grandma for a ride in it again. When I can manage to have it repainted I intend to have something put on the tail gate to honor the memory of my grandpa. The one thing that makes me feel good when I drive it is the way people look at it. Particually the older folks. Some times it almost looks like they go back when they see it driving down the road. My story with this jeep started three years ago and it’s my pride and joy because when I see it I see Grandpa sitting there waiting to go for a ride. I’ve had more offers for it than I can remember in those three years and not one of those offers made me even think about selling it. I’ve since had to leave it in Kansas to pursue my dreams in life. I’m in college 600 miles away from Kansas and I’ve made some good accomplishments since I first got this jeep. It gave me something to look forward to and drive me further. I’m now an Eagle Scout in college getting close to my dream job. This is the story of my jeep and I know it won’t be the best looking jeep in any gallery to most people but to me it is, I wouldn’t trade it for any other.
Kaiser Willys Jeep Blog Story – William Welch
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A story like yours makes this Jeep priceless! Never sell it, once you’ve achieved your career goals in life you’ll have time to restore this the way you want then someday you can pass it on to a family member! Good luck with the Jeep and your education….
A story like yours makes this Jeep priceless! Never sell it, once you’ve achieved your career goals in life you’ll have time to restore this the way you want then someday you can pass it on to a family member! Good luck with the Jeep and your education….
William,
What a great story, it’s nice to see people that value something handed down from a family member more than money, you will have years of joy and memories when your project is completed, not something money can buy.
If you can’t start working on it right away just make sure you store it properly, the less rust repair the better.
Best of luck , I’ll be looking for future posts.
Pete Capone
William,
What a great story, it’s nice to see people that value something handed down from a family member more than money, you will have years of joy and memories when your project is completed, not something money can buy.
If you can’t start working on it right away just make sure you store it properly, the less rust repair the better.
Best of luck , I’ll be looking for future posts.
Pete Capone
My Willys story is much like yours, mine is a CJ2A in about 12 colors and like you I wouldn’t think of trading it. You keep working on it little by little and you’ll smile every time you drive it, just like I do. I’m also from Kansas and I am glad to have that neat old Jeep every time I drive it. Best wishes! Lyle
My Willys story is much like yours, mine is a CJ2A in about 12 colors and like you I wouldn’t think of trading it. You keep working on it little by little and you’ll smile every time you drive it, just like I do. I’m also from Kansas and I am glad to have that neat old Jeep every time I drive it. Best wishes! Lyle
I have a feeling that you are a young man who is going to succeed! Your grandparents and parents have done a fine job and you and your Jeep are going places!
I have a feeling that you are a young man who is going to succeed! Your grandparents and parents have done a fine job and you and your Jeep are going places!
William don’t give up you have plenty of time to repair your Willys. I have four myself and still need to work on three of them. My first one was a 62 wagon second a 49 Jeepster third a 53 pickup and last a 59 wagon that I had restored from frame up. So don’t give up remember once a Eagle always a Eagle. Got my Eagle in 1970 so as you can see the world is in front of you gust think of it as an Eagle project. Good luck!
William don’t give up you have plenty of time to repair your Willys. I have four myself and still need to work on three of them. My first one was a 62 wagon second a 49 Jeepster third a 53 pickup and last a 59 wagon that I had restored from frame up. So don’t give up remember once a Eagle always a Eagle. Got my Eagle in 1970 so as you can see the world is in front of you gust think of it as an Eagle project. Good luck!
Congratulations fellow Eagle Scout.
Great story on your accomplishments with school & your Willys Utility Wagon.
Thank you for keeping this Willy’s alive for yourself and your grandpa. Be proud of it and hang onto it.
I have kept my first jeep for (‘46-2A) for 51 years.
Keep up the good work in your life.
Fred.
Congratulations fellow Eagle Scout.
Great story on your accomplishments with school & your Willys Utility Wagon.
Thank you for keeping this Willy’s alive for yourself and your grandpa. Be proud of it and hang onto it.
I have kept my first jeep for (‘46-2A) for 51 years.
Keep up the good work in your life.
Fred.
It IS the best looking Willys!
It IS the best looking Willys!
What a similar Jeep/Grandpa story to mine. Also a 6-230 wagon. Try to keep it forever like me and we can imagine our grandpa’s looking down at us and knowing how much they meant to us.
What a similar Jeep/Grandpa story to mine. Also a 6-230 wagon. Try to keep it forever like me and we can imagine our grandpa’s looking down at us and knowing how much they meant to us.