048: Ralph Sellers’ 1961 Willys Wagon
I am a Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealer in Gonzales, LA, a suburb of Baton Rouge. This is the result of a three year restoration, customization, of a 1961 Willys we took on trade on a new Jeep Commander. 
I spared no expense, trying to make this vehicle my daily driver. I wanted it to drive like a new vehicle, with the wonderful looks of the old Sport Wagon. I think I succeeded!
-Ralph Sellers
Have Willys Jeep photos? Submit them to our blog webmaster.
Go to Kaiser Willys Community PHOTO GALLERY for more Great Willys Jeeps!
Get Connected. Stay Inspired. Build Your Willys.
If you are looking for, Willys Jeep Parts, Willys replacement parts, Willys body parts and much more for your 1941-1971 Willys vehicle, you have come to the right place!
Ralph:
Simply beautiful especially the thin tailights look great..
And yes you did suceed big time how you say it. STUPINDOUS
Ralph:
Simply beautiful especially the thin tailights look great..
And yes you did suceed big time how you say it. STUPINDOUS
This vehicle is exceptional. One fact to support my opinion is the vehicle chosen to spend the time and money is rare for such show of talent and interest. How many times have we spent money and time to make our imagination vehicle come to life and when it arrived we were disappointed because it was different than our dream. It is healthy to dream and create show like this one. It is especially good for old sore eyes of us older generation who don’t have the energy to spend any time soon on such projects but we would like to just dream and after looking at this one I can imagine. Just let me go. Thanks for the show and the feeling I received from your work. fp.
This vehicle is exceptional. One fact to support my opinion is the vehicle chosen to spend the time and money is rare for such show of talent and interest. How many times have we spent money and time to make our imagination vehicle come to life and when it arrived we were disappointed because it was different than our dream. It is healthy to dream and create show like this one. It is especially good for old sore eyes of us older generation who don’t have the energy to spend any time soon on such projects but we would like to just dream and after looking at this one I can imagine. Just let me go. Thanks for the show and the feeling I received from your work. fp.
Ralph,
Yours is truly a fantastic resto-mod creation, thanks for sharing the photos! I am in the mid stage of rebuilding a 1958 Willys Wagon 4X4 as a daily driver (using some improvements and upgrades, chassis is close to done) and yours gives me something to aspire to. I can’t afford to “spare no expense” but the amount I am spending makes my friends and family think I’m a little crazy. I would love to get more information from you on parts / materials used and how it was all put together.
Beautiful job!!
Ralph,
Yours is truly a fantastic resto-mod creation, thanks for sharing the photos! I am in the mid stage of rebuilding a 1958 Willys Wagon 4X4 as a daily driver (using some improvements and upgrades, chassis is close to done) and yours gives me something to aspire to. I can’t afford to “spare no expense” but the amount I am spending makes my friends and family think I’m a little crazy. I would love to get more information from you on parts / materials used and how it was all put together.
Beautiful job!!
excelente trabajo es algo maravilloso ver el esmero y la dedicación con que han trabajado en el vehiculo
excelente trabajo es algo maravilloso ver el esmero y la dedicación con que han trabajado en el vehiculo
Ralph,
Congratulations on an awesome job! It looks great. I in the middle of a fairly dramatic mod on a 1953 willys wagon. I trying to decide if I want to do work gain work (paint) on it. Yours looks great….could you tell me who did the work grain paint job? I’m in North Carolina, but maybe your painter can give me some info.
Thanks.
Ralph,
Congratulations on an awesome job! It looks great. I in the middle of a fairly dramatic mod on a 1953 willys wagon. I trying to decide if I want to do work gain work (paint) on it. Yours looks great….could you tell me who did the work grain paint job? I’m in North Carolina, but maybe your painter can give me some info.
Thanks.
GREAT LOOKING JEEP I STARTING REBUILDING A 47 JEEP TRUCK ANY INFORMATION YOU WOULD SHARE WOULD BE GREAT.
GREAT LOOKING JEEP I STARTING REBUILDING A 47 JEEP TRUCK ANY INFORMATION YOU WOULD SHARE WOULD BE GREAT.
Perfect, it is great to see a dream come true.
Perfect, it is great to see a dream come true.
It is great to see a rolling work of art like your Wagon. I would like to know the details of the build , chassis , and power choice. Thanks
It is great to see a rolling work of art like your Wagon. I would like to know the details of the build , chassis , and power choice. Thanks
What is a clean machine as Mr. Pitts has stated above, you’ve created the dream machine:The contemporary Willys Wagon. I own a 1960 e y m and I struggle about upgrading. Thanks for the photos what a project congratulations
.
What is a clean machine as Mr. Pitts has stated above, you’ve created the dream machine:The contemporary Willys Wagon. I own a 1960 e y m and I struggle about upgrading. Thanks for the photos what a project congratulations
.
Beautiful Job. You’ve done what I’ve only thought about. My 1960 Wagon is all original & has merit as such but I wonder what would it be to have a modern system under such a Historic body. Great to see your photos, I only wish I could hear the vehicle as it approaches & drives by.
Beautiful Job. You’ve done what I’ve only thought about. My 1960 Wagon is all original & has merit as such but I wonder what would it be to have a modern system under such a Historic body. Great to see your photos, I only wish I could hear the vehicle as it approaches & drives by.
What a beauty!!! You have created a master piece.
I am picking up a 61 Willy truck this weekend that has been sitting in my brother-in-laws back yard for 18 years and my grandson and I plan to restoring it. Can you give me some tips on where to get parts and what kind of a budget I should plan on.
I want to get a 327 or 350 engine with an auto trans and lots of chrome like yours. I would like to install bucket seats and a console similar to yours also.
What a beauty!!! You have created a master piece.
I am picking up a 61 Willy truck this weekend that has been sitting in my brother-in-laws back yard for 18 years and my grandson and I plan to restoring it. Can you give me some tips on where to get parts and what kind of a budget I should plan on.
I want to get a 327 or 350 engine with an auto trans and lots of chrome like yours. I would like to install bucket seats and a console similar to yours also.
I was in the paint business for many years and have not seen an equal to the woodgrain work on this great Willys —–what a great vehicle to show off your talent—-Marvin
I was in the paint business for many years and have not seen an equal to the woodgrain work on this great Willys —–what a great vehicle to show off your talent—-Marvin
WOW I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN 1962 WHEN THESE WERE NEW.
OUGHT TO GET THE STAMPING DIES OUT AND START BUILDING THEM AGAIN
THEY ARE MORE UNIQUE THAN SOME OF THE NEWER MODELS. I REMEMBER
MY DAD TAKING A NEW ONE OUT IN 1961 FOR A TEST DRIVE .
THE DEALERS NAME AT TIME WAS SWENKE MOTORS.
WILLYS HAD A PLANT HERE IN ELMIRA NEW YORK BACK IN TWENTIES.
MY DAD WORKED THERE IN PLANT . IT WAS CALLED THE MARROW PLANT ..
IN FACT THERE IS A STREET HERE NAMED WILLYS STREET WHERE THE PLANT WAS.
THE SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL IS NOW LOCATED ON THE SPOT …
WOW I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN 1962 WHEN THESE WERE NEW.
OUGHT TO GET THE STAMPING DIES OUT AND START BUILDING THEM AGAIN
THEY ARE MORE UNIQUE THAN SOME OF THE NEWER MODELS. I REMEMBER
MY DAD TAKING A NEW ONE OUT IN 1961 FOR A TEST DRIVE .
THE DEALERS NAME AT TIME WAS SWENKE MOTORS.
WILLYS HAD A PLANT HERE IN ELMIRA NEW YORK BACK IN TWENTIES.
MY DAD WORKED THERE IN PLANT . IT WAS CALLED THE MARROW PLANT ..
IN FACT THERE IS A STREET HERE NAMED WILLYS STREET WHERE THE PLANT WAS.
THE SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL IS NOW LOCATED ON THE SPOT …
Thank you all for the kind words. I have owned many restored, antique and tricked out cars, but this has truly been my favorite project. The Willys is actually on a ’04 TJ Unlimited chassis that was totally restored, with a new 5.7L Hemi installed. It actually drives as good as it looks. It is awesome to share with a group of enthusiasts that can appreciate the work and labor of love that go into creating this sort of project. A sincere thanks for the compliments.
Thank you all for the kind words. I have owned many restored, antique and tricked out cars, but this has truly been my favorite project. The Willys is actually on a ’04 TJ Unlimited chassis that was totally restored, with a new 5.7L Hemi installed. It actually drives as good as it looks. It is awesome to share with a group of enthusiasts that can appreciate the work and labor of love that go into creating this sort of project. A sincere thanks for the compliments.
Hallo Ralph Sellers,
the others have already said it. I am blown away by the wood-grain, and it has a nice mirror to.
Congratulation and good luck.
Marry Christmas from Peter Queensland Au
Hallo Ralph Sellers,
the others have already said it. I am blown away by the wood-grain, and it has a nice mirror to.
Congratulation and good luck.
Marry Christmas from Peter Queensland Au
I have a 1951 jeep willy wagon will like to know how much would
it be to customize it the way you did thanks
I have a 1951 jeep willy wagon will like to know how much would
it be to customize it the way you did thanks
buenas noches tengo una 1960 que estoy restaurando con motor moderno pero no he podido conseguir la caja automática y me encanta sus terminados si me puedes ayudar co planos o mas fotos se lo agrdeceria
gracias javier hernandez
buenas noches tengo una 1960 que estoy restaurando con motor moderno pero no he podido conseguir la caja automática y me encanta sus terminados si me puedes ayudar co planos o mas fotos se lo agrdeceria
gracias javier hernandez
It’s been years since I’ve been to this blog. Thanks for all the kind words. I have had this Willys on our showroom at Ralph Sellers Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership since completing the project in 2011. It has only 1,000 miles since restoration. I built it with the intention of a daily driver, but it turned out so nice I hated putting it on the road. Besides, it draws so much attention it’s embarrassing. We took the original body, put it on an 04 Wrangler chassis and put a 5.7L Hemi engine linked to the Wrangler 4wd system. The seats are also from the Wrangler, but covered in new Ostrich skin and unprocessed leather, to give it an aged look. It has definitely been a traffic builder for the dealership and customers absolutely love it. Trust me when I say a project like this costs a fortune, even for a Jeep Dealer! That being said, I’ve turned down more offers to sell than you can imagine.
It’s been years since I’ve been to this blog. Thanks for all the kind words. I have had this Willys on our showroom at Ralph Sellers Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership since completing the project in 2011. It has only 1,000 miles since restoration. I built it with the intention of a daily driver, but it turned out so nice I hated putting it on the road. Besides, it draws so much attention it’s embarrassing. We took the original body, put it on an 04 Wrangler chassis and put a 5.7L Hemi engine linked to the Wrangler 4wd system. The seats are also from the Wrangler, but covered in new Ostrich skin and unprocessed leather, to give it an aged look. It has definitely been a traffic builder for the dealership and customers absolutely love it. Trust me when I say a project like this costs a fortune, even for a Jeep Dealer! That being said, I’ve turned down more offers to sell than you can imagine.