Kaiser Willys Jeep of the Week: 012

012: Robert Gessert’s 1951 Willys Truck Hot Rod

This is a picture of my 1951 Willy’s Gladiator truck (Rat Rod) which I got from a buddy for a beer.   He owned it for 20 years and used it only for plowing snow.  The body was in awful shape and the chip monks had set up house keeping in it.  It still ran with the original engine and all but was (in my opinion) beyond bring it back original.

As you can see it is highly modified.  It sets on a custom built 1933 ford chassis built by the Roadster Shop in Mundeline, IL which has been lowered and stretched.  The axles are a Pete and Jake’s 5″ dropped front and a widened Winters rear with 3:92 gears rear.  I am running replica 18″ dirt car tires on the rear and 16″ replica dirt tires on the front.  It has the So-Cal front brake set up and Ford 10″ in the rear.  The top was chopped 7″ and the windshield is 5″ tall.  I have a ZZ4 Chevy crate motor in it with 350HP  and 400LBS of torque.  It has a Edelbrock 850CFM carb on it.    I am running a TKO 600 5 speed trans.

It goes like a scalded cat!

It is painted in OD green as a salute to my Daughter who was at the time that I panted it serving in Iraq in the Wisconsin Army National Guard as an MP.  The identification on the side is her unit.  She has since come home safe (January 18) but the truck will continue to carry the markings.

I am not a body man and my welding sucks.  But I am having a lot of fun with the thing.

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