Rango.....1942 Willys MB

[Juntura]

Love this thread. Tons of cool ideas and that stance is to die for.

 

[Metcalf]

Love this thread. Tons of cool ideas and that stance is to die for.

Thanks. I'm going to refer to it as my clown car stance Its just silly low. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out so far. The springs still need to break in and I have to get the final length of the shackles figured into the overall height, but it should end up abut as low as in the pictures. There is no weight on the tires currently, they are JUST touching the ground. I will probably loose about 1" with weight on the tires and gain that same inch back with the shackles mounted.

I just wanted to do something way different that I hadn't seen done yet. I did draw a lot of inspiration from the front end of the 1940s MLW-2 concept vehicle....

I wanted my jeep to look like the missing link between the original military production version and the MLW-2 concept. From what I understand there was very little documented evidence of a MLW-1 concept....so maybe mine is like that one

On the one hand I wish I would have had more original parts to work with, but on the other hand I probably wouldn't have taken the project this far if the vehicle would have been worth restoring.

Stay tuned, things should be getting busy in the next few weeks! I am suppose to take this to Moab for a shakedown run in late march! EEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!

 

[Nigel Caffiene]

Good luck with Rango! I am keenly interested in watching the build unfold. Like your idea of the missing link on a Flatfender. Why didn't I think of that...

 

[Metcalf]

Good luck with Rango! I am keenly interested in watching the build unfold. Like your idea of the missing link on a Flatfender. Why didn't I think of that...

Thanks. It's been fun. I basically took what I had and tried to make something cool.

 

[Metcalf]

I need a tubing bender to make the cage, and I couldn't find anyone local to let me bend some tube......

So I guess I have to make one......

Its designed to use pro-tools 105 dies and to use an 8-ton air over hydraulic ram for power. It took me about 3 hours to get this far. All I need to do now is build the ram mount and cut all the spacer tubing to length....and make a mount for it....

Sometimes its REALLY nice to have big machines to play with. I did all the hole layout with the DRO on the mill, used a huge drill press to make all the holes, and the big saw to cut out the clearance for the moving arm.

Fun fun

 

[67390FE]

You definitely have some mad skills brother!

 

[Metcalf]

Thanks.

I still have lots to learn, but most stuff doesn't scare me. Ok.....automatic transmissions and wiring kinda scare me.....and clowns!

 

[jeepdreamer]

How about midget clowns rewiring an auto transmission?

 

[Metcalf]

How about midget clowns rewiring an auto transmission?

I was trying to find one of those smiley icons that would convey my terror....but failed.

 

[jeepdreamer]

or

 

[jeepdreamer]

 

[Metcalf]

The first one...

 

[jeepdreamer]

lol...yeah, couldn't resist.
How far are you from Ft Carson? I'm hoping that will be my next duty station and would love to see this thing in person some day. Still have a while here in Germany though.
Also... I picked up the April issue of Petersen's 4Wheel&off road and thought of you while looking at the back page. Shows Rick Pewe's and Sonni's flatties....Really love the "rock Spyder"...drool!

 

[Metcalf]

It looks like just under 300 miles away to Ft Carson from Durango, co.

Your more than welcome to come down and see it any time. Thank you for your service also.

I will have to look for the new mag? did it just come out?

 

[SChandler]

The new 4 Wheel & Off Road showed up in my mailbox last week, so it should be on news stands. In addition to the classic "Jeeps climbing Jeeps" shot that was mentioned, there's an article on one of Pewe's more stock flatties that he is bringing back to mild wheeler status.

I really dig the stance on your flattie. Good luck getting it to Moab in the spring.