Project: Tetanus Shot - 1948 Willys

[YJJPWrangler]

Blew the dust off it last night...

Picked up the brake booster off ebay and got it installed. It's a solid fit and its a pretty small package. Lots of hood clearance as well.

Got a Flaming River U-Joint and I think I have figured out how to run the steering shaft. Now I just need to figure out where I need to support it.

My clutch slave also came in from Speedway Motors. I still need to fab up the mount for it and get it hooked up/bled. My T-case shifters came in and I think they will work just fine. I should be able to finish up the interior and finalize the plumbing and I "should" be able to move the damn thing...

 

[Creekin]

Looking good...
What master cylinder did you use?

 

[YJJPWrangler]

Looking good...
What master cylinder did you use?

I'm pretty sure that its a Corvette master cylinder. I want to say early 90s? It's been so long since I bought it I forgot.

 

[YJJPWrangler]

Got some more done over the weekend. Finally got a chance to fab up a bracket off the PTO cover of the transmission to mount the slave cylinder and get the slave installed.

Spent about an hour looking through parts bins at the local O'Reillys and finished up the hard/soft line from the clutch master to the slave.

I still need to address my steering shaft. I thought I had an fix worked out but after tacking on some support braces it doesn't seem to turn to freely. I think my next route is to run the steering shaft as close to the block as possible. I have a total of three u-joints that I can use so if anyone has ANY suggestions that would be great. Sometimes an extra set of eyes can be invaluable.

 

[Jeff B]

Got some more done over the weekend. Finally got a chance to fab up a bracket off the PTO cover of the transmission to mount the slave cylinder and get the slave installed.

Spent about an hour looking through parts bins at the local O'Reillys and finished up the hard/soft line from the clutch master to the slave.

I still need to address my steering shaft. I thought I had an fix worked out but after tacking on some support braces it doesn't seem to turn to freely. I think my next route is to run the steering shaft as close to the block as possible. I have a total of three u-joints that I can use so if anyone has ANY suggestions that would be great. Sometimes an extra set of eyes can be invaluable.

Post some better pics of the steering shaft rout?

 

[YJJPWrangler]

Here's the steering shaft route. The bearing support is just tacked in right now and is a rough idea. Here is the U-joint as it comes out of firewall.

The last picture where the shaft ends hooks up to the intermediate shaft with a u-joint. It's very, very tight and doesn't turn freely at all.

As you can see, there is little to no room whatsoever. I have some OEM style manifolds from a van. No clearance at all with them either, hell they won't even bolt up.I'm thinking I could route the steering shaft down from the firewall and make it hug the block but I haven't tried it yet. I'm open to any and all suggestions.

 

[Jeff B]

I used OEM manifolds, however were probably a different year model. When I routed the steering it was super tight also. Have you tried block hugger manifolds?

 

[YJJPWrangler]

I used OEM manifolds, however were probably a different year model. When I routed the steering it was super tight also. Have you tried block hugger manifolds?

I have not tried block hugger headers. I got these headers off of Summit and several other people running Willy’s with this motor recommended them. How much closer would huggers be positioned to the block instead of these?

 

[rockcity]

I have not tried block hugger headers. I got these headers off of Summit and several other people running Willy’s with this motor recommended them. How much closer would huggers be positioned to the block instead of these?

If others with Willy’s are running these headers, what did they do for steering shaft clearance?

 

[McCracken]

That's a tight fit....


That's what she said

 

[YJJPWrangler]

If others with Willy’s are running these headers, what did they do for steering shaft clearance?

I've seen different setups. One had the steering shaft come straight down and run along the bottom of the frame. It also used a double cardan steering shaft. While it looked very simplistic, I don't like the idea of that hanging below the framerail. I posted the question with pictures to a willys group on facebook. Some suggestions have been run OEM manifold, others have been taking a hammer to the header. But everyone agrees its a really, really tight fit @McCracken

Im planning on pulling the header tonight and try to install the OEM manifold and see if that helps anything.

 

[ghost]

Should have put a straight 6 in it!

 

[rockcity]

Can you offset the shaft with a sprocket and chain?

 

[YJJPWrangler]

Can you offset the shaft with a sprocket and chain?

. I know what you are talking about...definitely do not want to go that route. Is that even street legal? If that was the only route to go, I'd just run full hydro...

 

[rockcity]

No idea if it’s street legal or not. I do t see why it wouldn’t be.


Worst case, fab up or modify your header to fit around the shaft. It’s really not that much work to modify the header to make some room; pre bent tube is cheap and readily available.

 

[YJJPWrangler]

Think I've figured it out. I had a plethora of OEM manifolds that I've acquired since starting this build. Turns out one works. I now have a much simpler path to run the steering shaft.

Looks to be plenty of clearance now. The support bearing is just tacked in placed but I am thinking of adding another one to the left of the last U-joint in the 3rd picture. This will control any horizontal play or movement of the shaft. Does this sound like a reasonable plan?

 

[Jeff B]

Think I've figured it out. I had a plethora of OEM manifolds that I've acquired since starting this build. Turns out one works. I now have a much simpler path to run the steering shaft.

That looks familiar.

Looks to be plenty of clearance now. The support bearing is just tacked in placed but I am thinking of adding another one to the left of the last U-joint in the 3rd picture. This will control any horizontal play or movement of the shaft. Does this sound like a reasonable plan?

 

[Creekin]

The exhaust manifold looks good.
Still like the idea of using headers and going to full hydro system.
Also some late model cars have a steering system that does not require a steering shaft (e.g., a motor on the steering rack).
Just some ideas to spend more $$$

 

[YJJPWrangler]

@Jeff B How many support bearings did you end up using on your setup?

The exhaust manifold looks good.
Still like the idea of using headers and going to full hydro system.
Also some late model cars have a steering system that does not require a steering shaft (e.g., a motor on the steering rack).
Just some ideas to spend more $$$

In the future, @rockcity will talk me into a LS1, onetons, and 42s... I'll go full hydro. Until then, I think this setup will work.

 

[Jeff B]

@Jeff B How many support bearings did you end up using on your setup?



In the future, @rockcity will talk me into a LS1, onetons, and 42s... I'll go full hydro. Until then, I think this setup will work.

Just one, mid-way down.

 

[YJJPWrangler]

This saturday, I decided to pull the steering box apart.

What I found wasn't good. Lot of water and rust on the inside.

I managed to get it all cleaned up and repacked with balls with grease and it works great now. Steering is pretty much finalized. Im waiting on firewall column brace and it should be 100% mocked up. With the front axle on jack stands I can easily turn the wheel from lock to lock no problem.

Turned my attention to the inside and got the tranny cover finally finished. Also made some brackets to hold the shift cables in place. Still need a couple small ends and pieces but the interior metalwork should be done in the next couple of weeks and then on to exhaust, cage, seats, gauges, etc...

 

[YJJPWrangler]

With a death in the family, I haven't had too much time to work on it but I did get some things done over the weekend. The FIL was in town and we made a couple parts runs. Went to Pirtek to get a nice coated steel braided line made for the clutch and some odds and ends from O'Reillys. Managed to get the clutch bled and adjusted, everything moves freely, no binding and the clutch has a good feel to it. Also managed to completely bolt up the driver side manifold and lengthen the steering shaft slightly. It turns a little more freely now without any noticeable hangups. I forgot that today was MLK day and I showed up to work and nobody was there...so came back home and tackled the transmission cover and shifters. I now have working shifters and a working, although rough, transmission cover. I still need to fine tune the linkages and do some more work to the cover. Also, in my limited experience with the D300, doesn't it like to shift under small load? Right now, its pretty damn difficult to shift. I need to add a few more tabs for bolt mounts and grind it smooth. Getting the cover to line up with the existing sheetmetal was challenging and a lot of cutting/welding/bending occurred. Ignore the tack tack tack welds, its welded fully on top and partially on bottom with plenty of overlap bc metal science. I'm planning to heavily coat the underside of the tunnel cover in dynamat or the equivalent and run some hi-temp weatherstripping around all the edges to make a good seal. It's not perfect by any means but I still have some work to do on it. I'll be glad when the sheetmetal work is over with.. My steering column firewall brace came in and I'm going to have to make some changes to it but it should work. I still need to finish plumbing the hard lines for the brakes and bleed them and then its off to the exhaust shop.

 

[Creekin]

Like the dual shifters.
Did you remove the detent to allow individual shifting like front wheel drive in low gear?

 

[YJJPWrangler]

Like the dual shifters.
Did you remove the detent to allow individual shifting like front wheel drive in low gear?

Not yet, I plan on removing the detent and putting in a sight tube in the future.

 

[rockcity]

I forgot to look for the clutch hose this past weekend. Sorry.