• Beautifully repaired panel at bottom of B pillar can be seen here - it even has the little "beauty bulge" to match the original
• all repairs involved 'butt welding' with absolutely no (overlapping) 'lap welding'

This is an example of butt welding used for the many panel patches - this one has just been begun. The technique involves small 'button welds'. Plenty of time is allowed for cooling to avoid panel distortion.

• this patch corresponds to the place where the inside floor was spotwelded to the side panel.
• one trick (not used here) that can be used to save money is to get free 'hoods' from the wrecking yards as a great source of quality automotive steel. The older full size American cars had huge flat hood panels that provide excellent, yet super cheap, material.

Inside view of the same panel patch

• With the fuel tank filler hose protector cover removed, the entire area was dressed ready for the new floor patch
• it takes time and care to properly separate the fuel filler cover from the side hole. I got impatient, foolishly cut through the horseshoe shaped joint instead of removing all the spot welds...

The floor patch was cut to size and welded into place

• once the weld was smoothed and the sharp edges cleaned up, we were getting somewhere!

The fuel tank filler tube protector/cover was trial fitted back into position

• it would be welded back after it was repaired and Por15ed underneath.
• maybe we should have pop-riveted it into place instead of welding it? No, every component of the repair was welded back into place as from the factory. The little ledge under the cover was where a mouse nest was found

• Rusty floor behind the driver's side wheel wells is also cut out and replaced with 'satin coat' 16 gauge steel
• Note how our bodyman, the Captain, mimicked the OEM contour of the floor by welding on a piece of blue Chevy Blazer floor that has the same relief

An inside view of the rear floor as it was rebuilt - a much bigger job than it appeared!

• The old rear edge of the floor is completely cut away and rebuilt. The individual pieces can be seen here as they are welded together.

• The main support for the tailgate hinge was made from a piece of 3/16" thick angle iron(A). The tailgate hinge was eventually held in place with recessed head SS allenhead screws.
• A 1" wide piece of flat stock(B) was welded to the top edge(C) and formed the base for the rusted floor edge.
• the new valance was welded to the outer edge of A at D
• the outer edge of the floor was laboriously then rebuilt, one ridge at a time(E). This was "way too much work!"
• multiple coats of Por15 seam sealer and silver paint covered the bottom surface.

A view of a true Craftsman's hands!

• Captain Jack begins to fit the lower outer tailgate patch
• Before this patch is welded into place, the inside lower edge that holds the hinge was rebuilt with 3/16 inch thick angle iron. It's unfortunate that there is no easy access to the interior of the tailgate for rust-paint protection.

Note to "paranormal types": You can see how the Captain is not actually touching the steel panel but instead is 'levitating' it into position - amazing - a man of many talents.

• Here you can see the bottom of the tailgate coming together, welding is not complete.
• A new valance was fashioned and welded into place
• We decided to use stainless steel hinge instead of putting back the old Willys rusty hinge (the old hinge was still useful, but would continue to rust internally - SS hinge won't rust)
• everything lines up accurately and the tailgate closes perfectly as designed. We should have been concerned the body might have flexed out of shape during the repairs - luckily, it didn't.

Two fat old men -

• One is the skilled bodyman.
• The other, with such beautiful legs and sporting the oversize 'spurren', was the chick-magnet during the 'Cold War'. Now he is a dedicated family man and tireless Willys resto-moder.

• I worked on the bottom of the vehicle, sealing and painting with Por15 seamsealer and paint

• Here is the grill which is in remarkably good condition. If you look carefully, you can see at lower right, the minor cutout necessary to clear the Saginaw steering box
• front fenders received the same treatment - complete exterior stripping and painting

Rehab of roof. A heavy object must have been dropped on the roof years ago and partially repaired.

• dent in roof above drivers seat has been pounded out and filled
• gunwale around roof edge has been thoroughly wirebrushed out (all rust removed), coated in Por15 and Por15 "Tie Coat" primer and then automotive primed. Seam sealer will be added and smoothed flat so that a roof rack can be used without damaging the new paint.
• roof will be close-to-original white

• First blue paint is applied to the fire wall, inside of fenders, grill and under the hood
• all new weatherstipping will be installed; it takes a lot of work to remove the old stripping and leftover adhesive.

• Tailgates, inside and out, get some blue colour
• new gas tank can be just seen under the valance, stainless steel tailgate hinge above it. The custom steel gas tank may have been a mistake as new polyethylene tanks are available for Willys wagons from MTS Company, L.C. Dubuque Iowa <www.mtscompany.com>

Amazing results

• The individual rear floor ridges(E) (all ten of them) fully rebuilt.
• The inside tailgate edge was strengthened with 3/16 angle iron(F) which makes a very strong surface for the new SS hinge.
• Now to replace the refinished oak floor strips. Should I put oak floor strips on the tailgate? This is a popular improvement that protects the painted surface but is very unpleasant to kneel on!
• G is the factory floor anchor point we used for the rear 3 - point seat belts. Grade 8 bolts were used for the seat belts of course.

January 2007

• Not at all bad for an 'economy' paint job - finally finished
• Only new weatherstrip, new windshield and chrome to install, bumpers to paint - she should be back on the road by spring...