40 Willy's Bus Project

[gravy]

Willy's Bus Project: What it started as and what it looks like as of yesterday. Roger will fill in the blanks!!

johnny

[Randy Ferguson]

Hi Johnny,

My 13 yr. old son, Ryan, has decided for his first vehicle he wants a bus. (strange kid!!!)

Anyway, since I'm in the Willys replacement panel business, the plan is to scratch build an all aluminum body with a '40 front-end.

Watching you and Roger build this one will be lots of fun. If you need any measurements, or need to make patterns to get the front-end tied in, you're welcome to it.

[roger n cindy]

since uncle johnny said i'd fill in the blanks :? i had better update . we started with a 1948 chevrolet shorty bus. so far we have shortened it an additional 26" channeled it 12" and cut 3" off the bottom. replaced the frame with a late model 1/2 ton chevy pickup frame, disc/drum . built new floor framing from 1"x2" square tube and made the body and frame unibody. were powering it with a 327 small journal crank smallblock and auto , probably 700r4. interior dimensions are now 10' dash to rear door , stock width of 7' 11" and ceiling height of 53". sheet metal work so far ,replaced the side panel at the drivers side. didn't do much to the bus this week as we have been building the louver press :wink: started playing with our first hood tonight.
roger

[Boogiemanz1]

Guys that has to be a fun project.....I like it!

[Gulley]

Lets see some pictures of the louver press and the hood.
Have a good day;
Gulley

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Busses R Kool these days!! I sure like y'alls project!!


Here is a bus I saw at Charlotte a year or so ago. I could never get a good shot of the interior which had a leather type interior. The bus was set up as a party type bus that doubles as a motorhome. The owner told me he had re-made alot of the sheet metal panels to give it more graceful lines including re-arcing the wheel well radiuses

Uncle Johnny
Stuck in the house this afternoon, so I did a little cyberspace chop and drop in photoshop on your bus.
Mike

[roger n cindy]

hi John, thanks for the kind words. it is a fun project, no schedule no great expectations just stay inside stay busy to stay warm kind of job.

Gulley hello, hope to get a post under " louver machines" with pictures and text this week.

Brent, hows the temp in 10-o-C. chilly here but that keeps us focused on staying in the shop. the bus you show is what Cindy is expecting ours to end up looking like !!!!!!! can she say surprise?

Mike, nice photo chop - but- ours is low buck kind of use up the parts we have laying around so we quit tripping over them project. nothing pretty nothing fancy but fun.

Randy, look at the bus response! maybe Ryan knows what direction things are going style wise? get him a bus like ours and half your work is done, the center sections are already aluminum.

roger

[rookie]

Looks like it should be really sharp when you are done! Any plans for a chopped top or anything similar? Hi Roger, you going to make it to Randy's? Uncle Johnny, the cows say hello! :P

Keep up the posts, am looking forward to seeing how the louver press works. Hope to see you guys soon,

Phil

[jlrussell4]

Uncle Johnny,

I posted this once and it's not here any longer
I'll try again. I saw this bus at this years Turkey Run in Daytona. Don't know anything about it though. Enjoy the picture.



Jim