1946 Willys CJ-2A Jeep Gets JDM Parts
Slideshow: This Jeep may have come out just after the second Great War, but it’s still trucking and in fact has just been outfitted with a slew of new parts to further extend its already much-celebrated life.
What is a Willy’s Jeep?
The Willy’s Jeep is significant because it’s one of the first ever military vehicles mass-produced in the United States (you’re welcome, Hummer). These models carried the same engineering ingenuity and performance that made them reliable rides on the war field, but were updated with many standardized features like 6x16 tires, 60 horsepower at 4,000 rpm, twin top bows, spark interference suppression, gas can bracket on left rear, blackout light system, means to support trailer lights, and sealed spring shackles. Oh, and a kitchen sink too. (Okay, maybe not the last one but you get the idea.)
What’s up with this Willy’s Jeep owner?
This Willy’s Jeep that we’re going to take a look at is a 1946 model owned by a one, Mr. Joel Tan, formerly of Manila (in the Philippines). He’s always been a fan of this particular type of Jeep and actually got started with tinkering on them when he was just 16 years old. That’s because, in Manila, these cars are viewed not so much as classic vehicles but rather, a good starting point for the young car enthusiast. The reason being: they’re cheap, practical and super simple to update with new parts.
>>Join the conversation about this classic modded Willys Jeep right here in JK-Form.com.
So why did Tan update this Willy’s Jeep?
Tan, who now lives in Los Angeles, never let his passion for working on cars go away. And so, for a recent project, he wanted to recreate the car he remembered from his childhood while simultaneously challenging himself to make the car into something truly special.
>>Join the conversation about this classic modded Willys Jeep right here in JK-Form.com.
Update #1: Add an engine
Tan got this Willy’s Jeep from a military veteran based out of San Diego. Upon acquisition, Tan notes, the car was a shell of itself with a windshield. So he did what you have to do in a situation like this: add an engine. And for this vehicle, he went with an SR20DET and five-speed gearbox taken from a Nissan S14 Silvia. While not exactly the most popular type of engine, the SR20DET performed best for the Silva, and the S14, in particular, used a bigger turbocharger than its S13 sibling.
>>Join the conversation about this classic modded Willys Jeep right here in JK-Form.com.
Updates 2 thru who knows how many…
In addition to getting a Nissan Silva engine fitted into a Jeep Wrangler from the '40s, Tan also outfitted the car with a Datsun 240Z radiator and a left-over cooler taken from a 1972 Toyota Corolla. As for the suspension, well, that came from a Ford Mustang (naturally). This particular piece of stock came complete with coilovers and was put together using an eight-bolt limited-slip rear-end from, you guessed it, another Corolla. And finally, the wheels are (the ever popular) 14-inch SSR Longchamp XR4s, with a nice polished finish throughout each one’s 3-piece welded construction. Tan admitted he’d like to make an update to 13-inch wheels but only if he can figure out how to do so while clearing the car’s brake calipers.
>>Join the conversation about this classic modded Willys Jeep right here in JK-Form.com.
To see a list of all the mods done to this CJ and the rest of the awesome pics of it, click here