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1933 stock top Willys


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  • 2 weeks later...

I just got one from Ed a month or so ago along with the stock front clip, fits the AMT body quite nicely as does the AMT clip on Ed's Willys. The interior side panels do fit just a tad tight as the resin body is a bit thicker than the AMT body, nothing an experienced modeler won't be able to deal with.

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The slight thickness you'll note with my stock roof '33 Willys coupe body castings now are from remolding the body 4 or 5 times using a resin copy for each 'new' mold.....since I made changes along the way to improve the accuracy of the body. It is now something that I pay real close attention to when I use a resin body to make a 'second issue' mold. You do not see the slight difference in thickness until the third or fourth run; or if you use a casting from the end of the run when the mold has gotten weaker.......allowing the resin to push the sides out a hair more. Since catching this problem I've made sure to thin the bodies down more then the original master so that they will be thinner yet as the life span of the mold declines.

On another note, Mill City Replicas' stock roof '33 Willys body is nice, but no where near as accurate as mine is.......if that is something that matters to you personally. I spent months making sure the proportions were as close to the 1:1 as possible since I dig '33 Willys so much! LOL! Also, the casting I had from them years ago was pretty thick, full of voids in areas such as the grille, and the front end and running boards were all molded to the body like a promo. I am not bashing them in anyway. The body was given to me by a friend; so I have no idea if it was a 'second' that someone got into his hands.

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Ed do you still make the 33 willys pickup gasser, and how much if you do, thanks

It is currently off-line; and I am not sure at this point if I want to make new molds. Sales were pretty weak the third time I remolded it. So much of my line up is thought to be fair game already. I don't mind other people casting stuff that I've done that was just a repopped kit part; but stuff that I've mastered gets under my skin.........which is the main reason I am dropping the majority of my hood line up.

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Ed, question on thinning my Willys down through the interior "bucket" area. I was just figuring on using a Dremel sanding drum on lowest speed it will spin and still cut, working it down slowly until the interior slips in. Anything I should do to keep the body stable and keep it from warping over time.

I for one hope you consider keeping the '33 Willys in your lineup, hopefully with the reissue of AMT's "Ohio George" kit increases demand for a super nice stock body. With all the seams, flash and sink marks in the last AMT '33 Willys it reminded me of a poor quality resin body!

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Just for curiosity, Ed, supposing I wanted to build a totally stock (shocking, I know) '33 Willys, because rep-stock, they're such a cool little car- how much massaging would I have to do to get it to work?

Anyone have recommendations for chassis, engine, etc.?

Charlie Larkin

Charlie, I think the engine from one of the Hogans heros kits would work. I used that engine in my 41 Willys that I tried to make close to stock as possible, for me anyway. :) Dan

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I've never seen this body in person, but I can vouch for Ed making some really nice stuff. I have three of his '36 Ford truck grilles, and love the quality of them. My only gripe is on my side- I don't order enough stuff from him!

Charlie, I think the engine from one of the Hogans heros kits would work. I used that engine in my 41 Willys that I tried to make close to stock as possible, for me anyway. :) Dan

What Dan said, Charlie. B)

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One thing you will note with using the AMT '33 Willys interior and chassis is that the door panels are thicker on one side then the other; and the floor pan is molded off center when looking at the frame rails. The inside of my resin body may indeed need to be thinned down a hair (especially since it is not the first run of this body); but the majority of the fit issues stem from the poorly designed AMT interior and chassis.

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The most difficult issue to overcome trying to build my stock roof '33 Willys coupe in replica stock form would be the grille I think. No resin caster out there makes an accurate (and to scale) stock '33 Willys grille. Jerome from Jerry's House of Resin fit his stock grille (too small by the way) into my 'stock' '33 Willys front end and then molded it after I told him he did not have my permission to cast my front end. He is now selling this front end on eBay. I had as many hours into correcting the front end as I did mastering the chopped '33 Willys pickup cab I was working on at the same time. This is the kind of shenanigans and poor business ethics that drive good resin casters to close up shop.

Anyway, the only other way you might obtain a somewhat decent stock '33 Willys grille (with out using unrealistic flat photo etch) is through Mill City Replicas if they offer the grille by itself. I know it is molded into their '33 Willys coupe and sedan bodies......or at least it use to be.

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The Holden's Hero or any rendition of the WW II Jeep is perfect for a '33 -'34 - '38 - '40 - '41 Willy's Kit you would turn into a factory stock Willy's . I don't think I missed any bodies here that were available at one time or another . The '41 "Go Devil" is an easy Engine to duplicate . The dual Carb Intake & carbs in the Jeep kits (using a second Air Filter set-up on the second Carb.) is this more powerful and responsive Power Plant . Beyond 1941 , it was not available on the Charts I have . IIRC it put out in the range of high 80-90 HP range . Thanx ..

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The Holden's Hero or any rendition of the WW II Jeep is perfect for a '33 -'34 - '38 - '40 - '41 Willy's Kit you would turn into a factory stock Willy's . I don't think I missed any bodies here that were available at one time or another . The '41 "Go Devil" is an easy Engine to duplicate . The dual Carb Intake & carbs in the Jeep kits (using a second Air Filter set-up on the second Carb.) is this more powerful and responsive Power Plant . Beyond 1941 , it was not available on the Charts I have . IIRC it put out in the range of high 80-90 HP range . just don't attach the Transfer Case for the 4 WD. . Thanx ..

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  • 5 weeks later...

Ed, thanks for the explanation, it gave me a starting point to go from, started with the chassis and interior panels then worked the body with Dremel and a sanding drum slow, speed and just a little at a time until it slipped in. It took much less grinding on the body than I first thought, in part due to the chassis and panel adjustment.

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