Work In Process AMT 1933 Willys Van kit#6182

[Nolan]

50+ years ago, I built the 1933 Willys Malco gasser.  Evidently my memory isn’t what it used to be, or maybe I was just more accepting as a teenager, because I remember it being pretty cool.  So I picked up the AMT Willys Van kit and thought I’d do something a little different and build the panel wagon instead of the coupe.  Turns out 90 per cent of the kit is the coupe with a panel wagon body.

The flip front end didn’t fit the body very well.  To get the bottom of the front end to fit tighter to the body, I warmed it up and then pinched it in at junction between the fenders and side panels.  Once it cooled I checked the fit and then repeated until it fit better.  There wasn’t much lip for the front end to rest on the body, so I used some Evergreen .010 and .005 sheet to extend the lip and carved a deeper recess into the front end to match.

I still have a little clean up to do with the back edge of the front end, but it’s much better.

I replaced the non-functional hinge pins with some Evergreen .090” tube and then re-enforced the frame rails with some more Evergreen sheet (after I broke the driver’s side frame horn off, oopsie!)  I don’t remember anything mounting to the two half moon scallops in the frame right behind the front cross member, I think I’ll fill those in to beef up the front of the frame some more.  I cut another piece of the .090” tube to fit between the frame tubes and taped the frame, interior, body and front end together.  Then ran a heavy pin through all 3 pieces of tubing and glued the middle tube to the front end and let everything set until the glue set up.  Then I re-enforced all three tubes with some sprue goo.

I cut out the floor pan to make room for the transmission and 3D printed a transmission tunnel after failing to make one out of sheet plastic.  I also made some new motor mounts to let the motor set lower in the frame and move the engine slightly forward so it wasn’t touching the firewall.

With the motor moved forward the kit cross member/drive shaft mount(?) has a gap to the transmission, so I will be move it slightly rearward to become a drive shaft hoop for the longer driveshaft.  I made a transmission mount out of some more .090” tube and sheet styrene.  I may remake the transmission mount out of some smaller diameter tube or rod, as the .090" tube looks a little out of scale.

Lots more work to do, so more to come later.

Nolan

 

[M W Elky]

All your fit mods look good so far I’m looking forward to seeing this one come together.

[Zippi]

Nice work on the 33 Willy's panel so far Nolan.  

[dragcarz]

I’m liking this build!

[Tony Coomer]

Looking good so far…