Willys, Jeep engines, etc.

[TKD_Master38]

Yo Gang,

I recently bought what was purported to be a T bucket roadster.  It turned out to have a 1917 Overland radster body complete with the data plate.  Windshield posts and all.

I got to thinking, since I love the idea of a homologated rod, why not Willys or Jeep engine for this one?  Overland was the forerunner of Willys and Willys made the first WWII jeeps.

The early days of my military career, bring back memories of M38's with flathead fours, and M38A1's with F head fours.  I think one of those would power a light roadster in good fashion rather than go to the later model stuff.

Any ideas out there?

Bruce

[enjenjo]

I live near Toledo. Home of Overland/Willys/Kaiser/AMC/Chrysler/DalmierChrysler Jeep. Until they tore the building down a couple years ago, people still said they worked at "the Overland".

The Go Devil 4 cylinder used in the M38 could trace it's roots to the 20's Overland 4. The jeep engine was used in some racing in the 50's, there are heads and other speed equipment out there. the F head used in the M38A1 wasn't near as reliable as the flat head, and really didn't make much more power.

The way it progressed, Overland was about to go belly up in 30, they brought in John Willys, he reorganised it with his name. The company was sold to Kaiser in 51, AMC in 69, Chrysler in 86, Dalmier in 97.

[GPster]

My handle is GPster because I own one. It had been psudo rodded in the late '60s with a flathead V8 and then sat to rest in a pasture in the early '70s. I had thought at one time about the simplicity of a flat head four but early on I was wondering about the problem of finding an automatic transmission (that I need) wouldn't be any easier than a  cheap automatic transmission conversion than for the flathead V8. Some other answers that you might want to find are full pressure oiling vs. babbitt bearings and valves and seats for un-leaded gas. I love their simplicity but it might be complicated to get there. Of course you might run one on propane and have it last forever. Jeepster GPster

[jaybee]

A couple of years ago one of my neighbors built a Willys Overland pickup.  He replaced the original flathead 6 with the OHV Jeep/AMC 6 which bolted right in.