Gustavo bought and restored this beauty in 2024. His friend Avelar had run into a guy who mentioned he had what in Brasil is sometimes called a "horse face" Jeep. Avelar said he knew somebody who might be interested in it, and the guy immediately said he would sell it. So Gustavo went to take a look, in the lot where it had been parked for at least ten years.
Gustavo says, "There was lots of dirt, bodywork looked good but the paintwork was completely compromised. It was missing the front cardan shaft and handbrake among other things."
See also the interior (260K JPEG).
He says, "As positive points, the Jeep had the original engine, gearbox and steering, and the chassis had all structural parts with no rot or welding points. One detail: the car wouldn't start due to the fact that it required an overhaul of the entire electrical system, however the engine appeared to be in good condition with no signs of oil or other fluid leaks."
The engine was topped with a Beetle carburetor, but a friend at the architectural firm where Gustavo works had a trip to the US scheduled, and agreed to bring an American-made carb back to Brasil.
The deal closed in December 2023, and Gustavo comments: "I started researching what I wanted to do with it: leave it as original as possible, with some safety upgrades, for example disc brakes on the front wheels.
"I took the car to Toca Classic Garage in Itupeva, where two brothers, Fábio and Felipe, will do the work. I then got a call from them to say that the engine started on the first attempt. Now I just had to wait for Toca's assessment of gearbox, clutch, axles, etc., and then finalize the cost of the renovation."
"The next Saturday I stopped by Toca Garage to drop off some parts that came from eBay and KaiserWillys.com. I got some bad news about the Jeep's body. You could see a lot of bad things in the tub: holes where there shouldn't be, poorly made patches, thin/missing sheet metal. We decided to buy a used tub (320K JPEG) which was in good condition but with the floor needing to be replaced."
Gustavo received photos from Toca of the tub with the new floor installed. As Fábio commented, "It's no longer the Flinstones' car."
"In April I received news about the axles: rear not perfect, but overall still useable for a few years, on the road only; front axle condemned. The good news was that the gearbox didn't need maintenance.
"I went to the city of São Roque to pick up a replacemernt Dana 25, 8/43-ratio differential for the front, and I left there with some extra things including a rear view mirror, foot start switch, and some gauges."
The body was stripped and primered (180K JPEG) and the engine block (260K JPEG) painted again in red.
Gustavo bought a fabric top, but says, "There were parts missing for attaching it, the front part (which attaches to the windshield frame) was too long, and there was poor finishing. Toca improved it."
"On the internet I found CJ3B.info, with a lot about this specific model of Jeep.
I read there about the restoration of a Jeep found in an American barn, in Cadet Gray. I thought it was really good, and I decided that's the color I wanted. I found a PPG color Hatteras Gray that is very close."
"A week later the guy from São Roque called saying he bought a batch of parts, and I got a new front cardan shaft, two wheels (to complete a set of five; on the Jeep there were three different types of wheels), four new shock absorbers, and a new wiring harness (140K JPEG) for a 50s CJ-5. I spoke to Felipe from Toca and he said that being for the Hurricane engine, same as mine, the harness will work.
"The gauges I got in São Roque turned out to be damaged, so I ended up buying a complete new set (200K JPEG) through a Jeep group on WhatsApp."
"I found a very old locking hub model (100K JPEG) on the internet (from what I researched, it could be the first version made in Brazil in the late 50s to mid 60s, under license from Warn USA.)"
"I discovered that the carburetor (110K JPEG) I bought from the US was not an original Carter model, but in fact was a Chinese copy of the Solex. Opinions on the internet about these Chinese carburetors vary, but in general they seem better than the Brazilian Solex, and I hoped that Toca would get the adjustments right."
See also the right side (230K JPEG) of the engine.
"This is my first Willys (which I have long dreamed about) but my first car ever was a Lada Niva (Russian 4x4). I kept it just a couple of years but had some fun with it. After two "normal cars" I got a Suzuki Jimny to come back to 4x4 life, but I couldn't afford having more than one car at that time, so I had to sell it after four years (when my daughter was born.)"
"Here in São Paulo I use the Jeep to take my daughter to school and drive to work (when it isn't raining -- my daughter becomes very grumpy when we have to use the car instead of the Jeep)."
"The first dashboard plate I ordered did not fit the holes in the dash (100K JPEG) so we couldn't use it, but I was able to find another one in the correct size."
"A friend of mine (Toninho – 'little Tony') helped me with welding things like this homemade middle seat. It already needs some repairs but I have found another one, apparently from the 50s, through Marcelo Prado who sold me the new gauges and is becoming a good friend helping me with Jeep parts and knowledge."
With two phones, Gustavo came up with a cool way to look back on the nine-month process of acquiring all the right parts for the Willys and completing the restoration.
He says, "I'm not eager to put the Jeep in extreme mud (we don't have much rock crawling here) but I love the feel of driving the Jeep, so I use it on dirt roads. I plan to use it on vacation trips in the countryside. My wife and I have family in some small cities and on farms."
"I really like old cars and old things in general -- they bring some good memories from childhood times."
Thanks to Gustavo for the story and photos. -- Derek Redmond
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