I may be jumping the gun with this thread, but I want to. After I am finished with Tom's Willys Wagon, I have decided to build myself a new trail rig. I fell in love with Sebastian's Willys MB a few years ago and have decided to replicate it with a few minor changes. The main changes are; I will build mine as a tube chassis skinned to look like his and I will have a driver's drop front Dana 44 and an NP231 instead of a pass drop and D300.

I will have the same wheelbase, axle width, wheel/tire, and similar drivetrain. Due to under hood room and cost, I will not have a Mopar engine

And this all started because I had a steering box and a fuel tank laying around

5.3L LM7
TH350
NP231
Dana 44 4.10 E-locker, Front
Dana 44 4.10 Detroit locker, Rear
Stock 5-leaf Wagoneer spring, Front
RE 1.5 SOA 6-leafs, Rear
Allied 15x10 single beadlock
36x13.5R15 Irok Radials
90" wheelbase

I just got my first piece of sheet metal in yesterday. A top cowl from Walks4x4. The rest of the body panels will be coming from Vintagejeeps.com

I will have a shackle reversal in the front using the new TMR modular spring hanger and sleeve the frame for a shackle bushing.

In the rear I will use another spring hanger in the front eye and Tmr's modular shackle hanger with 3" shackles under the rear bumper.

The LM7 I picked up for $500. I was able to pick it up cheap since everyone wants an LS1 or a 6.0L for their projects and no one wants the 5.3L. 275hp is more than enough power for small Willys.

and the LS1 intake that came with it, which is essential to fitting under the Flatty hood.

A pair of Dana 44 axles out of an '88 Grand Wagoneer. Thanks to Tom for finding these for me.

I also have a Th350 sitting in my garage, but it won't be anything to look at until it gets the Novak adapter

Serious question. What is keeping a 5.7 Hemi from fitting? I'm not real familiar with the dimensions on the MB/2a Jeeps. I'm considering a project just like this. My cousins and their dad have scratch built Jeeps for over 40 years. The templates that 4WD Hardware first used were built by their dad.

Looks awesome! Can't wait for more

The Jeep in the first post looks great. I've never heard of anyone building one of these Jeeps in this manner though. Why build one of these from scratch?

both the first picture and the engine bay picture are of Sebastian Varas's old Willys MB (he sold it and built a new one with link suspension and a repro tub). I love how his MB came out, but I intend to improve on his original design to make the Willys able to handle more abuse on the rocker panels. Instead of just 1/8" rock sliders like he had, I will have 1.75" square tube hidden behind the rocker panels tying all the way to the frame rails and the cage tied into the rock sliders. The body panels will be permanently attached and tinned inside. It will be more of a unibody than true buggy. Both of Sebastian's Willys have stock bodies with cages.

I remember when that was made, there were a few videos of it too. The little kid knew what he was doing.

Things have changed a little. There is no body panel supplier that has every piece I need. Each has some, but not one has all. I would have to buy from 3 different people and pay freight from each. So I am going to just buy a body kit from one person. If I were to buy all the loose panels with shipping it would cost as much as a whole body. The MB will still be scratch built, but not a buggy, just a Jeep with a cage

The steel for the frame is going to be ordered today as well as more roll cage tubing for Tastykake.

My reproduction tub (MD Juan) from Ron Fitzpatrick will be here in one week

The 2x4 .120" wall tubing for the frame rails arrived

along with the 2x4 .188" wall tubing for the bumpers, 1.75OD .120 wall tubing for the roll cage, and 4"x1/4" strapping for the fish plates.

Looky what showed up at the Fedex distribution facility at Bradley Airport...

Unloaded the truck this morning