My 1957 L6-226 Wagon Build.

Here are some more photos of my Brother's Chevy truck above. 10 years ago my brother and I drove it to Yellowstone and back from KC. We went through two big snow storms because it was very early in the season. The truck is restored to all original style with restoration parts only.













If you look closely Yellowstone lake is frozen over....


I used to work at this Lodge nearly 15 years ago. Every morning it was open up the radiators, start the fires, get park updates from the local Ranger station, check out the guests, etc



Well - that is probably enough stovebolt photography for one Willys' site. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Hi Ben. I bet it was fun in those snow storms with the Vacuum Wipers! My first car was 1950 Chevy Coupe and it had Vacuum Wipers. Nice Chevy Pickup! Pivnic

Time to install one tire to see how it looks with the green I landed on. It could also be counted as inspiration that we have a mounted tire on a painted rim.

Step one assemble all the tools, parts and equipment.



Then - slip one side over the top lip of the rim.



Put some baby powder in the tire and some on the tube. The goal is to "lubricate" the tube while it is filling up inside so that it can shift into the best position. Once powder is everywhere stuff the tube inside the tire in the proper position. Then get the stem through the hole - harder than you think - at least on your hands. Keep some air handy and give the tube some air - to kind of take shape - but not enough to take full shape.

Using your tire irons flip the last side of the tire under the upper lip. The key is to start by hand at 6 oclock and get as far by hand and then lever the rest. Sorry no pictures - I had my hands full. Be careful not to pinch the tube with the irons or you will get to do this all over again depending on when you figure it out. Wd-40 or tire lube from napa makes this much easier. Really soapy water does too in a pinch. Soapy water is good for finding leaks.

Use your knees to hold the tire down as you go and finish getting the tire mounted. Check over the beads and make sure you don't see any tube showing. If so push it inside.

Air up the tire to seat the bead. Don't over do it. The beads make sound like a gun going off as they seat so be careful and look away from it as it goes. High pressure baby powder injection isn't fun.

Air the tire up to the right psi and then check it with a gauge. 1hr later check it again.

After that consider it probably ok.



A bicycle pump will work on a pinch but it will take an hour to seat the bead. Ask me how I know......

Touch up paint any scratches and balance as needed.

You can also take it to a shop - but I am mostly a cheapskate.

More to come.

Rainy Saturday update.

Did I mention it was raining?

I taped off one side of the Wagon's windows, sanded out some spots and sprayed the wimbledon white on the middle band.



Since its........raining...... outside and kind of cool I called it a day after that. Tomorrow I will tape of the rest of the windows. Pull the new to me hood off and paint the rest of the wimbledon white on the body. I will then move to repairing the new to me hood.

Stay dry out there!

Sunday, April 30th update.

Today I taped and sanded the rest of the white area. Removed a few things from the firewall and then proceeded to complete the white area first coat of paint.



I am not a big fan of taping by the way!!





Both rear windows will be replaced so no taping there.






That is all for today. Tomorrow I will sand out some runs in the first white area I painted and repaint those spots. I will also pull the front bumper and trim panel.

The sun came out for a bit today but it looks like more rain is on the way. I have a drip on the roof of the wagon - hence the orange bucket.

More to come.

Mayday update.




Yes that is the sun!!

After all this rain and now some sun it is really starting to green up around here.



Don't worry that is as far as I am painting up until I tape off the Wimbledon White area.

Today (besides painting some green) I removed the front bumper and drip pan, sanded the entire rig at least once and some areas a few times - and then shot some green.

While not my inspiriation I did find a funny coincidence.



However I will be repainting the wheels green.

Tomorrow tapping off the White section and finishing up the lower green areas.

2nd Mayday update and May 2nd update.

Late last night I couldn't sleep so I went back and taped. Taped a lot.





I hate taping..... after that was done - I shot the rest of the lower green paint.

This morning when I went back I ran the heaters and got the barn up to 80F for a while. I needed to sweat.



The thermometer is in the cold drafty corner of the barn. - I periodically had to go outside for cool down breaks.

After some time I draped it.



I then sanded the roof entirely, dusted it and then shot some more paint.



You don't think about it much but the roof covers some big real estate.

After some more time with the heaters going full blast I stripped it down.



And finally:





There are a few spots to touch up, but that will come after the frame swap and any scratches that ensue from the move.

Tomorrow I remove the old fuel tank, steering box and shaft and all of the bolts holding the body to the frame.

More to come.

Looks great! Keep those pictures coming and man has that puppy come a ways!

Nice work. Lookso like you were very successful creating your own micro climate.

A big jump in progress there. Well done.

Thanks fellas. There have been lots of little milestones in this project, but this one felt pretty big, like getting the up and running awhile back.

Very nice!


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Cool little wagon ben! You're making great progress on it.

Thanks guys.

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Great job, Ben. Getting paint on it must be quite a motivator.

Agne - it is a big motivator. I have only "driven" the wagon around 5-10 feet under the chevy engine's dying power. So it has been hard to have good motivation at times. Now I can picture two four year olds in the back seat and the wife up front cutting apple slices for the boys on the road to Yellowstone......

Great progress. Yellowstone in my wagon is on my list too. Hopefully I get there before I have grandkids.

Keep the pictures coming.

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BW - back in the 30's my Great Grandfather was a road Engineer in the park and some of the roads we use today are his work. There used to be photos of him on display in the Museum in the old Fort - I haven't checked since the renovation if he was still there. Ever since then it has been the normal summer vacation spot and I even worked there and met my Wife there. Its a pretty special place in our family. You will get there, even if you have Grandkids by then take em.

Short update - body mount bolts all out and none stripped. Ialso removed the steering box , shaft and wheel.

Tomorrow starts the frame swap......

Keep up the good fight Ben. It's nice to have the yellowstone trip to keep you going. I'm sure it will happen, as your making great progress.