[Ham-Computers] Wanting to borrow...

[KD7JYK DM09]

: I wondered which Willy's....
: Years ago, when gas was about 25 to 32 cents a gallon, I noticed a
: '41 Willy's for sale at a local muffler shop.  The price seemed
: pretty high for a '41 Willy's, and I asked about it.  The mechanic
: said it had a Buick engine (straight 8, those days).

1964 Willy's Overland Gladiator, first of the newer larger design, J series, 
I forget if it was a J300 or J400, Dad removed the emblems in the late 
1960's during a re-paint, never got around to putting them back on.  It had 
a 60 gallon tank from a bulldozer in the rear, two more 30 gallon tanks 
inside the frame on each side.

Originally had a straight 6 in it, went through about twelve engines, eight 
transmissions, several axles and spring packs over the years.  Eventually 
settled on a '79 Chevy V8, Turbo 400 trans with splitter for six forward 
gears and two reverse plus high and low ranges and late-70's GM axles. 
Added headers and 3" straight pipes and it could be heard several miles 
away.  Curb weight was around 5200#, mostly empty, I never could afford to 
fill the tanks, even then.

I was scrounging my audio files and found the one and only recording of it. 
This was shortly after a new trans.  I was on my way to school and had a 
tape recorder with me and thought I'd get a recording of this obscenely loud 
truck.  I tried a few recordings with the windows down, too much wind noise. 
The final recording was done with the windows closed.  When you hear how 
vicious it was in the cab with all the extra jute padding and heavy glass, 
you can imagine how insane it was on the outside.

The recording covers about 12 seconds of a slow start in first gear and, 
unfortunately, only two seconds of second after a bouncy shift, hard to say 
if it was the drive-line or tires that couldn't handle the torque.  Second 
gear was good for 85.

The recording was made on Los Robles Ave, in Pasadena, California, just 
North of Mission Street and just below the turns at Marengo Ave. around 1991 
or 1992.

This was refered to in the area at the time as "The Truck From Hell".

The recording and a pic are available upon request.

Kurt