GrandWillys Project

[Marc Bourget]

Some '80s Toyota COE Minivans had a cooler in the console between driver and passenger seats.

[Gojeep]

Originally Posted by drivejunk

I remembered that some minivans come with a refrigerated drawer under a seat. So I searched "drawer fridge" and found first a brand named Engel who makes custom or OE stuff... a lot for boat use... and a 3 cord extension kit is available for remote mounting of the compressor cooling unit. Must be on the same plane.

That is as far as I went down the rabbit hole but did glance at some instruction pdfs. Made me go hmmm.

https://engelcoolers.com/

Thats just one brand from a quick search. Happy hunting!

We have been running the same MT45 Engle for 20 years! They are a great fridge. Will be switching to the MT35 which is 4" shorter to put in the bed of the truck.

Originally Posted by Marc Bourget

Some '80s Toyota COE Minivans had a cooler in the console between driver and passenger seats.

Too small for what we need.

[Gojeep]

Something that came to light, that was not unexpected as happens to these stock as well, is bonnet flutter. Starts to appear at around 100kph/60mph and worse when hitting a headwind or a passing truck. So fitted some external bonnet latches.


I like them where they where they were installed in the factory position on CJ's from 1955 on and punched a dimple die access hole where I needed to get to one of the retaining nuts when I made the bonnet support.


I used polished stainless steel ones, RT-Offroad #RT34011, rather than factory chrome so don't have to worry about rust. I bought them from this seller. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/291388365480

[Pehr]

Looking great and will do the job.

[Gojeep]

Looking to make a storage chest to go against the head board of the truck bed. What to dress it up a bit embossing Willys into it in the scale of the Willys Knight sign I have.


I taped some clear plastic over the sign and then freehanded it to be more like the small Willys logo.


I took elements from both logos to get what I liked the look of. I prefer the flowing script of the Knight sign for instance over the other one.


Transferred from the plastic to the card underneath by just running over the script hard with a ball point pen and then going over the impression left in the card afterwards.


Cut the script out and drew around it to get my embossing pattern.


This is 304 stainless steel 0.7mm thick and still does not stretch well at all. I have done all I can reach with my bead roller and will turn the dies around to complete it.


Finished going around using the art dies in my bead roller.


I decided to stretch the embossing by hammering the letter face to get it to sit flat and correct the distortion.


My steel table is made from two old rusted barbeque plates and the surface imperfections transferred into the hammered area as expected. One day I will have to get a new top for the table.


Used a DA sander and a strip disc to help get rid of the tooling marks etc. Have to be really careful as is only 23 gauge so could easily make it too thin.


A bit of finer sanding on the embossing to bring it out.

[dwmh]

That looks superb Marcus.

[Gojeep]

Originally Posted by dwmh

That looks superb Marcus.

Thank you David.

[Gojeep]

I wanted a brush finish for the stainless as think it will be more practical. Tried different grades of sandpaper and Scotch-brite and ended up settling on the purple extreme scrub bought at the supermarket.


Then hit the script with good old Autosol.


I designed the box so I could access all the seams with my spot welded as the stainless is so thin. I had a oil can in the front face and thought I would try using a heat gun on the high spot for 15-20 seconds. Then cooled with a damp rag. Took the oil can right out!


Thought to make a lid for it in a similar design to the doors and back of the cab. The radius in the corners also match it.


Using step dies this time rather than art dies as keeps things flatter.


Using the heat gun to shrink where the metal gathered in the corners as it is so near the edge.


All finished! Handles are to carry it by and the small loops to hook a finger in to lift the lid. Have anchor fittings each end so it can be strapped down.


The box was passivated using phosphoric acid as I don't have any nitric acid. Read it also works to stop the welded and areas worked with steel tooling from rusting.


Sits nicely against the head board and tucks under its flange. Also against the fuel filler cover on one side and leaves enough room to attach the hold down straps at each end.


The width of the chest was made so the opening would match how far the tonneau comes forward.


Easily accessible and have rubber lined the bottom also to slow things sliding around. Great place to put the shopping as now wont slide all over the floor. Can even fit a couple of folding chairs.

[DarkLightning]

That's one heckuva nice box! Love that script, too.

[Pokie]

Don't ever forget to close the top of the box before closing the tonneau!