Sometimes the creativity of certain people is astounding. Have a walk around look at this 1953 Jeep Willys Overland 8×8 that went up for sale several years ago. Custom fabricated by renouned fabricator Dick Cook out of California who worked with “Big Daddy Ross” back in the 1970’s, this Jeep was built from a total of three Willys Jeeps, 2 Overland Wagons and one Willys Jeep.
It is equipped with 4 axles, eight wheel steering, eight driving wheels with the two rear axles lockable. This Willys is powered by a rebuilt 300 horse Chevrolet 327 Corvette engine, the classic 5.4 liter small-block V8. The power plant will have no trouble overcoming the drive train friction aerodynamic challenges not to mention any terrain that this one of a kind Jeep is thrown into.
Sold through Pammi Motors in Denver, Colorado. it was posted and sold over eBay Motors with the winning bid of $11,100 scoring this one of a kind build. The where-abouts of this Willys today is unknown.
That is really cool. Looks almost like it could have been a real military vehicle.
That’s a crazy build. Really cool.
super cool!! but, are you certain it’s actually eight-wheel-drive? Based on the picture showing the front suspension, there doesn’t appear to be any axle delivering power to those wheels…
the steering arm is visible along with the large coil spring – and it’s seems like there is no room for, or evidence of, a driving axle shaft there…
I’m the grandson of the builder. I can vouch that it is (or was before he sold it) 8 wheel drive! hahah I’m not very knowledgeable about mechanics, and I’m not sure if the axles were m151 or willies. I know he did build 2 6-wheel drive ones before this one using m151 front axles. If I recall correctly the drive to the back 4 wheels could be switched on/off. I’ll ask him next time I see him and post again.
Note: the above description of this jeep I believe is wrong. In that the axels are from the M151 Truck, Utility, 1/4-Ton, 4×4.
The builder has used 4 front axles to give the vehicle 8 wheel steering.
They were developed and built by Ford, also built by Kaiser and AM General.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M151_Truck,_Utility,_1/4-Ton,_4%C3%974