Throwback Thursday: 1950 Willys Jeep Truck On 1999 Chevy Silverado Chassis
Looking to upgrade your 1950 Willys Jeep truck? Turns out a 1999 Chevy Silverado Chassis is almost a perfect fit.
A 1950 Willys Jeep truck is a fantastic thing. They look great, they are practical and reasonably capable. But they are over 70 years old at this point. Things have come a long way in that time. The chassis under a 1950 Willys, especially after sitting in a field for a few decades is not exactly the most robust thing in the world. Yes, you can patch it up and restore it. But even in tip-top condition the old Willys is not the toughest thing on the road. But there is another solution. A 1999 Chevy Silverado chassis is a damn near perfect fit under a 1950 Willys Jeep truck.
This week’s “Throwback Thursday” is all about this 1950 Willys Jeep truck sitting on a 1999 Chevy Silverado chassis. The Jeep was sitting in a field in Texas for 30 years. That is not going to be good for any vehicle. So, the owner decided to save the top of the Jeep and replace everything underneath with the Chevy chassis. Now a chassis swap is not something that you can knock out in a single day. But as far as these swaps go, it was surprisingly simple. The Chevy was a near perfect fit for the Jeep. And it just looks so right now that it has the more robust frame underneath it. A video posted on the Mike’s Jeeps YouTube channel shows us all the details.
Purists Look Away
We understand that for some people the Jeep you see here is sacrilege. A Jeep should be restored exactly as how it came from the factory. Or, if you are going to change things at least keep it in the same family of parts. But going to a Chevy chassis and Chevy engine is a crime against nature. Sure, we understand that viewpoint. But in reality, the Jeep as it sits now is far superior to how it originally rolled out of the factory. And why not make the best Jeep you can?
Upgrades
The chassis is obvious, but it also has the 4.8L V8. Making 255 horsepower the V8 has more than three times the power of the original engine. Besides the power the Jeep also has several other nice upgrades that didn’t break the bank as they were grabbed off eBay.
The steel front bumper, and the LED lights were all eBay finds. They were not expensive but are a nice improvement to the Jeep in terms of look and function. Wheels are 16-inch 6-bolts the same size as would be on a 1999 Silverado.
Hop Inside
The interior of the Jeep is not complete yet, but you of course get the sense that you are sitting inside a 1999 Chevy Silverado. Because essentially you are. Sure, it may seem a bit odd to open the door of a Willys Jeep truck and see a steering wheel with a Chevy badge, but it is functional.
Good Option
A project like this might not be for everyone for the reasons we discussed above. But for those that love the style of the old Willys Jeep truck but want something a little more robust underneath this could be a good option. And as we can see in the video below the fit is just about perfect and it doesn’t require much fettling to make it all work.