Throwback Thursday: 1958 Willys Jeep Wagon Takes on Rugged Trails of Arizona Outback
Rustic 1958 Willys Jeep wagon was a basket case when bought but has been restored to become a reliable trail rig and family hauler.
This 1958 Willys Jeep wagon was bought on a whim while its current owner Tom Wilmer was browsing Craigslist one day. It was in rough shape, but Wilmer knew he wanted to rescue it. The Willys Jeep Wagon has always been near and dear to Wilmer.
He grew up in a hunting and fishing family in Arizona and his grandfather always drove a Willys Jeep. The family history combined with Wilmer’s love of going off-road and enjoying nature buying this Jeep was a no brainer.
This week’s “Throwback Thursday” is all about this 1958 Willys Jeep wagon. This Jeep was featured on the Hagerty YouTube channel as part of their Why I Drive series. The video is a few years old now, but it is still worth sharing. This is not the oldest Jeep, or the fastest, or the most modified. So why would we feature it here? As Wilmer says, “Because it’s just cool.” There is no other reason needed.
Beware of Craigslist
There are some great finds out there on Craigslist, but it can also be a danger to your budget. It is just too tempting to jump on a Jeep you see for sale and fall in love with. In the case of this 1958 Willys Jeep wagon, Wilmer was sipping coffee in his man cave and boom there was the ad.
It may have been a whim purchase, but this is the fourth Willys wagon for Wilmer, so he knew what he was getting himself into.
Not a Garage Queen
The name of this video series is Why I Drive not Why I Store in a Garage. Wilmer drives his Willys wagon. He loves to get it out on the rocky trails. It gives him a sense of freedom. He has driven his wagon in the Copperstate Overland off-road adventure drive three times.
He even used his Jeep as a scout vehicle for that event and found some great hidden trails. His two daughters also have driven the Jeep. It is used as a Jeep was meant to be used.
Condition
It is not a show Jeep, but it is not a rust bucket either. Wilmer doesn’t care so much about the outward appearance. But he does make sure his Jeep has quality components where it counts. It has front and rear lockers, a roll cage, a solid engine, and drivetrain. It is not flashy, but it has it where it counts.
Wilmer is an old school guy and he wanted to keep the Jeep old school. He did a reverse LS swap. A nice modern LS engine was under the hood, but he took it out and replaced it with an older V8. He likes things old and simple, and he did most of the work himself in the shop in his home.
Why I Drive
The video below will not blow you away with crazy drifts or burnouts or jumps. But Wilmer and his 1958 Willys Jeep wagon will remind you of why we all love Jeeps. It is because they are just cool.
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