Throwback Thursday: Survivor 1960 Willys Pickup Spotted at SEMA 2022
SEMA is known for cutting edge new products and amazing restomod builds, making this original 1960 Willys Pickup standout even more.
When you head out to SEMA you expect to be overwhelmed with custom builds and innovative new products. At every turn there is something that you likely never saw before. However, sometimes that thing you never saw before is not a custom build. Sometimes it is an incredibly original vehicle that has stood the test of time. And that is exactly what we have here with this survivor 1960 Willys pickup that was spotted at SEMA 2022. Outside of the replacement of the wooden stakes on the pickup bed most of this lovely pickup is as it rolled off the line in 1960. That includes the original inline 6-cylinder engine.
This week’s “Throwback Thursday” is all about this 1960 Willys pickup. It was used as a ranch truck for most of its life. It still has the original painted lettering on the doors showing that it worked on the Glen Oaks Ranch. The rest of the paint also seems to be original and has a fabulous patina. This original gem of a pickup was spotted by the folks at the Gone-Gpn YouTube channel, and they did a walk around video of it to show us what makes this rig so special.
Willys America
This 1960 Willys pickup may not have had a full restoration done, however, it still requires some love to keep it going. And that labor of love was done by the folks at Willys America located in Sonoma County, California. This place is well-known for having a staff extremely knowledgeable in all things Willys. That helps to explain why this particular pickup looks so perfect. A nice display touch for the SEMA show is the bed filled with fruit and vegetables. This is likely how the pickup looked on most days while it was working on the ranch.
Mechanical Bits
The original engine is still in place which is not often the case on these older Willys. But also in place is a Dana 53 rear axle. The wheels have pinstriping just like they would have had as new back in the day. Although there are aftermarket Warn hubs fitted. But that is OK as just about everything else is kept stock. Even the large dent in the front fender has been retained. That dent helps tell the story of this Willys pickup.
Time Capsule
This 1960 Willys pickup is more of a time capsule than a showpiece. This is not a vehicle that was built to win awards at SEMA. And it doesn’t need to be. This Willys has an even higher purpose. As they say, a vehicle is only original once. Sure, at any point you can rebuild or restomod a Willys pickup. But you can never make it original again. And that is why this little pickup is so special in a show that is dominated by six and seven figure vehicles. This little work truck has been kept original and takes you back over 60 years and offers a glimpse of what ranch life was like back then.
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