Hello all, thought I'd try this, see how it goes - may be a bit premature as its not actually here yet - but anyway,
A bit of the story for a start, sorry if its a bit wordy.
I've been reading here for years, some threads struck a chord with me, particularly the more commercial stuff, and of course the various pickups, those, along with the thought I wanted something that was unusual (I've always liked the unusual) and which would be an experience to drive led me to browse ebay, looking at various US trucks but nothing was quite what I wanted.
A little ad popped up one day, at the side of the main listing, it was a Willys pickup, imported from the USA, looked rough but shape wise - right.
That was what I wanted.
Some (well months ) of google investigating just made me more convinced,
so many levers
My frustration was that I've got a bit of a long term project on the go, a K series Mini, so I decided (more because of space then anything) I would finish that, sell it and buy myself a new willy
.
then, a strange set of circumstances,
I bought a house to refurbish, I get to know the neighbours, one of them is South African, we chat and he tells me he has a Willys jeep that hes going to bring over, I say I'm looking for a pickup .. . . . . .
The next day he comes to see me, with a picture on his phone of a willys pickup, not just that, a Willys pickup thats running driving and looks good, and not just that, its also about the same price as a rusty knackered one from the USA, oh bumhats.
A bit of man maths justification later and I came to the conclusion if it was running and driving it wouldn't be in the way, or something like that !!
He gets his uncle to have a look at it, check it over and take a load of pictures. I had looked at others too, but every other one was sitting on a different chassis, I wanted as close to standard as possible to make import duty more palatable and registering easier, this one (as far as I can tell from the pictures) is the original chassis, axles and suspension. (I'm not mentioning the engine - that'll have to wait till its here)
The rest, as they say, is history.
I sent a load of money to a guy in South Africa based on some pictures and a conversation someone else had (there was a chance if the guy knew I was from the UK and was buying it to export the price would have risen).
Some of the pictures:
There are some issues, more on that when it arrives.
I've learnt a lot about the (ahem) intricacies of the South African system, I certainly wouldnt be happy without someone there to keep a check on things.
Current status: its been delivered it to my friends mums house in Pretoria (she's had 4 offers to buy it so far), now it has to get police clearance to be allowed to be exported, then bung it on a boat and sit drumming my fingers.
A bit of the story for a start, sorry if its a bit wordy.
I've been reading here for years, some threads struck a chord with me, particularly the more commercial stuff, and of course the various pickups, those, along with the thought I wanted something that was unusual (I've always liked the unusual) and which would be an experience to drive led me to browse ebay, looking at various US trucks but nothing was quite what I wanted.
A little ad popped up one day, at the side of the main listing, it was a Willys pickup, imported from the USA, looked rough but shape wise - right.
That was what I wanted.
Some (well months ) of google investigating just made me more convinced,
so many levers
My frustration was that I've got a bit of a long term project on the go, a K series Mini, so I decided (more because of space then anything) I would finish that, sell it and buy myself a new willy
.then, a strange set of circumstances,
I bought a house to refurbish, I get to know the neighbours, one of them is South African, we chat and he tells me he has a Willys jeep that hes going to bring over, I say I'm looking for a pickup .. . . . . .
The next day he comes to see me, with a picture on his phone of a willys pickup, not just that, a Willys pickup thats running driving and looks good, and not just that, its also about the same price as a rusty knackered one from the USA, oh bumhats.
A bit of man maths justification later and I came to the conclusion if it was running and driving it wouldn't be in the way, or something like that !!
He gets his uncle to have a look at it, check it over and take a load of pictures. I had looked at others too, but every other one was sitting on a different chassis, I wanted as close to standard as possible to make import duty more palatable and registering easier, this one (as far as I can tell from the pictures) is the original chassis, axles and suspension. (I'm not mentioning the engine - that'll have to wait till its here)
The rest, as they say, is history.
I sent a load of money to a guy in South Africa based on some pictures and a conversation someone else had (there was a chance if the guy knew I was from the UK and was buying it to export the price would have risen).
Some of the pictures:
There are some issues, more on that when it arrives.
I've learnt a lot about the (ahem) intricacies of the South African system, I certainly wouldnt be happy without someone there to keep a check on things.
Current status: its been delivered it to my friends mums house in Pretoria (she's had 4 offers to buy it so far), now it has to get police clearance to be allowed to be exported, then bung it on a boat and sit drumming my fingers.
