'62 Townie: new addition

[jakenok]

Hi, my name is Jake and I live in Oklahoma City. I just purchased my first Town Wagon, a 1962 W100 model. Its been owned and loved by the same family for 40 years and took them on many adventures around the country. It's not stock: the slant six got swapped out for a '73 360 V8, and the rear axle is a Dana 60 from a F$%d. Front axle is a Dana 44,
both are 4.10s, with a locker in the rear. It has the Branden LU winch on front and a nice sturdy roof rack and rear bumper with swing out spare. It's set up with dual 26 gallon tanks, also. Rear sliding window were exchanged for a newer type, that slide and lock, and also have inner screens for camping. Body is pretty straight, not a lot of rust, and paint will most likely be the first step once I get it sorted out. Interior is also unique, has four aircraft bucket seats from an Aero Commander airplane. Interior needs work too. I have wanted a Town Wagon ever since I saw one on TV when I was a kid, just never found one or even saw one in person until recently.

[Gordon Maney]

It sounds like you made a great find. Welcome to the group!

[jakenok]

It sounds like you made a great find. Welcome to the group!

Thanks. going to upgrade soon, so I can post progress shots.

[JStinson]

Thanks. going to upgrade soon, so I can post progress shots.

Congrats on the new toy. We're all looking forward to some pictures.

[jakenok]

Utiline fender

Does anyone make wheel arch patch panels for Utiline fenders? I read that these are great for doing wheel arch repair on a Townie.

[Ron in Indiana]

No one makes any that I know of. I came up with that and use beat up fenders for patch panels. I've had to straighten them before I could use some but it all works out. The Utiline fenders are the same from 53-85. I have pictures of how I do the repair if you need them. The trick is the inner fender if it's rusted out. That's all hand fab work and a lot of welding. How are your front fenders? Any rust on the rear edge by the door? And do you have to customary door indentation on the body line due to over extension of the door? I make a patch panel for the rear edge and have directions for that too.

[jakenok]

No one makes any that I know of. I came up with that and use beat up fenders for patch panels. I've had to straighten them before I could use some but it all works out. The Utiline fenders are the same from 53-85. I have pictures of how I do the repair if you need them. The trick is the inner fender if it's rusted out. That's all hand fab work and a lot of welding. How are your front fenders? Any rust on the rear edge by the door? And do you have to customary door indentation on the body line due to over extension of the door? I make a patch panel for the rear edge and have directions for that too.

My fronts look pretty good. no door dents like that. pics of that repair on the rears would be cool.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/5053413...n/photostream/

[Ron in Indiana]

Here is one I did a few years back http://www.stearnes.com/tw.htm The pictures aren't in complete order but you'll get the idea. This one had bad inner fenders so I had to make a lip for the outer. I see Bondo Bob has been working on your TW. Can they get anymore lights on the front end? LOL

[jakenok]

Here is one I did a few years back http://www.stearnes.com/tw.htm The pictures aren't in complete order but you'll get the idea. This one had bad inner fenders so I had to make a lip for the outer. I see Bondo Bob has been working on your TW. Can they get anymore lights on the front end? LOL

actually, there are six more lights on the leading edge of the roof rack....think he did a lot of night time desert driving

:)

[jakenok]

those fenders turned out nicely. I need to start looking for some Utiline fenders.

[Gordon Maney]

Thanks. going to upgrade soon, so I can post progress shots.

Wonderful! There are other very important benefits as well.

[Ron in Indiana]

those fenders turned out nicely. I need to start looking for some Utiline fenders.

They shouldn't be to hard to find. Depending on how low yours are rotted the Ute fenders are ALMOST the same shape. Keyword here is ALMOST. The front of the TW fender has a less radius but a relief cut will make up for it. Not a big deal and once you have a set of fenders I can guide you through it. I've seen a few "rebuilt" TW fenders which is why I came up with this replacement. Cleco pins are your best friend on a job like this next to a panel flanger. A couple more points, they did NOT prime or paint below the side windows so once you remove the inner panels you will find a lot of surface rust. Also there is a gap between the floor and the body of about 3/4 inch that most Townie owners fill to keep out the dust and crud. I hope the previous owner had relays for all those lights. TW wiring harnesses are not the greatest.

[jakenok]

They shouldn't be to hard to find. Depending on how low yours are rotted the Ute fenders are ALMOST the same shape. Keyword here is ALMOST. The front of the TW fender has a less radius but a relief cut will make up for it. Not a big deal and once you have a set of fenders I can guide you through it. I've seen a few "rebuilt" TW fenders which is why I came up with this replacement. Cleco pins are your best friend on a job like this next to a panel flanger. A couple more points, they did NOT prime or paint below the side windows so once you remove the inner panels you will find a lot of surface rust. Also there is a gap between the floor and the body of about 3/4 inch that most Townie owners fill to keep out the dust and crud. I hope the previous owner had relays for all those lights. TW wiring harnesses are not the greatest.

yeah, I need to pull out the interior stuff and check out what I could not see from below and with a cursory inspection. Don't know about relays, but he did show me where he redid the wiring and includued a fuse panel on the d/s kick panel. The fenders are rusted very low, so it might be an "easy" fix. I'll be digging back in my tool chest from aircraft school for my Clecos, lol. PO had done a bit of rust proofing so hopefully when I pull the interior, i wont find too much bad stuff. It went through a total repaint and custom van type interior (thick carpet) redo in the 80s. I saw some pictures and the paint looked pretty nice. He replaced the leaky windows then too. It has slider windows, that lock and have screens on the inside for insect protection. He did wildlife phtography way in the boonies, so it got slept in a lot. Age and staying in the OK sun has taken it's toll. Top of the rig is like, oh, maybe 8'3" and did not fit under his carport. Has some nice upgrades like power steering and power brakes, he put in a '73 model 360 in the late 70s. Doesnt have a 201 transfer case, not certain yet, but I think it is a 205. Thinking of doing a period restification of it, trying for the looks of a Colorado rig from the 70s or 80s. Interior will change, but I might keep the airplane seats since they are so cool.

[Ron in Indiana]

I'd like to see a few close up shots of the sliders from the inside and outside he installed. At least he put in a fuse block since there never was one on these early trucks. I would think it's at least that tall. Mine is just over 7 ft tall so it too sits outside. Mine had some sort of roof rack at some point due to the 3/4 in holes in the corners. Bondo Bob just filled them with filler. I popped them out from below with a hammer which sent them flying. I'm sure once you start sanding the body you'll uncover some more sins. I call mine "Sandy" due to the hours on end of sanding it top to bottom. I also painted it Sand Dune White. Let the fun begin.

[jakenok]

I'd like to see a few close up shots of the sliders from the inside and outside he installed.

I get her home tomorrow and I will take some shots of them. They look pretty good, and I think I have the info of where he got them.