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1952 Willys Jeep Truck Was Left To Rot Under a Tarp, Takes First Drive in 31 Years

Classic Jeeps are quite hot in 2022, but it's usually the CJ and the Wagoneer that get all the attention. Not that other nameplates have been forgotten, but the Station Wagon and the Jeep Truck that Willys introduced in the 1940s don't get as much love as they should.
1952 Willys Jeep Truck 6 photos
Photo: Budget Buildz/YouTube
1952 Willys Jeep Truck1952 Willys Jeep Truck1952 Willys Jeep Truck1952 Willys Jeep Truck1952 Willys Jeep Truck
Both these vehicles were actually based on one of the earliest civilian Jeeps, the CJ-2A. Developed during the Willys-Overland era, the broke cover in 1946, only two years after the first CJ debuted. In fact, the Jeep Truck was the first pickup from the company that's now famous for the Wrangler.

The truck soldiered on with minor changes until 1965 when it was replaced by the first Gladiator, which was based on the Wagoneer. It debuted with the iconic Go-Devil four-cylinder, which was replaced by the Hurricane four-banger in 1950. Four years later and Willys began offering the Super Hurricane inline-six. During its final years on the market, the pickup also gained the Tornado straight-six.

Come 2022, and many of these trucks are rotting away in junkyards. Parked in 1991, this 1952 Willys spent no fewer than three decades under a tarp, basically doomed to become a pile of scrap metal. But fortunately enough, it got a second chance at life thanks to YouTube's "Budget Buildz," who not only dragged it out of its grave but got it going again.

It wasn't easy though. The old engine wasn't even turning, so he had to open it up and almost operate a rebuild. It took a lot of time too, but the ole' Hurricane came back to life with enough grunt to take the Jeep Truck for a spin. One that also included a bit of time in rough terrain.

It's fantastic what these old trucks are capable of some 70 years since they left the assembly line. Hopefully, this one will get a refresh. But until that happens, check out its story in the videos below. For driving footage go to the 22-minute mark of the second vid.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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