{"id":545132,"date":"2025-11-02T23:51:05","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T23:51:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/545132\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T23:51:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T23:51:05","slug":"i-just-bought-a-brand-new-wwii-jeep-engine-from-france-and-its-glorious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/545132\/","title":{"rendered":"I Just Bought A Brand New WWII Jeep Engine From France And It’s Glorious"},"content":{"rendered":"

A car enthusiast\u2019s dream is for the world to reproduce their favorite automobiles. That way, instead of having to rely on a depleting stock of ancient, worn-out parts, you\u2019ve got a never-ending supply of new (and often improved!) components. There is really only a handful of cars on earth that, decades after official production, are still being made, and the World War II Jeep is one of them. While the bodies and frames are manufactured in the Philippines \u2014 a country that turned leftover WWII allied Jeeps into a significant part of their cultural identity by creating \u201cJeepneys<\/a>\u201d \u2014 the brand new engines are actually built in France (also a country with a rich WWII Jeep heritage). Here, have a look at my shiny new motor.<\/p>\n

When I first started down the road of trying to build a World War II Jeep from scratch using parts from eBay<\/a>, I wasn\u2019t really aware of just how many reproduction components were available. While it\u2019s well known that Willys bodies can be purchased brand new (the bodies rust out frequently, so folks have been buying new tubs for many decades), I wasn\u2019t sure exactly what the frame and engine situation was. I\u2019d seen reproduction frame sections, and I\u2019d heard rumors of a reproduction Willys L-head \u201cGo-Devil\u201d engine, but I wasn\u2019t sure they were still out there.<\/p>\n

\"Vidframe<\/p>\n

\"Vidframe<\/p>\n

Well, it turns out they are. I already showed you my new frame <\/a>from the same Philippines factory that made my new body<\/a>; now let\u2019s have a look at my shiny new motor.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The engine and all of its components arrived in a bunch of boxes fastened to a pallet.<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

Not keen on trying to lift the 500 pound unit, Video Manager Griffin and I unstrapped each individual box and, one by one, threw them in the bed of my new Jeep Comanche work-truck<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"352b4120<\/p>\n

Upon arrival at my house, we spent an hour searching for all the keys to the cars in my driveway, and then moving those cars; only then could we back my Jeep Comanche up to my workplace so we could take out the boxes and see what was inside. And, well, it was glorious. Look at this incredible new engine block \u2014 which came in a wood crate just like you\u2019d expect from a \u201ccrate motor\u201d \u2014 flown all the way from France:<\/p>\n

\"79220097<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a close look at the deck:<\/p>\n

\"Willys<\/p>\n

\"Deck<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s one of the cylinders:<\/p>\n

\"Willys<\/p>\n

Though the engine has been lubricated to keep off rust, one of the cylinders has a bit of surface oxidation, so I need to take care of that ASAP with some Crocus Cloth:<\/p>\n

\"Willys<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the water pump mounting point:<\/p>\n

\"Willys<\/p>\n

And here are a few looks at some cooling jackets:<\/p>\n

\"Cooling \"Cooling<\/p>\n

The engine came with new pistons and rings:<\/p>\n

\"Willy \"Willys<\/p>\n

In addition, I bought a new cylinder head:<\/p>\n

\"66fda4a7 \"French<\/p>\n

I bought a new intake manifold:<\/p>\n

\"Intake
I bought a new exhaust manifold:<\/p>\n

\"Exhaust<\/p>\n

I snagged a new crankshaft:<\/p>\n

\"Crankshaft<\/p>\n

Here I am holding that crankshaft over my head for the photo at the top of the article:<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

And I purchased a new camshaft:<\/p>\n

\"Camshaft<\/strong><\/p>\n

I also got a bunch of other smaller parts like timing sprockets and gaskets and bearings (plus I accidentally got an extra set of pistons and valve guides, since they came with Kaiser Willys\u2019 kit):<\/p>\n

\"Willys<\/p>\n

All of the main engine parts \u2014 the block, the pistons, the head, the crankshaft, the manifolds (not the camshaft) \u2014 come from the same company in France.<\/p>\n

It Comes From A French Company Made Up Of Jeep Enthusiasts
\n\"ScreenshotScreenshot: Willys Owner Product<\/a><\/p>\n

The brand new engine block is based on the original 1940-ish drawings from Willys-Overland. A French company called \u201cWillys Owner Product<\/a>,\u201d made up of Jeep enthusiasts, actually manufactures loads of brand new Willys Jeep parts. The company\u2019s website (shown above) is a bit bare, having only a \u201ccontact us\u201d section and also this little statement about the company:<\/p>\n

\n

Willys Owner Product (WOP) manufactures quality parts true to World War II originals.
We manufacture, wholesale and retail and are expanding our range over time.
We are committed to reproducing parts that comply with their technical and aesthetic characteristics.
The WOP brand is new, created by enthusiasts based in the South of France,
and is sold by several distributors in France and Europe.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"ScreenshotImage: Jeep Sud Est<\/a><\/p>\n

But a big Jeep supplier called Jeep Sud Est (translates to Jeep South East, presumably because it\u2019s based near Avignon in southeastern France \u2014 see above) gives us a few details about the block on its website<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

New WILLYS MB US WW2 version molds made using original plans and three years of studies and tests (2019-2022).<\/p>\n

Willys Go-Devil engine block for Jeep Willys, Ford, Hotchkiss.

<\/strong><\/p>\n