Bob Hunt Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Have a cousin restoring a 1949 6 cyl. Jeepster. Does it have a negative ground system? Did they come with a continental built engine? Any help with these two questions appreciated.bbhunt@tds.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Bob, I believe these cars came with either a Willy's Overland four or "Hurricane" six cylinder engine. If you have the flathead six it is a real find. Get more info here:http://www.jeepsterclub.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novaman Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 The Jeepster should be neg. ground.as for the 6 cyl, it was a Willys flat head 6 but as to any more details I can't help. I never got either 6 cyl engine I had back together before desposing of my '49 wagon. My dad had a '49 Jeepster w/ 4 cyl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldsDoug Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I suspect that '49 was too early for the 6 - probably a flathead four. Also almost certainly 6-volt _positive_ ground... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no more Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 They called it a continental 6 ..not made by willys..willys made a hurricane 4 banger..continental motors made the sixes..they used em in the pickups also..it was an industrial use engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hunt Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 Mark...My cousin owns the Jeepster and it has a 6 cyl. engine. He said it was a continental brand engine. Thanks for your help.Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimkf Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Willys used engines of their own design and not from Continental. I have the last early series 6 cylinder Jeepster built (49-51) and it has an f-head 6 in it. The f-heads differed from the flat, or L head, versions in that the intake valves were in the head and the exhaust ones were in the block.The 4 cylinder engine began it's life in the prewar Willys passenger cars. During WWII it was beefed up to handle rough use and became the Go-Devil engine. After the war, it stayed in production and powered many a CJ, pickup and station wagon.The 6 was designed by basically adding 2 cylinders to the 4 cylinder engine. It had more horsepower and torque but really wasn't that much better of an engine. Today, you can walk into most NAPA parts stores and buy just about everything you need for the 4 cylinder either off the shelf or have it in a day or so. You cannot do that with the 6 as it didn't stay in production that long. Parts for the 6 are extremely hard to come by.By the way, alot of folks don't know that Willys built 2 versions of the early 6...a 148 cubic inch and the more common 161 cubic inch version. It's the 161 that found it's way into the Kaiser Henry J and Darrin automobiles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I am sure the 53 Willy's PU I restored for my daughter was a "Hurricane 6". I just assumed that Willy's made it. I have seen lots of older jeeps with Buick V6 engines transplanted. These make good all around drivers... But....In my late teens I had a 47 Willy's wagon. It was a sleeper with a 389 Pontiac V8. One of my best memories of it was when I surprised a hot little Mustang one night on the freeway... He pulled up next to me at 60 mph and made a negative remark about my ride. He got the jump on me, but when the secondaries kicked in, I blew him away! Lots of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hunt Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 Jimkf Thanks for your imput. Valuable and intersting information. I envy many of you as to the knowledge you have mastered....and willingness to share. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novaman Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 The Willys dealership parts books my dad had, called for either the flat head 4 or flathead 6 in '49. Unfortunely my dad got the bright of selling the books on me or I'd copy the info for you. '50 they went to the F head 4 on the Jeepster (not sure about the 6 in '50 as we didn't have a '50 Jeepster so I didn't pay attention to the book). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lichtfel Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I have a 1948 Willy's Jeepster that has a 6 cylinder Hurican engine. Everything that I have read about Jeepsters claims that the six was not used until 1949 and yet my '48 is all original with matching numbers and is titled a '48.I have had the car 25 years and bought it from the original owner so I would not think that the title was changed and the owner never changed the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novaman Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Check you plates and see if it has a really low production numer. I've seen where some states titled when it was bought so it could be a very early '49. I've also see where a '62 Chevy II was titled as a '63 when it was purchased in '63.(I'm not doubting you, but it may explain the very rare occurance of a 6 in a '48)The thing is most of the Jeepster had the four cyl. Just like in 62 & 63 Chevy IIs most had a 6 (although there was 4cyl available) the dealers and manufactuers will order/make what they think they can sell the easiest, and those are the engine sizes that most people will remember being in a certain car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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