Reader Project: Thai Custom Willys Jeep

Suk Compa from Phuket, Thailand sent us in some images of his latest project. It looks wild, so we just had to ask him a few more questions.

What are we looking at?

A 1945 M38 Willys Jeep hot rod.

Why did you make this project?

I wanted to combine various genres and styles and bring them together, such as American cars, off-road style, hot rods. That and the fact that I have not seen anything like this in Thailand.

Where did you get the ideas?

I saw a Jeep hot rod project online made by Randy Ellis design jeep. That was my big inspiration.

Did you design everything yourself?

I referenced the Randy Ellis car a lot and adjusted it to suit a Toyota 1UZFE engine. I also had to modify many of the details in order for the car to be suitable for Thailand.

How long did it take to build this car?

I started the build in December 2014 and finish in May this year.

From where did you get the donor Jeep vehicle?

I used and original front grill from a Jeep M38 and make almost everything else myself; The body, chassis, shock absorbers, front end, back end, gas tank etc.

Why did you choose the Toyota engine?

Because they are easy to source in Thailand they are a much cheaper engine than American alternatives.

Which parts of the project were the most difficult to make?

For me I think the body, chassis, Shock Absorber, front end, back end, gas tank. But the most difficult thing was completing it in such a short timeframe!

JEEP HOT ROD

Built by Suk Compa. Phuket, Thailand.

Model : Year 1945 M38 HOT ROD STYLE.

Exterior

Front grill : JEEP M38

Body : Custom (all hand made)

Chassis : Custom (all hand made)

Engine : Toyota UZ V8 4,000cc.

Front end : Custom (all hand made but in the style of the original)

Back end : VX 80

Exhaust : 4-1 & 4-1

Tyres : 31" x 15” Maxxis mud tyres

Shock Absorber : Stud adjustable

Brakes : Disc brakes all round.

Interior

Seat : Custom (all hand made)

Steering wheel : Corvette

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