Note: Discussion for this Buildathon will take place on the Toledo Buildathon List.  If you wish to participate please sign up on that list and then contact me, so that I can find out more about you and add you to this web page.

WillysTech Buildathon

Toledo Ohio

13 - 19 July 2001

Now canceled due to lack of interest.

Links

Ric's Place

Buildathon Checklist

Steve's CJ-2A

Steve's Completed Checklist This is just the starting point.

Body

Transmission

Engine

Frame

Steering

Brakes

Gauges

Electrical

Paint

I figured that if I could take one apart and put it back together again that quick, then 20 guys should be able to completely rebuild one in that amount of time.  I suggested this idea to the WillysTech list and before I knew it we had 20 guys lined up to do the rebuild.

That was all well and good but where would we meet to complete such a project.   Many people chimed in with offers and suggestions but in the end Ric Meagley's place was chosen as the site. Mostly it was chosen because it offered everything we needed but it sure didn't hurt that it was located in Toledo Ohio, home of the Willys Jeeps. Here are the specs on Ric's place.

After we found a place to host the event we needed to decide when would be the best time to have the Buildathon.  We chose 13-19 July 2001 because those dates didn't conflict with any previously scheduled Willys events nor with Ric's schedule. In addition the weather in Toledo should be better in July than most any other month.  That might not turn out to be the case but that's a chance we will have to take.

Now that we had a place for the resurrection we needed a vehicle to resurrect.  My mail box was plugged with offers from potential beneficiaries so we needed a method of deciding who would be the lucky recipient of this wonderful gift.   I developed the Buildthon Checklist and posted it to the list for people to complete and submit.  I carefully examined each one returned it to the owner with more questions and an estimate of what I felt the project would cost.  In most cases the owner elected not to respond back or responded back with carefully worded withdraw from consideration. 

When it was all said and done I had two prime candidates that were in the Toledo area, had a good potential vehicle, and had the money to spend.  One was Steve Aspery with a CJ-2A    and the other was Ed Steinke with his M-38A1.

  Ed's M-38A1 was in better original condition than Steve's CJ-2A and I really would have loved to get my hands on it, but I eventually had to put my vote on the CJ-2A.  It may not seem fair but I really felt that the first vehicle to participate in a Buildathon should be a flat fender. Beside, look at the photos, this Willys is in desperate need of a rescue. If this Buildathon works out well, then maybe we can do an M-38A1 the following year.  Info on Steve's CJ.

The plan is to restore this little CJ to as close to original as is possible in the limited time with a somewhat limited budget.  It will take some work but I think we can pull this off and have the little burgandy bandit back to its former glory.  Remember, we are not trying to build a mutant rock crawler, we are trying to restore it.

Each person participating in the Buildathon will be required to sign a liability release so that Ric is a little less liable in the even of an injury. Let's face it, we will be dealing with a lot of tools that can hurt you, so safety it a top priority.

For many folks this will be a touchy subject but I'm afraid it must be addressed.  There can be no alcohol consumption while working on the project. When your shift is done you may have as much as you want or need, provided you do not become intoxicated. If you have a problem with this please contact me and we will talk about it. In addition, at not time will any illegal substances be permitted on the property.  I don't think that's a problem for most of us but I figured I better make sure everyone understood that up front.

We currently have have two project leaders, myself (Rick Stivers) and Steve Aspery.   (Before anybody jumps the gun, Steve was not involved in choosing the vehicle for the Buildathon.  His was chosen because it fit the criterion I talked about above.   If Ed's Jeep had been a flat fender, Steve's wouldn't have been selected.)    I will be the long distance coordinator helping to keep this thing on track.   It looks like I may not be able to attend the Buildathon, so rather than take a chance on messing things up, I asked Steve to be the on-site coordinator. His job   will be to carefully orchestrate the disassembly and reassembly of the CJ on-site.  

Now we need to find out who it is that Steve will be orchestrating.  Each major part of the vehicle will require a team to rebuild it.  We will need to select a team lead for each of those parts.  If you feel you have the technical expertise and are interested in any of the team lead jobs below, please contact me.

Now let's say you don't want to commit to being a team lead but you would be very happy with being just a worker bee.  Well fear not my friends, we need as many of you guys as we can get too.  Please let us know who you are, what you are good at and what days you can attend and we will add you to the list.

Oh I see the problem.  You want to come but you can't leave Momma and the kids at home while you go off vacationing in somebody's garage.  Fear not, if that's the problem I'm sure we can dig up some interesting things for Momma and Junior to do while you are busy.  If we have an interest or an need I'm sure we can find a way to satisfy it, just let us know.

If we want publicity for the project we will need a publicity coordinator to handle that. I'm certainly not qualified to handle that job. Along those lines, Rob Pearson is a professional video photographer and may be filming a documentary of the Buildathon.