Categories: Auto News

The legendary army Willys was equipped with a rotary engine from the Mazda RX-7

The car, built by American enthusiast Seth Hensler, looks impressive and has outstanding off-road performance, reports The Drive.

The base was a frame from a 1949 Willys CJ-3A and a body from a 1945 Ford GPW. The heart of the car was the 13B naturally aspirated rotary engine (1991) with Racing Beat intake and FiTech electronic fuel injection. The power was not specially boosted – the emphasis was placed not on horsepower, but on traction. The gearbox is five-speed manual.

The Dana 25 front axle and Dana 44 rear axle are equipped with Lock-Right locks. Disc brakes are installed all around. At the same time, the SUV is shod with authentic Firestone NDT 7.50−16 tires.

The main secret is the incredibly light weight. A fully fueled car weighs only about 950 kg. This makes it extremely maneuverable off-road. The owner personally sewed a tent top for it.

Hensler admits that his project is often criticized by fans of the classics, recalling the “weak thrust” of the rotors. However, given the weight of the car and the crazy gear ratios, the rotary engine reveals itself in unexpected ways, and thanks to a well-thought-out exhaust system, the sound remains pleasant, but not deafening. According to him, on the highway this Jeep can accelerate to 130 km/h.

Earlier, the most popular crossovers that Russians are driving from China became known.

Willys
Seth Hensler Willys
Seth Hensler Willys
Seth Hensler Willys
Seth Hensler

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