Pat Soffe’s 1956 Willys: A Custom Rock Crawling Legend

Pat Soffe’s Rock Crawling 1956 Willys is a Blast from the Past

Building something that screams “different” and “unique” was on the forefront of Pat Soffe’s mind when he conceived of this rig. His 2001 Jeep XJ had seen better days, and the decision of building a newer Jeep—and expensive proposal—became out of the question. Pat says: “The first deterrent of building a new JL was the price of a new JL. Purchasing a brand-new stock-condition vehicle that would need so much additional money invested to match the capabilities of our old Jeep was just too cost prohibitive.” Instead, he thought out of the box and the antique Willys project was born.

Hailing from St. George, Utah, Soffe is no stranger to the offroad scene. “As a kid, I learned how to drive at the age of 14 in sand rails in the desert of Southern California. Once I had a license, I was into road cars but always had a love for the offroad.” He spent most of his recreational time behind the wheel of a variety of vehicles. He explains, “I’ve raced and ridden dirt bikes, I have experienced the thrill of off-road racing trucks in the desert, as well as short-course racing, and have owned several Jeeps throughout the years.”

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

Pat Soffe built this 1956 Jeep Willys within 18 months in his three-car garage.

Willys Inspo

Inspiration comes in many forms and from many places, but Soffe’s impetus for building such a wonderful beast was spurred on by his interest in the Ultimate Adventure, a six-day event of hardcore wheeling sponsored by Four Wheeler magazine. The pub doesn’t just accept anyone or any Jeep but only those that are unique. Step 1: build something unique.

Inspiration comes in many forms and from many places, but Soffe’s impetus for building such a wonderful beast was spurred on by his interest in the Ultimate Adventure…

The “but what?” question that leads to Step 2 came from another magazine. Soffe picks it up from here: “I was going through hours of [Ultimate Adventure] coverage to get some bit of inspiration, and then there it was. I was instantly hooked.” The vehicle he saw was a vintage 1949 Willys truck that belonged to JP magazine’s now-former tech editor Verne Simons. “I soon found myself literally taking screenshots of as many photos as possible of Verne’s truck.” After a chance meeting with Simons at the Lucas Oils Off Road Expo in Pomona, California, Soffe knew he needed to build the 1956 Jeep Willys truck you see here.

The custom 3-link suspention up front helps the Willys maneuver through challenging terrain.

The Build Begins

Since Soffe is no stranger to a wrench, having completed several prior builds, work began immediately and by himself. It took about 18 months to complete, and all of the work was done in your standard three-car garage in the middle of suburbia. What parts he couldn’t source from a shop (sometimes because they didn’t exist), he custom build them to his specific specifications.

Since Soffe is no stranger to a wrench, having completed several prior builds, work began immediately and by himself. It took about 18 months to complete, and all of the work was done in your standard three-car garage in the middle of suburbia.

The first step was finding a suitable platform on which to mount the antique Willys cab. Soffe sourced a 1997 Jeep TJ Wrangler frame and lengthened it to obtain a 118-inch wheelbase. The rest of the build consists of mechanic’s magic mixed with madcap Frankenstein-esque mashing of disparate parts to result in a truly unique vehicle that gets noticed no matter where he drives it.

…the build consists of mechanic’s magic mixed with madcap Frankenstein-esque mashing of disparate parts to result in a truly unique vehicle that gets noticed no matter where he drives it.

Up top, Rigid Industries Trucklite 7-inch rounds light the way.

TR HD17 Beadlock wheels wrapped in Milestar Patagonia black labels ensure the Jeep gets ample grip.

Engine and Tranny

The F4-134 Hurricane engines found in an original 1956 Willys truck wheezed out an anemic 72 ponies, which just wouldn’t do for Soffe. Instead, a 2001 Gen III 5.3L GM V-8 shoehorns between the Willys’ antique body and the TJ frame. He mated that setup to it was a reverse-manual valve body TH400 tranny from TCI Automotive. An Offroad Design NP203/205 Doubler T-case system backs the whole thing up. All shifting runs through a triple stick setup, one of Soffe’s favorite elements of the build.

The patina paintjob gives the Jeep Willys truck an antique feel, but everythng else is modern and capable.

Axles, Suspension, and Steering

To keep the rock crawling bumps to a minimum and to allow for the most travel possible under the Willys body, the front suspension is a Skyjacker 2.5-inch, dual-rate coils, and its ADX reservoir shock system, while the rears are a custom four-link. Skyjacker’s BlackMax shocks absorb the bumps.

Underneath, a pair of GM one-ton axles in the form of a Dana 60 front and GM 14-bolt rear provide a reliable means of keeping the truck rolling. The axles were built with 5.13 gears and a Yukon Grizzly “Detroit” locker in the front and a spool in the back.

Soffe sourced the steering box, of all places, from a Chevy Chevelle, as the Saginaw gets some assist from a Redneck Rams hydraulic system.

Tires and Wheels

When rock crawling, the most important rule is to keep the shiny side—well, in this case the arrested rusty side — up. Milestar Patagonia Black Label tires, sized in 40×13.5x17s on all corners, help with that. A quad of TR Beadlock HD17x9 wheels roll with 4-inch backspacing, and the spare in the bed matches.

When rock crawling, the most important rule is to keep the shiny side—well, in this case the arrested rusty side — up.

The truck sits on a 1997 Jeep TJ Wrangler frame that was lengthened to get the 118-inch wheelbase.

Body and Armor

We can sum up the armor protection on Soffe’s antique Willys with just one word: none. The scrapes, dings, and dents from life scrambling on the trails are just as God intended. However, the body underwent some changes to allow for the best performance. A bob of 20 inches to the bed gives the Willys a near-zero departure angle and helps maintain the proportions of its 118-inch wheelbase. Soffe also sectioned and massaged rear fenders to match the fronts.

The grille and hood are original to the truck, but the headlights are now Rigid Industry’s Trucklites in the 7-inch size. Out back, Soffe wired NOS HumVee taillights to LED and mounted on the bed. On the windshield, 6-inch spotlights from Rigid’s 360 series light the way, while the front grill rocks 4-inch floods. In between sits a Warn 8274 winch with a synthetic line. A 25-gallon custom-built gas tank takes up real estate in the open bed.

The bed was bobbed 20 inches to give a near zero departure angle and mantian the proportions of a 188-inch wheelbase.

Interior

Soffe kept cab spartan with a few upgrades for communication and navigation. A Magellan TRX7 and the OnX Offroad nav app keep him connected, and an Autometer analog speedometer clocks the miles. Rugged Radios’ RM 60 race radio handles communication. Driver and passenger comfort comes in a pair of Corbeau Baja XP suspension seats.

One thing Soffe wishes he had included was air conditioning. “It’s very hot in that cab in the summertime.”

Two transfer cases, an NP205 and the range box from an NP203 give it a doubler, while all shifting routes through a triple stick setup.

Summary

Everything about this build was specific to its function and task, as Soffe included no parts solely for aesthetics or form. The only thing Willys is the antique body, as everything else is either Jeep, off the shelf, or completely custom built. Soffe says, “The goal was to build on a budget (no race car stuff here), using proven parts not just store-bought. The truck has so many different components that part of the challenge was to make parts work with other parts and be reliable.”

Pat Soffe met his goal to build this truck on a budget using proven parts, ensuring all those parts worked together and are reliable.

The antique Willys isn’t a daily driver at all. Soffe only drives it to local spots, like his local favorite, Sand Hollow State Park, about 20 minutes from home. However, the speedometer certainly records its fair share of miles.

Though Soffe and his Willys didn’t make the cut for the first Ultimate Adventure, persistence paid off. He was finally came onboard on the next one, taking one of the only 12 spots. A great accomplishment and a nod of respect to a talented man and a awesomely unique rig.

UPGRADES

1956 Jeep Willys Truck

Engine: 2002 GM 5.3L V-8 from a truck with headers and a PSI wiring harness. Factory computer has a mild tune with VATS and emissions delete

Suspension: Custom 3-link with a track bar front, Custom 4-link rear. Skyjacker 2-inch dual rate coils for a TJ and Skyjacker BlackMax Shock absorbers

Wheels & Tires: 40×13.50R17LT Milestar Patagonia M/Ts; 17×10 TR Beadlock wheels.

Additional Modifications: Saginaw steering box with West Texas Offroad Redneck Ram Assist; Front axle: late ‘70s Dodge kingpin Dana 60 with TEN Factory 35 spline axle shafts, 5.13:1 gears, Detroit locker, Warn Premium locking hubs from Motive Gear; Rear axle: 2006 GM full-float 14-bolt, 5.13:1 gears and spool from Motive Gear; Transfer case: GM NP205 with NP203 reduction box (doubler); Offroad Designs Triple Stick Shifter and Adapters; Tom Woods Driveshafts; Transmission: Monster TH400, TCI 1600 stall convertor and reverse manual valve body

Editor’s Note: A version of this story previously appeared in the May/June 2023 print issue of Tread Magazine.