Late last Spring we showed you Justin Miller’s awesome LS swapped Willys Jeep [1] when it was still a work in progress. Over the summer Miller got the Jeep completely finished up, and in the time since he’s had it out doing battle on the streets of the mid-west. He recently sent us over the video you see above [2] of the Jeep competing in a burnout contest at the Route 66 Mother Road Festival, in Springfield, Illinois. In an epic display of all things ‘Murica, Miller boils the hides on the LSX Willys for about 20 seconds before the passenger side tire finally screams uncle and sends rubber flying in a truly glorious fashion.
[3] “It was actually pretty tough to get it to do a burnout like that,” Miller tells us. “Really the only reason I was able to get the tires spinning at all was because it was on a wet steel plate with the line-lock on. Even on the street it dead hooks. It will usually lift the left front tire about 4-inches – even with the 50-year old leaf springs still in the rear.”
[4]Post burnout carnage! Miller tells us, "After I cleaned off the melted rubber and scrape marks there were just a few nicks."
The Willys only weighs around 1,600 pounds with Miller in it, and it’s set up with some steep 3:73 rear gears and an in Eaton [5] posi in a 7.5 rear end out of a Blazer. On the power end of things, the current cammed up 4.8L recently made 304 horsepower at the rear wheels [6], but a 408ci stroker with an MS3 cam and ported 243 heads is already in the works for the Willys. Military issue LSX for the win! Check out the canteen catch can next to the radiator. [7]
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It’s got more than adequate power, and it’s got the traction, but the Willys only real weakness when it comes to making speed is the fact that it has the aerodynamics of a cinder block. “At 80, it’s almost like throwing a parachute.” Miller laughs. The attention to detail, like these ammo-can speaker boxes and the cool looking LSX script helped Miller earn 22 First Place trophies at car shows this past summer.
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Miller hasn’t made it to the drag strip yet in the Jeep, but has every intention on seeing what it can do, so keep it tuned to LSXMAG for more updates on the LSX Willys!