Gene and Nonie Vierthaler have the perfect setting for their immaculately restored 1957 cabover Jeep truck, a rural home near Haven. Gene did virtually all of the restoration work himself over a period of more than eight years.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
According to Vierthaler's research, Jeep built only about 16,000 of its 3/4-ton FC170 cabover trucks between 1957 and 1964. `Ford sells more pickups than that in a week,' he remarked.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Vierthaler's truck was bought new in Lindsborg, migrated to Missouri and was finally brought back to Kansas after sitting broken down in a field for 17 years. It shows only 41,000 original miles on its odometer.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
If you hear something amiss in the engine compartment, you just tilt the seats forward and pop the top on the engine cover. Unfortunately, working on the engine is a bit of a challenge, as you have to attack it from below or disassemble the forward part of the cover to get access.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The cabover Jeep is powered by a Willys Super Hurricane flathead 6 cyclinder built by Continental, producing 105 brake horsepower from 226 cubic inches of displacement. Engine heat exits through the screened opening at the back of the cab; the air cleaner is the black device, while the blue gizmo is the radiator accumulator, where you add coolant.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Vierthaler enlisted Jimmy Johnson of Hutchinson to recover the tilt-forward bucket seats in heavy gray vinyl and to cover the door panels in the same material. The taller shift knob controls the 3-speed manual transmission, while the shorter lever with the blue knob selects the transfer case range.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Instrumentation consists of a basic speedometer, while the bus-style steering wheel provides direction, although it is about 8 turns, lock-to-lock, according to the owner. Note the turn signal indicator strapped to the nearly upright steering column.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Although the front grille appears to be a conventional design, it doesn't feed air to the radiator, but to the heater core. The radiator sits low in the airstream behind the front axle.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
An accomplished woodworker, Gene Vierthaler handcrafted the extra-long flat bed and stake sides of heavily grained yellow maple. The short cab leaves room for plenty of cargo.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Vierthaler chose military-style wheels for his truck, which rides on heavy leaf springs and a very substantial ladder-style frame.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Locking hubs allow the FC170 to be operated in 4-wheel drive when the going gets heavy. Getting up into the cab requires a big first step up, as the door rides directly over the front wheel.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Vierthaler's attention to detail is apparent from every angle, as his truck is as clean underneath as it is up on top. He said he `field stripped' the truck, removing every nut and bolt to rebuild it literally from the ground up.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Print edition: Subscribe | Manage Account | E-Eagle: Digital Edition
