Fixing up this Willys Jeep Truck with Makay Brought Back Some Great Old Memories! 

There isn’t nothing better than old friends, trucks and great stories. Love the episode keep up the great work and stay safe out there.

What a childhood. Kids today are missing out because they're plugged into devices every minute of spare time.

Merlin could post 5 hr videos like this and I’d watch them end to end. His stories make me laugh and almost cry, they’re his memories, but they ring so true with many of my own, summer holidays, 8 years old, driving the Massey Fergusson tractor, cutting, turning and bailing hay on my uncle’s dairy farm… I’m 70 years old this month, brings my memories right back… God bless you guys ❤️

Those stories are the reason we all have character today. Mine was wire brushing a welding truck bed for my uncle with a 40 lb grinder at 12/13 yr old loading junk iron that summer for 5.00 ton

You're a great storyteller Merlin I could listen to you all day long!!. Nice Willys Truck ya got there , Motor n Trans sound Fine Nice Lumpy Cam!!!! You sure do them rite!!

Story time with Merlin may be my new favorite feature.. I want to be friends with Merlin and Makayla, but I'm not willing to clean cow poop for it.😂😂😂

Story time with Merlin... Excellent!

There's something about old school rigs , the sound they make and how easy they are to work on . I'm grinning ear to ear just listening to that Willy's ( and that rig ain't even mine ) 😁

Great memories and good Friends = PRICELESS !! 👍👍

My 1st job, I worked for my papaw, I got paid $.50/ hr. After taxes I made $19.20 / week. I rode with 1 of my friends’ papaw in a 49 Chevy truck. I either rode my bike or walked 1/2 mile to the spring, then Mr John picked me up. 1 day I got to the spring, I could see Mr John’s truck sitting next to a car over on the Hwy construction. I walked over & could see a man’s feet, he was laying behind his car. Mr John said don’t go round there, Mr Lawson has shot his self. We waited a few minutes, sheriff came, county coroner came, I knew him from church. I finally took a look. Mr Lawson was definitely dead. A gun lay beside him, his brain was laying there too. I worked for papaw all summer about 2 months, school let out late, too many snow days. We were nailing on shingles & John went to sleep sitting on roof. Me & another old nailed John to roof. I looked up while doing that and saw papaw watching us. He didn’t say nothing, so we nailed John down real good. Then we backed up, papaw hollered Hey John. We must have used 20+ nails, Mr John wasn’t getting up. Love your channel

We had a '54 Willy's pickup that we paid $60 for. We put a Chevy 327 V8 in it and made an adapter plate from 1/2" steel plate. We installed glass door knobs on the gear shifters and put a Chevy II seat in it. I love the boyhood stories.

Thanks for your appearance at your cousins. You SIR are so the master of comins diesels! What a drive just for family, you have GREAT values.

Love your story telling session when you guy’s were boys working your fingers to the bone. It reminded me of my childhood growing up in the farm belt. There wasn’t a week that went by that we did not have to clean up shit on someone’s farm. When we were 8 years old were able to sign up at the co-op or the farm bureau looking for work. Talk about good times. I was able to buy my first mini bike at the age of 10.

Merlin is a man of all trades including story time telling great video old school.

Just two ole boys reliving their youth.

Great video Merlin! Love stories of the good ‘ol days .. and kids with a work ethic! 🤣🤣

Your right about doing more then than people do today. I worked for farmers when I was young. That's work

😂😂😂 always start my Sundays with Merlin. Childhood friends are the best at 65 not much of them left but the stories we talk about.Thanks for the smiles always top notch entertainment about. FABRATS.!

Old Friends & Old Memories don't get much better than that! Thanks 4 sharing Merlin enjoy the stories

Cool episode Nothing better than catching up with an old friend, very real, very honest cool stories and the repair fell to the background like an oil change. I enjoy the history and understanding the long existing, catch me if you can, competition with you and your cousins and friends. Look what that has evolved into!

The world needs more L. Dean Andersons. Imagine kids working through summers nowadays. Boy, the stories I could tell about my summer jobs back in the 60s and 70s. Good stuff Merlin! Thanks for sharing

Cool to get some background on "Old School Merlin" and Ren 🐕🚗💨

I love watching how Merlins mind works it is awesome. It would be cool to see what him and Paul would come up with

Absolutely Perfect Mohave County Truck ! That’s exactly what he needs to live here 😎

The job in the cow poop is what help what makes guys the good men you are today, thanks for all the good stories

I love watching Merlin and McKay. Like one of the other subscribers said.. LOVE to be Merlin's friend. Hubby and I say, us too.... Be well

All of the cousins had cow pie fights in Magna Utah back in the day.

Just can't beat the looks of them old trucks like that, I love it!!

Gotta tell more of the good ol ones! All about the rowdiness right there! Thxs

Uncle Sherman as in Ben and Paul’s dad. Love that.

I Wish I was Moving out West to the Desert , I’m about done with the East Coast. Time for new Scenery

Merlin, what a great episode! Love the stories while working. And the stories were great. It just feels right. Thank you again.

Great show Merlin it’s like at my work listening to the older men telling the stories when they were boys lol not saying I’m much younger than they are lol 😂👍👍👍

Merlin, enjoy watch-n your videos.

Looking at all your old stuff. I think how great it would be to live in an area where stuff doesn't rust instantly like here in illinois

More videos on your car hauler please

There will be many shenanigans to come with makay moving back .loved the stories and the pictures.

That's a cool jobs that you don't know what your doing before you get to work... exciting

I still have the nightstand next to my bed that I traded off Merlon when we were kids. If I remember right He made it in Doran Lamb's woodshop class in 7th grade.

Great story Merlin yeah I regret selling my first Willys that I bought back in 1978 turned every nut and bolt on that thing 3 or 4 times now I’ve lost count I think I’m working on my ninth Willys I guess it just gets into your blood keep up the great work 👍😎

That Willy's is Sick. Being from and still in WNY It is a pleasure to see some saved old iron. The first engine I really got into tearing down and rebuilding was a Flat Head 4 banger out of my good friends old Military 48 Willy's Jeep. We did it as a Auto Mech Trade school project back in High School. Did a full resto on it. Came out ok for a couple 18 year old kids without a clue.

Had a water pump , as soon as it warmed up , idle it up and the impeller would slip on the shaft . At idle it worked like new

Thank you Merlin for another enjoyable video.

Even though there's a lot of cool stuff to do here in PA. He will have Even more fun out there. Safe travels

Hi Merlin, long time subscriber but first time making a comment. I love to hear stories from yester year. I'm in my seventies now and can tell a few myself, my first job was when I was nine years old, picking strawberries. Back then if you wanted something eg, a bike, you found a job and earned the money. Nothing wrong with that. How different the world is now.

Thanks for the stories and pictures Merlin,they were very entertaining.😁😁👍👍

one sweet old willys...... My mother had a 49 truck for years... all original.

Merlin thank you for starting your channel I can sit and listen to your stories for days

Your buddy looks like cousin Ben. Hahaha

I have a childhood story that is ALMOST the same.... It was a trailer used for hauling goats.

Love the old stories.

With Merlin it is “Watch and learn and laugh”. Good stories. Just needed a campfire to go with the stories.

The cow poop cleanup story is money! Nice to meet Makay.

Kids now a days don't anything but "Walk There Cell Phones" lol Unless there raised right... Don't get me started on the so called adults that call them selves parents. Thanks for the good story Merlin :)

Melvin shimmey gyro is such a funny description but I love it 😂

You have some very cool stuff Merlin ❤️👍💪🏻✌️

What some wonderful stories.

@MerlinsOldSchoolGarage I love your first job story!! ❤ This is a long story but the ending is worth it!! I was also 10 yrs old when got my first "job" in the late 70s. I was "hired" as the Head Mechanic for a local stock car team!!! We lived near a shop where the owner and most of his mechanics were into racing the local stock car tracks. I would hang out there for several hours a day asking about the cars. Part way through the summer they started taking me and my sister to the track with them on Friday and Saturday nights. We were too young to hang out in the pits so we spent the night in the stands on our own back then. Times have changed! One day they took me out behind the shop where they had an old Ford "Spectator Stock" car parked. They asked me if I wanted to change the lifters in it. I was really mechanically inclined but I didn't even know what lifters were. But they encouraged me and said they would help me if I needed it. Half an hour later I'm sitting in the engine compartment with an air hose and a bunch of tools pulling the top of the engine apart! They mostly left me alone the first day and just let me ask for help when I needed it. I got those lifters out and I had the blood blisters on my hands from the slid hammer to prove it!! They spent the next day "helping" me put it back together. (They wanted the car to run and they did most of the reassembly, but I was there the whole time.)We got the car running that day but they said there was just one more thing to do the next day. ⭐ This is the best part of the story. I showed up the next morning and the owner said we would go back there when they took their lunch break. When the time came, everyone from the shop went out back and we all watched as one of them hand-painted "Head Mechanic" with my name on the rooftop right behind the driver's name! We went racing that weekend. They were introducing me to their racing buddies as their new Head Mechanic when we pulled into the pits. Then my sister and I headed up the stands like we always did but this time we were surprised to see my whole family was there. And they made sure the PA announcer include my name and title during the introductions. I'm sure I was the happiest kid in the stands that night. Seeing my name on that car going around in circles was something that I'll never forget! And we are all these years later but now you and Makay are the real mechanics and I would be the grunt shoveling poop out of a trailer!! 😉

I'm headed to havasu state park for my birthday. I really hope I run into merlin.

Very interesting watching your projects. Thanks for sharing.

I like the old Willie's jeep.

That's sweet old jeep

I grew up in Piute County. So I know how much work people expected you to do. I would guess we are about the same age.

So did that ol cattle truck ever get painted. Enjoyed the video & stories. Nothing better than a true friend over the years.

Merlyn, just put one of those Edlebrock high performance water pumps on it. They work real well on small block 400’s with Siamese’s cylinders!

i cant wait for more updates and videos about mini semi

Merlin you have a collection of the coolest vehicles on youtube. The thing that I dig is that they are all used.. Very cool.

I had to clean & repair the back end an 18 wheeler cattle palace. Burnt up just over 2 boxes or rod... sunburnt bad after a few days. Learned to weld fairly well but boy what a job

Love the Merlin stories! My very first vehicle was a 1957 Willys pick up. In 1976 I gave $1,500 for it. Took it down to the frame, with the help of my boss at the time ( still my best friend ) completely rebuilt the complete truck. Went through every gearbox, dropped in a 300 hp 327 out of a 64 Vette, built new cross members and put in a Saginaw steering gearbox and power steering. I upgraded the brakes from the original 9” to Ford 11”. Did away with the old through the floor pedals and fit in swinging pedals out of a 60’s Chevy pickup. Paid to have the complete interior done by Danny Green. I learned how to stick weld and weld with an oxy acetylene torch, did the body work and my friend painted it almost the same color yellow as Merlin’s. We completely re wired it one wire at a time. It took three years of working and saving making $2.25 an hour to buy the parts. I learned so much about fabrication and mechanical work. Drove it to and from work for 18 years. Sadly I had to sell it in order to satisfy an ex wife and traded it in for a newer truck with enough seats and seatbelts to be able to carry my two small children. Wish I had it back. Sorry for being so long winded. Thanks Merlin!

Wow Merlin, I grew up in LA and wish I would've met ya'll.. You guys are the best.. Love these old videos...

The pump you took off was made for a serpentine belt which runs on the back side turning it backwards

I crossed that bridge when it was still in London in 1968. I was 11yrs. old.

Wow !!! your neighbors must hate all the noise from the cars and trucks.... I know I would. Love your videos :O)

Keep telling stories. I love to hear them.

Good story Merlin 😂😂😂👍

Building dignity

Shes ALIVE!! 😀😀😀

What a cool 😎 Willys Jeep.

Gotta say Merlin, awesome video. Always cool to see Makay and to hear those stories. That’s a rare friendship. Says a lot about both of you. You can do story time any time and I’d bet most of us would enjoy it. 🌺

Cool episode. Love the old pictures and the stories. Good times!

Merlin is old-school, and it's cool. We love it. ;)

Love the story time with uncle Merlin.

Love the stories you tell with the videos, they bring me back to when I was a kid. I use to cut grass or help out at the corner gas station and even fold pizza boxes at the pizza shop, and shovel snow for cash. Started at about 10 yrs old. Kids today will never know the joys of it. I even had a paper route. I miss the good days 😀

Love the old storys and we have a couple of them there gasket boxes and they are handy.

Love that oletime recollection...nice Willys...Great video Merlin...thx

I remember bucking hay until I cried when I was 13. He fired me on the spot for being soft😂. It was an easy 110 in the hay barn where me and my 14 year old cousin were stacking bails in the rafters. I worked for three or for farmers that summer and earned enough for a sick BMX bike. $240. I did that a few more summers before going to commercial fishing in Alaska when I was fifteen. I bought my first road legal car with the money I earned (1980 Mazda GLC $400) and only made $600 total. Still an awesome summer of 1995. I remember celebrating the 4th of July with some friends on an abandoned barge and the sun never went down. I started doing construction during that time as well. Obviously I was going to school and working after school, weekends and vacations because that’s what kids did if they wanted spending money to buy sweet cars and stuff. I got an associate degree and high school diploma simultaneously by going to community college after two years of high school. Then a diesel tech degree by 21 and now I’m a general contractor doing home repairs/remodeling at the age of 42. Ain’t life a trip! You never know what will happen but if you keep getting after it you’ll live a full life.

Funny. You and I are old enough to know better but watching you with the water pump reminded me of my high school days where I took among other courses welding and auto shop. We learned how to rebuild water pumps, fuel pumps, wheel cylinders, steering boxes etc. I'm betting you not only remember those days but still live them. Love you show, stories, even some of your relatives. 👍👍 Dave from Nova Scotia Canada .

I always wanted a Willys Truck I'm 63 gonna be 64 in July And I Still Haven't Got One. Oh well , thanks for the video Merlin.

I'm a piss poor mechanic but I love the stories. Good job.

Way more than we need is the best way to roll 😅

Oh and I definitely love the older willys vehicles for sure and I also have been looking for one for years!! But here in Iowa they are all rotted out the ones that I find!! I just love the looks of them for sure!!! Awesome video Merlin!!!

Like others have said, love the story time with Merlin. I’ve been on the Dusy-Ershim trail a couple of times. Love the pictures of going up chicken rock.

There ain't nothing like having old friends like Makay. Most of my old friends are still above ground and I love them all.

I have an old 62 Chevy that I used to have an overheating issue with. Same setup with the fan and radiator as that one. Took a few scraps of wood and made a fan shroud for it in about 30 minutes and never had that problem again. Over 30 years later and it’s still there in the truck.👍

I had a '49 Willy's pickup with an original timken two piece rear axle. I bought it without engine and transmission, but it still had the original transfer case. I put a GM 267 small block with a turbo 350 transmission. That thing had a screaming top speed of about 65 mph, but it was fun and got me through many a South Dakota winter. Thank you for sharing your memories and bringing back some of my own.

I'll bet the neighbors around you boys really appreciate the noise you make.,

great Stroy Merlin

That Willie's truck is gorgeous, I ike that tow truck also

Love that old truck. Don't see anything like that where I'm at ( Ohio). Can't wait to head back west

Merlin you're a great storyteller! A true professional, you never lost your place in the stories. So far my favorite video!