I recently had the opportunity to check out a rotary-swapped GPW and it was incredible. I have been following Seth Hensler on Instagram for a while now. Among his many interesting projects, I have been closely following his rotary-swapped GPW project. We have been communicating a little over social media and when he told me his GPW project would be at the Willys Spring Reunion in North Canton, OH, I had to see it. It was a two-hour drive from where I live, and it was definitely worth it. Although you could call Seth’s Jeep a rotary-swapped GPW, that doesn’t tell the whole story.
Seth built this project out of 3 vehicles: the frame and axles are from a 1953 navy issue CJ3a, the body is from a 1945 Ford GPW, and the engine and transmission are from a Mazda RX7. One of my favorite things to check out at automotive events are engine-swapped vehicles. The more unique the engine-swap, the better as far as I’m concerned. A rotary engine in a Ford GPW is one of the coolest engine swaps I’ve seen in person. Additionally, I think old 4x4s look great with some patina and character. Seth’s rotary-swapped GPW has plenty of character and well thought out details built into it.
In a nod to the Mazda RX7, Seth included a rotary logo on the seat upholstery of the GPW. So cool. Additionally, he acquired an industrial sewing machine and made the soft top himself! The highlight of my trip was a short drive we took in the GPW to an open field for a photoshoot. It brought a smile to my face hearing that iconic rotary engine sound while riding in a vehicle built in 1945. Big thanks to Seth for taking the time to show me this incredible project!
