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

STORY BY RYAN LEE PRICE

PHOTOS BY GENE PASCUA

“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.”

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

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 Willys project was born.

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

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.”