Buzz Saws

By Bob Westerman

I am interested in optional equipment that was available for my Willys vehicles. I was able to purchase the rear flat belt drive PTO and a governor at a flea market. I installed it on my 1952 CJ-3A. Now I needed something to drive with a flat belt. A buzz saw seemed like a good choice since they were common in the area where I live. A friend of mine found one in repairable condition that the owner said I could have. It was very rusty, some of the parts were bent from being moved around over the years and the shaft did not turn. I took it apart and straightened the bent parts. It was amazing that all the rusty old square head bolts broke loose with no problem. While I was repairing the saw, another person saw it and said they had a flat belt from a buzz saw that I could have for $20. Now I had almost all the parts to run the saw. The only missing part was the governor linkage, but I had to try the saw. Here is a photo of me, carefully cutting some logs. Click to enlarge.

I am still missing parts of the governor linkage so I wasn't able to use the governor to control the engine speed. Someday I hope to be able to hook up the governor.

 Here are old buzz saw ads and photos. Click to enlarge.

From 'Jeep' Operation Data, Willys-Overland Motors.

Photo from Steve Perialas, a WillysTech mailing list member

This picture came from the Product Merchandising Manual "Power Take-Off" section.  The manual was published by Willys Motors for use by their dealers in the 1950's. Photo supplied by,
Bob in WI
Tornado 6-230 OHC
Owner, Enthusiast & Historian.

From the book The American Jeep in War and Peace, by Kurt Willinger and Gene Gurney, page 32.

Richard Cook sent in these photos of his buzz saw in action: