Help ID barn find
 

One of my hot-rod friends found this in a barn at the end of Jan. He has been hard at work on it trying to recreate it as it was when parked. The prior owner's son said it was a build-it-yourself project that was detailed in an early 50's Mechanix Illustrated issue. It was set aside as an ongoing project and not touched for the last 45 years.
Can anybody in this community shed some additional light on these cars?
Bill K
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427372510.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427372564.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427372605.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427372635.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427372667.jpg

I told him it looks like a cross between a Willy's 4WD and a Bantam.
Bill K

pic of Bantam \/
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427373014.jpg

My google-fu is strong today:

First Dibs: 1951 M.I. Special Roadster

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427373882.jpg

One of the comments says it's a 49 Ford engine, but it looks like a pre-1938 engine to me. The grille and lights are from a '38 Ford pickup.