Hey Ryan,
Keep in mind, that it would be incredible to find a 60+ year old Jeep that has every original piece...and still in working order. �I would bet, that even the most original Jeep out there doesn't have...say...the original fuel pump, the original clutch, the original _______ fill in the blank.
Even a Willys guy that get's nothing but "original NOS parts" must agree that yes, they are original...but not original to his Jeep.
That said, �after a good cleaning, I reused all the bolts and nuts that hold the drive train together �I did replace the split washers where ever they were used..
For strength and piece of mind, �I used all new hardware to hold the drive train to the frame. � The majority of the hardware that secures all the sheet metal and accessories was rusted and much of it broke when I removed it. �It is all new. �I used all grade 5 hardware...zinc. �I left it unpainted. �I felt the unpainted bolt heads gave it a clean crisp look.
I did not throw the old bolts away. �I kept it all. �My wife thinks I'm crazy to hold on to a bunch of old rusty stuff.
Tim

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