My Willys 3A and 3B Community
Your Projects => Your CJ-3A Project => Your Modified 3A Project => Topic started by: MikeB on September 10, 2014, 12:00:22 AM
-
Brought my Ford M38 CDN in March of this year from a fellow club member of the local jeep club (NA4WDA. Northern Alberta 4 Wheel Drive Association)
The previous owner had opened the jeep for 20+ years and had done a resto and engine and axle swap ten years ago! he drove it for a year then parked it when kids arrived and other projects came along. So 9 years later I came along, the rest will be history.
The jeep.� 1952 Ford M38 CDN, licence built in Canada by Ford. Body is in great shape so is the frame. The frame was expoxy painted 10 years ago and has no rust, there is some minor surface rust on the body and it needs new paint.
Engine is a 4.3l V6 from a 1988 Chevy S10, 3 speed Muncie 465 from a 1969 1 ton, Dana 300 t-case with twin sticks, rear Dana 44 from a CJ7 front Dana30 from a IH Scout, both diffs are locked with chrome Molly shafts.� So this is defiantly not a stock Willys.
When I got her the motor had 4 liters of water in it, rain and melting snow had dripped thru the hood seam into the throttle body and down into the crank, I was lucky, and was able to free the seized motor, she purrs like a kitten now, no smoke and great pressure in all six cylinders.
Working on the electrical now, then the diffs and suspension over the fall and new paint over the winter. With luck be ready for the road when the snow melts in a June.
Here is a picture 10 years ago when the previous owner had finished his mods. The tires are 33", not sure if I'll go that way again or go down to 30" which will eliminate the need for the rear flares which are awfully ugly.
-
The rusty V6 before some TLC
Not much room under the hood with all that motor shoehorned in there.
-
Plan is to paint her a Kaki/tan Colour, with black trim. The grill is the colour of choice, but final paint is a ways away.
Other plans are to relocate the battery to the rear, install an onboard air system and a host of other things.
As you may have guessed it will not be a back to factory resto, but a build to make it safe as a daily driver and a safe offroad rig.
-
And one final picture, from the rear, I'd just brought her home and stared to Strip her down a bit but not started any work on here, I love the folded windscreen look.
-
Very cool! Looks like a fun project!
-
cool! looks like you've got a good base to start with. good luck. I want my next one to be a near stock '52 M38
-
Sorry, been busy and not had time to stop in an update things.
The M38 project it moving along nicely, although a little slower than I wanted.
Hope to have it finished mid summer t the rate I'm going.
Since my last visit, I've added 'slightly' bigger tires, started the body work, worked out the kinks in the motor, rebuild the front axle, re-wired the electric, built a tire carrier and just plain had fun.
-
Looks good, what springs are you using? Did you box the frame?
Skip
-
The frame is partly boxed, going to work on completely boxing it in after its all up and running, then I'll pull the tub, send it to,paint and box the frame. Probably in a few years.
Using 2.5" lifted YJ springs from Pro-Comp.
Been making progress, new springs in the front, I have new spring for the rear but need to install them, other than that I just need to bleed the brakes and clutch and she should be good to go.
Pics of the springs, rear cargo area and battery location and be-built windshield frame etc.
-
Will the springs be too stiff, are you removing any of the leaves?
Skip
-
With the extra weight of the motor, axles, tranny, roll age and all the extras the springs should flex just fine, if they are a bit stiff I can always remove a leaf.
-
Finally after two years the M38 is drivable, took her for a spin around the yard, even though it was -25c it was still fun. Some updated pictures. I'd say she's about 70% complete.
-
Well I just have to tidy a few loose ends up, a pair of rear shocks and finish painting the tub and this project is finished, drives like a dream, the 4.3L V6 has ample power for my needs. The Jeep has come along way in the past few years. A few before and after shots.
-
Very nice, excellent work!
-
That looks really good. Do you know where the hanging pedals came from?
I have a Ford Pinto engine in my M-38 and I used the hanging pedals from the Pinto and do not really like them so far. I am in the rewire stage now with a long way to go to get it on the road.
These are a really good platform to start with.
Tom
-
That looks really good.� Do you know where the hanging pedals came from?�
I have a Ford Pinto engine in my M-38 and I used the hanging pedals from the Pinto and do not really like them so far.� I am in the rewire stage now with a long way to go to get it on the road.
These are a really good platform to start with.
Tom
The pedals came from a 84' jeep XJ Cherokee as did the master clutch cylinder and master brake cylinder
-
What's that funny symbol with the leaf?