My Willys 3A and 3B Community
How To Join => Once You've Joined => Topic started by: Trish on September 02, 2014, 02:57:01 PM
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Greetings everyone! I am very excited to finally join this forum AND have a jeep!
My husband, Dave, bought me this jeep for my birthday present this month. It is in very good condition but we (read Dave, with me watching and holding tools), are trying to do maintenance and needed service to restore it as close to original as possible. He, of course, said "I bought you this jeep cause I know you always wanted one."� My comment was "Whatever" and "Well, this better be put on our life insurance and in our will cause I can see where it is going already."
We found the CJ3A site and it has been invaluable for the research we have done on this jeep. We look forward to many more years of enjoyment and meeting fellow lovers of the old jeeps. Thanks for everyone's help and knowledge in this project!
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Welcome, sweet Jeep!
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Thanks! We are excited that we found this one and got a great deal too. We have put a few new seals on it, changed all the fluids, and are putting a top on it so we can use it more. We also found a trailer that use to have a military generator on it that is very lightweight that we are going to restore.
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Nice jeep! It looks like you have an M-38 tailgate with the re-enforced areas for a gas can and spare tire. That is a nice upgrade...Thanks for the pictures...we love pictures!
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Nice Willys!
It has some M-38 and CJ3A characteristics.� I'm thinking you might have an early reproduction MD Juan tub.�
Welcome to the 3A.� :)
Tim
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Yeah we are still sorting out what was installed and replaced. We are just happy to have a good place to start.
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Welcome Trish and Dave, thanks for posting the pictures. They are all different in small ways...
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Welcome! Nice looking jeep.
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I just took it in to be serviced and the mechanic said it was the best he has seen for its age. (I think he just wants more of our business.)
The only problem he found was the steering and he fixed that for me. Now we're off to a great start learning how to do it ourselves. Read: me holding the tools and my husband doing the work. [smiley=happy.gif]
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That is a nice looking Willys. It would be interesting to determine the origin of that tub. Kind of a mixed bag of features but a great looking rig.
What was wrong with the steering? And what did your guy to to correct it? Get yourself a service manual, pay attention to the great advice on this forum, and there isn't anything you won't be able to fix yourself.
Welcome to the 3A page.
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The jeep was restored 2 owners ago, about ten years back. My understanding it was an older gentleman that loved his jeep and saved as much as he could and repaired it with what he had on hand. We are happy with it now but will always go with original 3A parts as we do replacements. I know a CJ3A did not have a glove compartment and this one does.
I pick the jeep tomorrow and will find out what all was done. We do have manuals and have printed off things from the forum as we find things we want to change. We are not afraid of asking for help or trying to tackle a new project. We appreciate everyone that has extended a hand of welcome!
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What was wrong with the steering? And what did your guy to to correct it?
Welcome to the 3A page.
The shop manager, Scott, said when they put it up on the rack, they found all the bolts on the steering joints were loose and that caused them to twist and buckle when the wheel was turned. They replaced the boots on the rods also and greased all connections. It is like night and day better on driving! You don't have to move the steering more than 1-2 inches before you get a response from the wheels.
We also purchased a "Tightsteer" from Walck's and they installed that also. Scott said as tight as the steering was, the jeep didn't need it but it couldn't hurt, that it would keep the sector shaft sideways to keep the sector shaft�s pins engaged in the cam.
We also put on new Monroe shocks as the two on the driver side were bad. They also adjusted the brakes. We are going to install a new emergency brake (already have the parts).
Our next project is getting a full top for the jeep. Any recommendations?
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Check out our new project under non jeep projects!
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I'm always curious when a Willys goes to the "shop" as to how a mechanic will deal with it. Yours seems OK with keeping things original. All too often you would hear something along the lines of "...well your problem is this old steering design. If we replace this crappy stock set-up with a new power steering system that'll fix it!"
Looks like your guy was able to stick to the original script and make it work. Good stuff.
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Hi Trish,
You asked about tops.� Best top makes a full top - but not cheap at about $900+.� JC Whitney sells them, last I knew, and others no doubt.� If you have� the m38 bow, you can buy canvas and have an auto upholsterer make a canopy for it, or whatever you're looking for.� I made a flat awning type top for my m38 which I am very happy with.� As I recall, the canvas from Beechwood Canvas cost about $150 and to have it made was maybe $175 at a local upholstry shop.� But the coldest temps I drive in are only 40 or so, so don't really have a need for a full top or heater.� Above that and an awning is plenty.� Have fun!
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Thanks. We will check into that. Love your jeep. Did you do a total restor on it? Love your crew too! :)
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Well, I bought it from a guy about 6 years ago who had done the body work, but the rest is all me. Spent way more on all of the stuff than I ever thought I would. There is no way I can sell it now, I have too much in it. ;) But I figure all hobbies have some expense involved, right? At least this way, I get to enjoy it when it isn't in pieces in the garage (and even when it is in pieces I enjoy it!).
Yes, the crew is very helpful too!
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I am getting excited! We are going to Florida to visit my family and we are already checking out jeeps and parts...Dave say's "you never know what we might find" ...that is his reasoning to jeep hunt, as if I didn't catch on after the "I knew you always wanted a jeep so I got you one for your birthday present." Ahhh he is like a jeep, he requires constant upkeep and pampering and he looks good to me.
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What part of Florida are you from? Nice jeep and I am pretty sure you have a repro M38 tub or at least the earlier tubs with multi features so takes care of body work.
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We are going to WPB. Nice to visit a few times a year. Yeah we have figured we have a tossed salad with a lot to work with. The best part it's all in great shapeand runs like a top!
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Our son in law is from there. They live here now as he went to FGCU and met our daughter here. Different pace on east coast a little too busy for me. I have a sister in law in Castillon Springs and my Dad was born in Brace near Lawrenceburg.
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We love Tennessee and have family in Buffalo Valley where we also live and Jonesboro in East Tn.
We get the best of 2 states but love the slower lifestyle of TN.
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Had a great vacation visiting family. Our son took us to a car show in North Palm Beach County and saw a 1948 CJ2A that was beautifully restored.
We also stopped in at Stoney's Automotive in Hobe Sound, FL. They had some awesome cars they were restoring, Willys, Toyota's, and even a Corvette.
I love seeing pride in workmanship and people loving their jobs. :)