Messages

1

Chassis, brakes and suspension. / Serial Number

« on: August 09, 2021, 02:46:06 AM »

Hi,

question about the serial number on the CJ3A. This number is situated on the data plate in the engine compartment.

Is it also stamped on the frame? And where?

I tought it wasn't, but after restoration of my frame, I found it on the left frame (outside, front). Is it always there?

My jeep was imported in kit and buildt in Belgium, so this could have been done and stamped in the belgian factory. Beside, my jeep serial number is from 1949 (without prefixe), but the jeep is from 1953.

Thanks for your replies.

Xavier

2

Your CJ-3A Project / Re: Jeep CJ3A from "les Etablissements Wilford", Belgium - CJ3A37684 - 1953

« on: April 27, 2021, 03:19:43 PM »

(...)

For the colours,  I choose the original grey wich we found below the dataplate. It's nearly RAL 7022, but I do not know how it was called in the Willys colour pattern? Maybe Chesapeake Grey. The wheel are gonna be in a slightly dark red, candy apple red.

I still have to renew the front and back axle and then I can start to rebuild the all thing. And for that I will use the original documentation of the "Etablissements Wilford", translated in french!

I want this jeep as original as possible. It's gonna cost me a lot of €uro  but like we say here: "quand on aime, on ne compte pas!"

Thanks for reading

Xavier, from Waterloo, Belgium

3

Your CJ-3A Project / Re: Jeep CJ3A from "les Etablissements Wilford", Belgium - CJ3A37684 - 1953

« on: April 27, 2021, 03:15:54 PM »

(...)

2 weeks ago, body and frame were sent for sandblasting and painting.


The renewed body parts are now coming back to my house. I'm still missing the frame and body. The frame is a little bit bented and the rear floor and toolbox of the body have to be changed.

(...)
 

4

Your CJ-3A Project / Re: Jeep CJ3A from "les Etablissements Wilford", Belgium - CJ3A37684 - 1953

« on: April 27, 2021, 03:04:38 PM »

(...)

As I am not equiped for that, I let my engine to a specialist for a complete overhaul. The transfer case and gearbox were also renewed.

(...)

5

Your CJ-3A Project / Jeep CJ3A from "les Etablissements Wilford", Belgium - CJ3A37684 - 1953

« on: April 27, 2021, 03:02:32 PM »

Hi everybody,

here is an update of the work I'm doing on my 1953 CJ3A.

I completly dismounted the jeep.

All the small pieces and the small mechanical parts were cleaned and prepared to be painted.
I'm cleaning the small pieces using electrochemistry! It's slow, but it's cleaning by itself. To get a perfect finish, I sandblast the nearly cleaned up pieces. It reduces the sandblasting time, wich is good for my back...

So everywhere in the house I'm stocking boxes of renewed parts.

Parallely, I made new belgian data plates for the jeep. This jeep was sent in kit in Belgium, and was build here by "Les Etablissements Wilford". I want to keep this belgian history.

(...)

6

Your CJ-3A Project / Re: Jeep CJ3A from "les Etablissements Wilford", Belgium - CJ3A37684 - 1953

« on: November 03, 2020, 10:27:59 AM »

Well, it's super easy to find replacement parts for MB and GPWs. CJ3A are a bit more difficult. We had a lot of those jeep in Belgium, but sadly people are turning them into WW2 jeeps instead of keeping their original look.

Below pictures of my father in his CJ3A during military service in the 60ties.

7

Project Page for all other Jeeps / Jeep Hotchkiss M201 "SAHARA"

« on: November 03, 2020, 08:48:53 AM »

So here’s some info about my jeep Hotchkiss M201 Sahara. After the war, the French army used Willys jeep and Ford GPW. Hotchkiss got a contract for spare parts and started producing JH102, which was a copy of the CJ3B but with a Go Devil engine. From 1955 till 1965, they build the M201, the French copy under licence of the Willys MB. The first models were 6V and nearly the same as the MB. From 1961, the models were equipped with a 24V electrical circuit to comply with NATO requirements.
From 1954 till 1962, France was involved in the independent war in Algeria. The south part of Algeria is the Sahara Desert where the French army installed military basis and test centers for special weapons, rockets and for the development of the French nuclear weapon.
They therefor decided to make some adaptation to the M201 to allow it to ride in the desert region. The M201 Sahara jeep was born. Only 400 were build, first in 6V, then in 24V.

Here are the main adaptations:

•   A sand filter on the right front fender.
•   Dual fuel tank to increase range
•   A water jerrican between the 2 front seat
•   A double fuel system, one part is with the normal mechanical fuel pump, the other has a Autopulse electrical fuel pump, to cope with vapour lock.
•   Michelin XC 6.50x16 radial road tires, to drive in the sand
•   A search light on the side
•   A toolbox on the front
•   Several hinge point on the tub.

Additional to that, a compressor can be put on the front part to modify the tire pressure.

After the war, the French Army could stay until 1967 in the Sahara, to use the test bases and experimentation centers. After that the Sahara jeep were brought back to France and all the Saharian equipment were removed. Today, only a few are still existing. Mine is not original, but all the equipment is. As model I took the Lieutenant-Colonel Sichler’s jeep. He was the boss of the “3ème Groupe de Transport” in Reggan in the 60ties.
Below you can find the original pictures of this jeep, and the reproduction I made, plus some details pictures.

Xavier

8

Your CJ-3A Project / Jeep CJ3A from "les Etablissements Wilford", Belgium - CJ3A37684 - 1953

« on: November 02, 2020, 05:04:52 PM »

Hi,

Here is the beginning of my CJ3A restauration. The jeep is a CJ3A from 1953. Serial number is 37684 (without any prefixes) and engine number is 3J130583.

The engines comes from the belgian army and is therefore not the original one.

I'm willing to make a complete body off restauration and want the jeep as original as possible. So there's a lot to do.

I'll need help!!!!!

Thanks in advance

Xavier

9

Once You've Joined / Re: Welcome xavier_peeters

« on: November 02, 2020, 04:57:50 PM »

Some pics of the Sahara and her new friend...

10

Once You've Joined / Re: Welcome xavier_peeters

« on: November 02, 2020, 04:43:38 PM »

Hi everybody,

first thanks for accepting me on  this forum. Let me introduce myself: My name is Xavier and I'm from Belgium. I'm a jeep enthousiast and I own a french Hotchkiss M201 jeep since 2000. It's the french copy of the Willys MB in  a really uncommon Sahara version: it has a 2 fuel tanks, a double fuel system with electrical fuel pump, a toolbox on the front, special sand tires, a sand filter, a search light,...

I wanted to have another jeep, but with some belgian history. After the war, jeeps were build in Belgium. So I recently bought a 1953 jeep CJ3A from "les Etablissements Wilford", meaning this jeep was probably send in a kit in Belgium, and build here in Brussels by Wilford. As my grandmother is a Wilford and was related to this company, it's more or less a family jeep I bought.

CJ3A were also built by 'les Ateliers de la Dyle", but in a military version but still different from the M38. So, we have a lot of link with the CJ3A here.

About this new jeep, I'm starting a complete body-off restauration. I started the big "mechanical strip tease" a few weeks ago. A lot to do...

I want to have it as original as possible, and I hope I'll find a lot of answer (technical, historical,...) in this forum.

I'll send more info and pics when I understand how it works!