Messages

1

"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / soft top door frames

« on: March 08, 2025, 05:04:23 PM »

Got my 54 CJ-3B back from body shop. 95 percent put back together. Getting ready to fire up the engine shortly.  I want to put an original soft top on it.  BW canvas wants close to $6000 for a full winter enclosure.  NL canvas price is much better, but they require door frames.  I've tried a couple of salvage yards, no luck.  BW canvas will sell me the frames for $600 plus $500 shipping; I cannot afford that.  I could use some help finding a pair or if you have a frame can you send me the dimensions?  I have access to a torch and welder. 

2

BODY and trim / Footman loops color

« on: July 02, 2024, 10:06:11 PM »

1954 CJ-3B.  Getting ready to paint body. From the factory, were the footman loops installed on the body and then painted body color or were they added after body was painted?  If latter is the case, I'm assuming they would all be black?

3

BODY and trim / Re: Hood to cowl

« on: April 23, 2024, 07:39:37 PM »

Will try to post pic.  Windshield was full of holes, had welder fill in all. Does someone have the dimensions for the wiper holes?

4

BODY and trim / Hood to cowl

« on: April 08, 2024, 07:22:13 PM »

1954 CJ-3B.  Assembling body parts on chassis. New tub and fenders, old hood and grill. Old hood too big, about 1 1/2 in wider than cowl. Question 1: would reproduction hood fit reproduction tub and old grill or just modify old hood?  Question 2: where the cowl angles in and bolts to fender, with the hood down, there's about a 2 inch gap between the hood bottom and body.  Is this normal?

5

BODY and trim / gas tank strap brackets

« on: November 26, 2023, 06:49:42 PM »

Installing the gas tank strap brackets on a new body (54 CJ-3B).  Read the articles on the CJ-3B page and watched the KW video.  From what I can see, the driver's side of the gas tank sits against the strap bracket that is welded to the quarter panel.  Is this correct?  If so, it would be good to install anti-squeak between bracket and tank. The old body did not have any brackets installed.

6

BODY and trim / rear bumper

« on: November 06, 2023, 02:43:00 PM »

1954 CJ-3B.  4 months waiting for body shop.  Got tired of waiting and put new body on chassis.  First question: the right side of the rear bumper stops at the corner seam and doesn't go to the body edge.  Is this correct?  More questions to come later.

7

BODY and trim / Re: Body braces CJ-3B

« on: March 18, 2023, 08:17:12 PM »

OK, thanks. I assumed it was from a previous owner because the door openings had been severely reworked.

8

BODY and trim / Re: Body braces CJ-3B

« on: March 18, 2023, 04:35:19 PM »

That brace is in the passenger cargo area, behind the driver and passenger seatframes.

9

BODY and trim / Body braces CJ-3B

« on: March 17, 2023, 05:52:57 PM »

Got a new tub, putting it together.  The old tub had 2 braces that are not on the new tub. One is bolted on the front of the wheel well to the side. The other is a corner brace in the front corners of the inside firewall, that the windshield bracket mounts to.  Are these original or previous owner add-ons?

10

Your CJ-3B Project / Re: finishing restoration

« on: March 10, 2023, 03:51:38 PM »

New tub coming together.  It has dashboard. pedal holes, soft top brackets and assorted nuts and brackets welded in for the seat frames and gas tank.  I have a question on reinforcement brackets that are on the old tub, but not on the new one: One bracket bolts on from the front of the wheel well to the side of the body on both sides behind both front seats.  The other bracket is a corner bracket welded to the inside top firewall and the side, its located so that the windshield bracket bolts through it.  Are these original ?  Trying to upload pics.

11

Your CJ-3B Project / Re: finishing restoration

« on: November 25, 2022, 03:00:39 PM »

Changing the name of my thread from "Delayed restoration" to "Finish restoration".  Bought a new tub. I don't weld, so took it to body shop for the modifications.  Been in the shop for months.  Here in the Rio Grande Valley, I have found only one custom work body shop, and its backed up for months.  The dash is in (gauge holes, steering wheel bracket bend & emergency brake bracket); middle and rear soft top brackets welded on.  Pedal holes are next.  Old tailgate was beyond repair, new tailgate does not fit in between chain brackets. Will have to move chain brackets. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

12

"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Pedal hole dimension

« on: May 03, 2022, 01:20:45 AM »

Rod from delayed restoration.  (54 CJ-3B)  The new tub came in. Working with body shop to get everything installed on it.  Can someone let me know what is the dimensions of the accelerator linkage hole in the firewall.  A previous owner had ripped out a large part of the firewall from the transmission opening to the accelerator linkage hole. Is it a circle or oval, what size?  And what is the placement of the hood hinge; does the hinge part go above the hood or below the hood.  We are not welding on the hood hinge until the body is on the chassis so we can test fit the hood.

13

"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / CJ-3B steering column bracket

« on: March 28, 2022, 06:41:09 PM »

Rod Zaedow (delayed restoration) here.  54  CJ-3B.  Chassis, drive train, brakes, wheels and axles done.  Starting to work on the body. Three quick question (if there is such a thing): (1) I have the bracket that goes around the steering column, but not from the bracket to the dash. Can someone send me a drawing showing the shape of these brackets? I am assuming, the brackets are offset from screw hole to screw hole?  I don't know if the offset is at an angle or 90 degree bend?  (2)  Master brake cylinder access plate: When I took it apart, it was on top of the hole with one screw in it. The three screw holes line up only when the access plate is put in from the bottom with the flat side towards the transmission with the raised round area flush with the floor.  Is this correct?  And if correct, what screws/bolts are used?  (3)  Unable to find the lower door rope brackets (brackets screwed into the cowl for the soft door). Already called NUMEROUS salvage yards, no luck.  I am looking into having them manufactured. Or, can I use lower door brackets from a CJ-3A and weld two of them together and cut to the correct length?   

14

Your CJ-3B Project / Re: delayed restoration

« on: March 01, 2022, 04:25:24 PM »

AXLES!  Rear axle good!  Front axle BAD!!  When the previous owner installed the selector hubs, apparently they did not put it together well. The differential carrier assembly is so chewed up by the left axle it aint no good no more.  Got one coming in from Georgia and a left axle from KW.
NEW TOPIC:  Since the drivetrain is almost completed; I am starting the body.  Question number 1:  The parts book (if I'm reading it right) says the transmission floor plate is bolted to the floor with 1/4 - 20 bolts.  I have no nuts on the bottom of my old tub.  Did I misread it? There were self tapping screws on it when I removed it.  Question number 2:  Did all Willys come with a hole for the PTO (behind the transmission) or only those that had that option?  If all had it, can someone tell me the dimensions and shape of the hole?  Apparently a previous owner like to cut and weld on everywhere on this body (including the PTO hole).

15

Your CJ-3B Project / Re: delayed restoration

« on: November 20, 2021, 02:06:39 PM »

Chassis fixed and painted. Engine, transmission and transfer case rebuilt and installed. Suspension, steering, clutch linkage and dual reservoir master cylinder installed.  Transfer case leaks; looking into that. Brakes next. Single stage fuel pump installed; bought a fuel pump with vacuum (AC 4032) on ebay quite a while back.  Cannot get it to fit. Lever sits about a half of an inch below where lever is on single stage pump, lever only moves about one eighth of an inch.