It's a Little Quiet Here.

[Comanche_County]

Here's my latest Jeep activity.  Been kinda slow lately because I may have perhaps found me a real life flesh and blood girlfriend and if she keeps stealing my Jeep time from me, I'm gonna kick her to the curb....oh who am I kidding, I'll have to manage my time better and squeeze more Jeepin in.  

So here's the latest find.....My Jeep spotting super powers allowed me to once again spot an obscure jeep item mostly hidden in the weeds in the back part of some pasture while whizzing by at 70 mph. �I spotted an old hard top, then close by, an M38! �Its been stripped out and is currently the "War Jeep" for the fellas younger grand sons, complete with a machine gun. �Haven't contacted him yet, he might not want to sell it because its been designated as a play thing for youngins, but I am really lusting over the full floating D44.  I noticed it has different knuckles also.  Where as the steering arms on my CJs are cast into the knuckle, the steering arms on the M38 look to bolt on top with the king pins.  Sorry, kinda crappy pictures.

[aboyandhisdog]

Are you certain an M38???  I'm thinking an early 2A.  But a good find in any case!

[athawk11]

That is a full floater!!! � Nice. �I'm with Dog on this one. �Has characteristics of an early, early 2A. �Even though its been picked, the body looks pretty darn good. �I also spotted a dozen parts here and there that I would pull out of her.

I wish I had a paint booth. �Edit: I wish I had space for a paint booth.

I am kinda of laughing.... �CJ, I bet that everyone on this site has had that moment. �Biting more than we can chew.
I know I have. �"A touch up here....a brake job there"...next thing I knew, the Willys was in 100 parts spread all over my garage.

Tim �

[calvinhunt]

Thanks, athawk11, for initiating this thread.  It has been really great to get everyone's responses and pics.  

[3aJeeper]

I've been (trying to) work on the rear and move forward. The frame requires lots of wire brushing and such to remove dirt/clay/rust and repainting that to get it looking better. It's never been my intention to make this a 'show-car' so just focusing on cleaning it up and repairing to the point I can fumble around the 'burbs.

Changed out the fluid in the differential..everything inside looked good. As I mentioned in another thread, I've been cleaning the grease from the entire break assembly - drums, plate, etc - and replacing shoes, cylinders, etc. Next is to start taking the suspension apart and clean those parts up.




Cleaning things up includes getting the brake adjusters to actually turn which is kinda handy. So lots of brake cleaner, a soak thru the electro-rust-removinator, a little paint and they're looking good!



Still working on cutting away the add-on bumper. Had to cut part of the support beams that connect to the hitch plate. Too rusted and welded together to save. You can see the extra bumper in this photo too. I've cut away most of it...still a little to go.

[Bedrock]

Finally got the upper right rear shackle bolt out.  Pardon my misuse of the proper terms.  I hope this description is understandable.

To say that the shackle bolt was tight is an understatement.  The first thing that gave way were the welds that held the shackle bolt "body" into the hanger.  After that I had to use a small monkey wrench on the shackle body to hold it will I tried to loosen the bolt.  Then I broke my 12 point 7/8" socket.  I went to a 6-point socket, with a 2 foot breaker bar, and turned the corners off the bolt head.  Then had nothing to lose, so I put a 3 foot pipe wrench on it, and turned half the head off.  By then I was figuring that I would end up cutting the hanger off, and putting a new one on, a job I was not looking forward to. But I was not ready to give up.  I took a 2 pound sledge hammer and beat the hanger open so that I could get the shackle body out.   After I got it out, I put was was left of the bolt head in my vise, heated the body with my little propane torch, put the big monkey wrench on it, and broke the rest of the bolt head off.  You could now look right thru the body where the shackle screws in, and I figured I was done.  I got my cutting wheel ready to cut the hanger off, but had one more option.  I called my welding expert, and took what I had left over to him to see what he could do.  He was making no guarantees.  He took a 5" bolt that fit snuggly inside where the shackle screws in, and gas welded it to what was left of the bolt head, and to the other end that protrudes.  He put it in a huge vise, turned on the welded bolt, and BROKE THE WELDS trying to unscrew the stuck bolt.   Then he arc welded the bolt back on, and broke THOSE welds.  I had never seen anything like this.  He said there was one more thing to try.  He re-arc welded the bolt in, and heated the body until it was tangerine orange, turned on the bolt he had welded in, and finally the shackle bolt came out.  Unbelieveable.

I took the part back home, put it back in the hanger, bent the hanger back into shape, welded the part in with my little Hobart welder.  And, easy peasy Japanesee, I was done!  Only took me 6 hours, over the course of 2 days to remove one shackle bolt.  Happily both shackle bolts came loose easily on the other rear spring.

[Comanche_County]

Are you certain an M38??? �I'm thinking an early 2A. �But a good find in any case!

Well I didn't run the serial number but I thought it was an M38 with the wrong windshield because of the gas tank drop section, glove box, and two storage box indentations on the back of both rear fender wells, plus it wasn't a D41, maybe a 23-2? �It also didn't have the large M38 data plates, and I thought the tool indents were on the passenger side on an M38, it had the tool indentations on the drivers side, heck IDK, ya'll know more than I on these.

[Comanche_County]

Finally got the upper right rear shackle bolt out. �Pardon my misuse of the proper terms. �I hope this description is understandable.

To say that the shackle bolt was tight is an understatement. �The first thing that gave way were the welds that held the shackle bolt "body" into the hanger. �After that I had to use a small monkey wrench on the shackle body to hold it will I tried to loosen the bolt. �Then I broke my 12 point 7/8" socket. �I went to a 6-point socket, with a 2 foot breaker bar, and turned the corners off the bolt head. �Then had nothing to lose, so I put a 3 foot pipe wrench on it, and turned half the head off. �By then I was figuring that I would end up cutting the hanger off, and putting a new one on, a job I was not looking forward to. But I was not ready to give up. �I took a 2 pound sledge hammer and beat the hanger open so that I could get the shackle body out. � After I got it out, I put was was left of the bolt head in my vise, heated the body with my little propane torch, put the big monkey wrench on it, and broke the rest of the bolt head off. �You could now look right thru the body where the shackle screws in, and I figured I was done. �I got my cutting wheel ready to cut the hanger off, but had one more option. �I called my welding expert, and took what I had left over to him to see what he could do. �He was making no guarantees. �He took a 5" bolt that fit snuggly inside where the shackle screws in, and gas welded it to what was left of the bolt head, and to the other end that protrudes. �He put it in a huge vise, turned on the welded bolt, and BROKE THE WELDS trying to unscrew the stuck bolt. � Then he arc welded the bolt back on, and broke THOSE welds. �I had never seen anything like this. �He said there was one more thing to try. �He re-arc welded the bolt in, and heated the body until it was tangerine orange, turned on the bolt he had welded in, and finally the shackle bolt came out. �Unbelieveable.

I took the part back home, put it back in the hanger, bent the hanger back into shape, welded the part in with my little Hobart welder. �And, easy peasy Japanesee, I was done! �Only took me 6 hours, over the course of 2 days to remove one shackle bolt. �Happily both shackle bolts came loose easily on the other rear spring.

I had the same issue, broke the shackle bolt heads off.  So I just cut the spring hangers off and ordered new hangers and bolts.

[F Bill]

Here's my latest Jeep activity. �Been kinda slow lately because I may have perhaps found me a real life flesh and blood girlfriend and if she keeps stealing my Jeep time from me, I'm gonna kick her to the curb....oh who am I kidding, I'll have to manage my time better and squeeze more Jeepin in. �

So here's the latest find.....My Jeep spotting super powers allowed me to once again spot an obscure jeep item mostly hidden in the weeds in the back part of some pasture while whizzing by at 70 mph. �I spotted an old hard top, then close by, an M38! �Its been stripped out and is currently the "War Jeep" for the fellas younger grand sons, complete with a machine gun. �Haven't contacted him yet, he might not want to sell it because its been designated as a play thing for youngins, but I am really lusting over the full floating D44. �I noticed it has different knuckles also. �Where as the steering arms on my CJs are cast into the knuckle, the steering arms on the M38 look to bolt on top with the king pins. �Sorry, kinda crappy pictures.

Wait just a darn second here, Jay.... Try calling it a WWII jeep with a 2A windshield!   You found the holy grail!!


Check it out, A WWII jeep has....Full floater rear end, drivers side tool indents, glove box shaped just like your pictures, headlight hold down brackets on the fenders, etc...... I even saw the machine gun mount under the tub in your rear axle picture. Even the sought after radiator air deflector on the hood.

On the glovebox door, which is missing (see if the owner put it away for safekeeping) were the original government data plates with serial numbere and date of manufacture.. However.....you can get a good idea from its features if you keep digging.  If it is a Ford made GPW , the front crossmember under the radiator will be an upside down U with a BIG F visible thru the grille.  If it is a MB, it will have the same front crossmember as your 3A and 2A have...    GPW ID number is stamped into the frame by the drivers motor mount. MB is on a small tag on the left front frame horn.

THe WWII front axle is identified by having a bellcrank bracket on the axle itself, instead of on the crossmember like later jeeps.    It also has those steering arms you noted.

If it was early 2A, there would be an oval hole for the column shift in the floorboard around the steering column.  What grille is in the jeep?

[Comanche_County]

Jeez Bill, in preparation to move to GA, I just sold the 50', an enclosed trailer, one of my MJs, got a buyer coming here Sunday to buy my 20' car hauler, and even sold a few guns,,,,,now you're tempting me to reallocate my cash and get another jeep! �I'll go take some better pics and check those numbers you listed. � I did speak with the owner's wife and she said he's a Jeep nut who restores WWII jeeps. �He had a TJ, a YJ, and an old 50's CJ5 in the yard too. �Since he wasn't there, I was kinda in a hurry and I snapped the pics in haste and didn't really get a good look.  I think it was missing the grille.

If that's a WWII jeep then that rear axle should be a 23-2 huh? �It has flat sides, that's why I thought it was a 44 and thus an M38. �I'll take one of my extra 44 covers and compare it, I believe the 23-2 and the 25 share the same diff cover? �

Funny thing is, he lives only a few miles from me,,,,I'm embarrassed I didn't find it sooner, thought I'd already cleared out all the local flatties.

[Gunslinger]

Wow!! Cool thread.
I'm kind of waitning for my new Duster to show up, Jpet on the 2A said he'd have it done soon.  Too cold so far to get too excited but we did go to the local Back to the 50s night at the drive in last week.  Ran into a guy that has a CJ6 with history, it was an ambulance in vietnam and he has the full ambulance top, but when it came home it was given to the Civilain Air Patrol so its sporting that paint now on everything but the hard top.  Going to work on that guy, he said someone is going to have to rescue that jeep from him and I know just the guy to do it.

This week I'm out in the Blackhills, Deadwood to be exact, the sweety and I are looking for a recreational home here in the hills, requirement is that it has to be close to trails for the jeep!  This is a lot harder than I thought it would be, this is our 4th trip out here and we are finally getting close!

Ryan, thanks for that post, I've got those same two brackets, I couldn't remember where they went when I was putting thigns back together, asked a jeep "expert" he said they were never on a jeep.... now I now where they go !!!

We found three jeeps today in our travels one, is an M38A1 with a Koenig winter top, no dice on the sale, the other place had a CJ5 and an M38 with a winter top, looks like they have been at rest for a while, I'm going to try and get back there Saturday.

I do want that paint booth...

Talk to ya later, keep smilin!!

[Comanche_County]

Yup, Ford GPW, nothing gets by you Bill. �I took some more pics. �The tub and fenders are in pretty decent shape. �Here's some shots of the steering, the cross member and I found a couple of "F" scripts on it. �No ID tags to be found anywhere. �

[aboyandhisdog]

Pretty sweet find, CC...is this going to be your next project?  

You playing a Titleist 1?  Pretty tough lie but you should be able to chip out if you move your radio first.

[Comanche_County]

Haha, no me on the golf course would be like watching Butterbean on dancing with the stars, just something no one should see.  Even though I love the big man.

[F Bill]

Yup, that's a gpw allright.. Check the top surface of the drivers side frame rail between the shock mount and the steering gear, and you should find a number, like GPWxxxxx , might have stars before and after...That will tell you when it was built if you check out the serial lists on the net..

Didn't realize a move was on for ya.. Hopefully we get to meet in person before you move away!