What are these holes for?

[Ryan_M]

[Quebec Jeep]

Is it for supporting rod from the firewall to the grill?
My guess

[athawk11]

I'm not sure, but I have seen small pieces of welting attached there on some restored military Willys.  I think Bretto has installed it there on his M38.

Tim

[bretto]

Ya I put some welt pieces there. �I had read once that it helped support the hood when the windshield was folded. �The hood doesn't touch there so I don't know.
Brett

[Ryan_M]

Ya I put some welt pieces there. �I had read once that it helped support the hood when the windshield was folded. �The hood doesn't touch there so I don't know.

Since I still don't have a hood I can't tell if mine would touch there or not. It looks like you have two holes on the driver's side and mine only has one. I checked my "Before" pics just to see if my body guy filled one in and he did not. I was thinking it may have been related to some component that only the M-38 had? Seems odd that it would be for welting if the hood does not make contact here anyways. Looks like another reason for me dive back into Bob W's book on a production note scavenger hunt. �

[athawk11]

Hey Ryan,

If you do a web search you will see what I saw.  Consistently, there is an extra hole that yours doesn't have.  Some with welting. Some with out welting.  Some with just rivets.  I looked at MBs, GPWs, 2As, 3As, and M38s.  There weren't many photographs displaying this area, but when they did, it shows the hole.  I wish I were at home to see what I have.  Now I'm curious.

Tim

[1955CJ-5]

For what it's worth I looked at this 2A today. It had the welting riveted into those holes with the original style rivets, and it was well worn, as though the hood was making contact there. But, it obviously has had a few mods over the years.

http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/3560356467.html


It has a GM V-6 and Saginaw steering, among other things. Too big of a project for me.

[athawk11]

Well,
Here's mine...



Ryan, I'm thinking that at some point, your hole might have been filled. �Or, maybe there was a shift change at Willys and it didn't get done.

Tim

[Ryan_M]

Well, looks like I need to buy some more welting.

[calvinhunt]

My welting kit came with enough welting and enough rivets to install welting and rivets onto those two extra places and I did, like Brett. �I checked my Jeep today and see that my hood has never touched them. �To me it just looks more complete. �I first heard about this when I asked someone "in the know" why my windshield support blocks on the original 1949 hood were spaced asymmetrically rather than symmetrically (13" from center to the left and 10 3/8" from center to the right). I was told that they were to help support the hood when the windshield was resting on the hood blocks. �But the supports under the hood in question here are not exactly lined up the the spacing in my original hood as given above. �They are each about an inch off. �Someone else told me that the hood blocks are asymmetrical on the 2As to clear the windshield wipers that were mounted above the glass on those models and it just carried over to the early 3As. Could be.�Nevertheless, I chose to mount my hood blocks equally spaced at 13" from center. �

You know, each of us has learned certain things about our Jeeps first-hand and we have sure knowledge concerning those things, but there are a couple of members (possibly more) that know all such answers and other trivia as well. �They would be Rocketeer and Bob W. �Would either or both of you help us out here?

[garage gnome]

The CJ2As used the welting there. The 3As don't for whatever reason. I had an early '47 2A with it there. My '49 3A doesn't show it being there at all. They are indeed supports for when the windshield is down.

Calvin, the CJ2As had off centered hood blocks to clear the wipers. My '49 has off centered blocks because it uses many left over 2A parts. 3As don't need off centered hood blocks.

[Bob W]

The welting, or "liner" was factory applied up to CJ-2A 118630 so later CJ-2As and CJ-3As didn't use it.

[athawk11]

Hey Bob,
Can you think of any reason why Ryan's 3A wouldn't be drilled in that single location?

[Bob W]

I think it has to do with the different shape of the "shroud" between side mount and bottom mount radiator grills.

[SteveB]

Ryan, checked both my 51's and they are like yours, one hole drilled on driver side of shroud.

-Steve