Battery Hold Down Bracket..

[1955CJ-5]

I have this funky wire bracket that came with the jeep....it's not an original but probably a period aftermarket...or maybe they still carry them at O'reilly's...

I will be sticking with the 6V system.

I can't seem to find a repro hold-down with the brace that bolts to the fender...nor can I find a picture.

Is the brace not a good idea? Anyone have a picture of an original hold-down?

[Quebec Jeep]

Hi,

On our website, Jonathan did this:

http://www.cj3apage.com/index/My_1950/installing_an_optima_battery.htm

Mine is a little bit different. I don't know if it's an original or not. I will add picture tomorrow.

Even on the Joe Caprio , the brace from the fender is missing.

http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/Photos/Siblings/CJ3A/Caprio/Lagler/3AEngineRight.JPG

[stony]

Walck's has them.

[Quebec Jeep]

Walcks does'nt also has the brace to the fender.

But it's look good.

http://walcks4wd.com/battery-hold-down-6v-usa-made.html

[1955CJ-5]

Walck's has them, and so does Kaiser-willys, but they don't have the brace like this one..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190814804253


So now I'm wondering if the brace is not welded on but instead is a separate part...the pictures of the Optima conversion make me think that maybe the brace attaches under the J-bolt wing nut and is not welded to the frame...

Walck's offers the brace as a separate item...Guess I better call....

http://walcks4wd.com/battery-strap-to-fender.html

[1955CJ-5]

I called Walck's....the info that they have shows that the strap was not used after Cj-2a # 215649, even though the stud on the fender is still there on the 3A's....

And, the strap is not welded to the hold-down frame, but it fastens on one end to the fender stud and to the J-bolt on the other....

[Quebec Jeep]

Thanks. I'm learning a lot and that' why I love our forum.

[stony]

Hope this comes through!

https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&q=cj3a%20battery%20hold%20down&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=VisNUsujILap4AOew4DICQ&biw=1138&bih=497&sei=WSsNUrDxK_Pl4APykIDgCg#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=ZGYm-49uMwf_9M%3A%3BLHEr2_6ErrdWmM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ewillys.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads2%252F2012%252F08%252F1951-cj3a-otis-ma3.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ewillys.com%252Ftag%252Fhalftop%252Fpage%252F2%252F%3B600%3B450

[1955CJ-5]

Yes it did...that is one of the welded brackets....and that looks like it could be a 2a or an early 3a with the bottom mount radiator....

But, on the same page, this is my jeep before I bought it and took it apart!!

https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&q=cj3a%20battery%20hold%20down&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=VisNUsujILap4AOew4DICQ&biw=1138&bih=497&sei=WSsNUrDxK_Pl4APykIDgCg#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=vepsqyjw89ULZM%3A%3BjX_-W0gfFOUu3M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ewillys.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads2%252F2013%252F01%252F1951-cj3a-boise-id-rearpto.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ewillys.com%252Fpage%252F147%252F%253Flang%253Des%3B600%3B450

That was a cold day in January!

[Ryan_M]

Mine is a '51 and has the brace. I assumed it was original to the Jeep but maybe not?

[1955CJ-5]

I don't know....Maybe BobW will drop in and clear this up....

[calvinhunt]

Mine is a 49 and looks exactly like Ryan's

[Quebec Jeep]

Ok Here is mine and it's a 1950.

It does look different. So you are all getting aftermarket and mine is an original survivor!�

I found this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jeep-Willys-MB-GPW-Battery-hold-down-frame-original-/271250580079?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f27cb626f&vxp=mtr

Now I should look for the Famous F.

I found this thread interesting and may end out to make a webpage based on it in the tech and tips section.

[Ryan_M]

This does not clear up the mystery of the battery bracket but I've seen QTM advertise a few items on ebay as "original" that were not even close. I'm not totally bashing them as I've bought several items and been happy with all of them but I sometimes question the accuracy of the description.

[1955CJ-5]

Wow, $81 and climbing!

Based on what Walck's told me and from what I've seen, the originals did not have the fender strap welded to the hold-down frame. The fender strap fastened to the J-bolt on one end and then of course the fender stud on the other......and that makes sense to me as not all batteries and not all jeeps would have been identical so a little play or adjustment in the strap might have been needed....

But, who really knows? There could easily have been more than one type hold-down that Willys used over the years....