Hi folks.
40 year old computer programmer in central Illinois (Champaign County). My new-to-me 53 cj3a is arriving tomorrow or Thursday from MO. I also have a 48 "cj2a" that is in parts. I bought it in my early 20s for $400 without a title, stripped it, and the frame was in pretty bad shape, so I've pretty much been sitting on it this whole time waiting to get brave and buy a frame for it. Plus I went broke around that time so... The bug bit again recently (and several times in between, but I never took action). I spotted the 53 for a good price, and it's much closer to operable than the 48, so I swiped it up. Maybe I'll end up doing both restores side by side. I'm interested in keeping the 53 drive-able as much as possible, and that means when I want to rebuild major components, getting a spare - or borrowing parts from the 48 - rebuilding the spare, swapping it, and rebuilding the original. That'd be a neat way to proceed, but I don't really like the idea of mixing between the two models. We'll see what happens.
Or maybe I'll do the 48 ground-up, and once it's eventually running, drive it and do the 53 ground up. That's like the 10 year/forever plan.
I've spent the last three weeks or so of my spare time getting my barn / shop cleaned up. Just got set up with air tools for the first time, and my C25 canister for my MIG. I originally bought the MIG back with the 48 for body patching but mostly have just done small non-jeep utility welding with it until now - just enough to learn how to use it. I've been watching lots of videos lately on butt welding and spot weld cutting.
Step one when the 53 arrives will be working out an issue with the engine running rough. We'll see if that turns into a year long project on it's own, or if its just carb / fuel issues. The master cylinder lines are also cut, so we'll see if I patch in some lines, or go for a full brake system rebuild. Or more likely, both back to back - but it depends where the engine is at.
Step next is making it warm so I can use it this winter. I have a plow with the 48 I might pick up (though it's a manual lift), and a Harrison heater from the 48, or I might put a more modern heater under the dash as a few of you have done.
I'll post some pics or video after it arrives.
