"37751"

[OnlyOneDR]

Hey all.  I will start posting pictures of my CJ-3A project as things (hopefully) start to progress over the next year.

I have wanted a flat fender since about the time I was ~11 years old; the first one I remember seeing was on a family trip to New Mexico a long time ago.  I even drew a picture of the CJ-2A I saw way back in the day and somehow still have that notebook (I am definitely not 11 anymore!)

Fast forward to summer of 2016 I found myself done with my last big project (a 2001 Nissan Frontier on portal axles) and I was looking for something new to play with.  I happened to search around on Craigslist (always a "good" idea) and found a Willys chassis, halfway restored.  No mention of a body but I could make out parts of one in the pictures.  It was a decent price but I wasn't ready to bite.

Two weeks later I saw the ad again, only the seller dropped the price quite substantially so I bit and contacted him.  It turned out he was a college kid that just graduated and he had just spent a lot of his free time in college working on the chassis with hopes to ressurect the Jeep.  He was moving away for a job and did not have any body work equipment or skills to finish it so he was letting it go.  I went over to look at it (a mere 3 miles from home) and it seemed like it was largely complete, albeit in a pile of pieces.  I took it home that night and started figuring out what I had just done.  I pulled out my Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Jeep (Jim Allen) that I have had for years and perused the section on flatfender Jeeps.  When I got to the stats on production and serial numbers something struck me as familiar so I ran back outside to check the body S/N.  It was the second CJ-3A off the line for the 1950 model year, number 37751.  It could very well be the earliest surviving 1950 CJ-3A since only one was built before it.

Unfortunately the kid didn't understand that you cannot leave a downdraft carburetor uncovered outside so the engine was locked up (sadly he had already replaced the engine) and I knew I needed to find yet another block.  He did however give me everything he had for the Jeep including some tools and a repair manual.

I started purchasing pieces to rebuild it (Rock Auto and OMIX got a bunch of money!), found a parts donor '51 CJ-3A in PA to scavenge all the missing engine compartment pieces and other hard parts, then life got busy.  Three years later I am circling back to start doing something with it.  It will not be a faithful restoration but rather a resto-mod using period parts and accessories to build what will eventually be a pseudo Agri-Jeep.  I want the rear PTO for mowing, running a hydraulic wood splitter, and running a saw.  I found a front counterweight.  It is getting a Warn OD.  I found a Hoof mechanical governor (not an original) that I am hoping to modify to work.

Now all I need is some time.

[athawk11]

This looks like a fun project to follow.  Keep us in on the updates! 

What is the serial number of your '51 donor 3A?

[mbullism]

  Three years later I am circling back to start doing something with it. 

Every time I think I'm "out", They PUuuuuuullll me back "in" 

[OnlyOneDR]

This looks like a fun project to follow.  Keep us in on the updates! 

What is the serial number of your '51 donor 3A?

451-GB1-25214.  It's gone now.  It was parked next to a barn and left to rot for about 30 years of Pennsylvania winters but the hood stayed closed so the engine compartment was preserved.  I had to scrap almost the entire body save for the cowl but I kept some "hard parts" besides the engine that I needed.  I sold the rolling chassis to a guy to build a trail jeep out of what was left (he had another body).  As the story went the previous owner bought it new in '51 (I still have the VIN plate and original PA title) but passed away many years ago and it took a really long time for the surviving adult children to get around to getting rid of stuff.  It was a real shame since someone probably could have saved it about a decade ago.

[OnlyOneDR]

Since I want to finish out the chassis work before the body I started looking for all the parts that mount on it.

So... a bunch of stuff found its way here lately.
- Warn 29-tooth OD (I have a later-model 1-1/4" D18 to put it in)
- Herm's OD/PTO adapter
- Herm's shifter and PTO boots/rings
- Spicer 18H PTO
- Rear PTO box
- Governor cable (later model NOS from something in the 80's but it fits the dash)

Next week I meet a guy to pick up a belt pulley.

I found a Monarch Hy-Lo pump and bought it before I missed out on it.   Now keeping an eye out for a 3-point lift.  Anyone know if I can I run a lift with the Monarch pump?

[OnlyOneDR]

Replying to myself, the Monarch Hy-Lo-Jeep pump will work but I need a 4-way valve to properly run an implement lift (for power down).  The Hy-Lo-Jeep comes with a 3-way valve that can only power up and release pressure.  Of course I do not need any of that without a lift yet.

Belt pulley is in hand.  Whenever I get to installing all the PTO parts (after disassembly, cleaning, etc) I will need to build a PTO driveshaft.  I have one now but do not want to cut it up to fit with the OD/OD adapter in place.  It looks like I can purchase a 1310 flange-style cardan slip shaft and cut to fit then weld it.  Has anyone tried that?

[OnlyOneDR]

So after doing a lot of homework on the different 3-point lifts I think I will build a copy of the Newgren style lift.  A pair of the special adjustment clevises popped up on Ebay so I snatched those since they would be the most difficult part to build.  Apparently the Newgren lift did not have power-down functionality but mine will (just need a double-acting cylinder and a 4-way hydraulic valve).  Hopefully I can get to a Jeep show/meet and see one to take measurements.

Recently I found a set of Kelly hubs, a correct Harrison heater (there is an old Buick heater under the dash now), and a Dana 27 Powerlock.  I really want to get a limited-slip for the rear axle as well so I will keep an eye out for one of those.

[OnlyOneDR]

I really want to get a limited-slip for the rear axle as well so I will keep an eye out for one of those.

So from the dates this 3A would either have a Dana 41 or a 10-spline 44 rear axle and for neither of which are there limited-slip differentials available.  I guess I will need to think on whether I want to change out the rear axle entirely for one that I can put an LSD in or if I will be happy if I leave it alone.  I may be kicking myself on selling off that other 3A as I guess it should have had a 44 in it which I could have converted to 19-spline.  Hmm.  I don't drive vehicles that don't have limited slips or lockers, both my Blazer and my Frontier have lockers in them but that would be too aggressive for what I want to use this Jeep for.

[OnlyOneDR]

I guess I really need to take some pictures of all the parts since I do not have pictures of "progress" to add here.

I found/bought a Ramsey DP2-FY dual-stick PTO but the levers are for a forward control so I will need to either make or buy regular ones.  I figured out that even though it is the "wrong" PTO since I am putting it behind an overdrive I can make the front PTO shaft work and not conflict with the clutch shaft.  I found a Koenig winch out west and am shipping that in.

I also found a King-Seeley single-speed governor that I will convert to variable speed.  I found pictures of the variable speed and see that I will need to build a bracket and levers but it is pulley-driven so it will be easier to implement than the Hoof unit I bought a few months back.  Plus it will look closer to "stock."

To run all this "stuff" I bought some M38 multi-groove V-belt pulleys for the water pump and generator.  My crank already had a three-groove which I had never seen before in pictures.

[tow hook]

This looks like a fun project to follow.  Keep us in on the updates! 

What is the serial number of your '51 donor 3A?

451-GB1-25214.  It's gone now.  It was parked next to a barn and left to rot for about 30 years of Pennsylvania winters but the hood stayed closed so the engine compartment was preserved.  I had to scrap almost the entire body save for the cowl but I kept some "hard parts" besides the engine that I needed.  I sold the rolling chassis to a guy to build a trail jeep out of what was left (he had another body).  As the story went the previous owner bought it new in '51 (I still have the VIN plate and original PA title) but passed away many years ago and it took a really long time for the surviving adult children to get around to getting rid of stuff.  It was a real shame since someone probably could have saved it about a decade ago.

wish i could got a title with mine from pa. maybe it's from maryland not far from were i got it.

[OnlyOneDR]

I really want to get a limited-slip for the rear axle as well so I will keep an eye out for one of those.

So from the dates this 3A would either have a Dana 41 or a 10-spline 44 rear axle and for neither of which are there limited-slip differentials available.  I guess I will need to think on whether I want to change out the rear axle entirely for one that I can put an LSD in or if I will be happy if I leave it alone.  I may be kicking myself on selling off that other 3A as I guess it should have had a 44 in it which I could have converted to 19-spline.  Hmm.  I don't drive vehicles that don't have limited slips or lockers, both my Blazer and my Frontier have lockers in them but that would be too aggressive for what I want to use this Jeep for.

It definitely has a Dana 41, I was finally able to check the diff cover just now.

[OnlyOneDR]

Snagged an original governor handle and a spare K-H wheel to match what I have.  I need to get a tank and radiator so I can even think about getting the thing running but I have destroyed the budget for a while so I don't think I will be getting anything else in the short term.  Then it's time to put the chassis together and figure out what to do about the body tub.

Some pictures, this weekend, I promise.

[OnlyOneDR]

...still no pictures.  After striking out on a radiator guard in TX I managed to find one along with headlight screen guards in Montana of all places.  I also found a damaged PTO driveshaft for sale over on the CJ2A page that I can build out for the rear shaft after putting on the OD and Ramsey PTO.

I do need to get an order in for a tank and radiator so maybe I can work on getting the chassis actually running, then I will look at getting tires.  I really like those Cooper Discoverer STTs and they make them in a very diminutive LT225/75R16 which would be perfect for a stock size replacement but I think they are discontinuing them since only a few places have a few left.

[OnlyOneDR]

I ended up buying a used 19-spline D44 limited slip so I guess I am looking for a D44 to put under this Jeep.  Found a horn, a Koenig 50 dual-stick PTO with a winch, a second pair of Kelly hubs, and some other odds and ends.  This is turning into a sickness.  One of these days I need to 1. take pictures and 2. collect all the extra parts and put them in a for sale ad.

[OnlyOneDR]

Acquired an old white Whitco top.  So glad I found something white because although the Bestop Tigertop seems decent I really did not want black!

Hunting for a center PTO pulley so I can put an air compressor under the body.  I have three York 210R compressors sitting around in the garage so I will finally give one a home if I can find a pulley to fit.  I had one lead that fizzled, need to call on a second.