I have yet to put a roll bar on my 3B, though there is one resting in the loft of my garage.
I will have to put it on to go to the off-road parks around here.
There's no public land near here where you can go au naturel so I have to get that roll bar on.
but it'll come back off for parades and such.

Bill,  I almost missed your question...Rachel is a smidge over 5'8" tall.  She hopes to have the 3A seat frames and the extra space and comfort they offer.  

It's been difficult getting started on this project.  Colorado refuses to let spring arrive.  April has offered nearly 30" of snow.  The majority of the initial work will need to be performed outside.  


A couple weeks back, I was able to find a loaner tub.  The condition isn't much better than what I've started with, but there are a few pieces that can be used.  I paid $200.00 for it....




This is a late 2A tub.  Once I got it home, I found a couple old heaters stashed under the dash…





Some of the parts that are salvageable include at least one wheel house top, the transmission tunnel, the cowl top, the rear floor and one rear quarter panel.  Here, I’ve started to disassemble the loaner tub…



The rear floor is pretty rough, but I think I can save it…





It doesn’t look like Willys Overland bothered to paint the underside of the toolbox.

I’ve got some stuff pulled apart.  Repairs to the individual pieces should be easier than trying to fix them on an assembled tub…





I picked up a sheet of 16 gauge steel from my local steel yard.  I’ve re-stocked my welding and cleaning supplies…



Okay,  Where do I start?  (This is a rhetorical question!)

I got the donor tub apart.  Looks like it was originally a Patomac Grey 2A.

I’m starting with the rear floor.  I’m going to make a new riser.

Did I mention the 16 gauge sheet of steel cost me $58.00 with tax? I’ll be able to do a lot of repairs for $58.00  

The floor is badly warped.  There are some serious rust issues. In another time and place, this would be heading to the scrap yard, but a new riser and rear floor will cost me a minimum of $400.00 to $500.00.  This is a $1,000.00 Willys.  I have a hard time justifying a new floor for this Willys, but I’ve just got to have the ribs.  Call me crazy.



Some tools of the trade.  I make my own dollies out of heavy steel bar stock like this…






I cut them to a manageable size, then shape them for a specific purpose.  Most of the Willys sheet metal is flat.  This is an inexpensive approach.  It allows me to avoid spending $200+ on a decent hammer/dolly kit.  Here is one I shaped to fix up the dented ribs in the cargo area and wheel house tops…





I’m using a scrap Wheel house top for some of my patches.  Should work out okay…



And so it begins.  Welding patches, grinding, hammer and dolly work…

'55CJ-5,

Right now, it seems you and I are the ones stuck beating the c&#p out of Willys sheet metal.  You've got a good jump on me.  If I could just get the weather to cooperate.  We just received an additional 5-6" of snow.  Will spring ever come?

Tim

Thanks Nate.  I could use some sunshine.  We are suffering through a drought situation here, so we really do need the moisture, but I would prefer rain by this time of the year.

Tim

That really looks good! Are you sure you don't want to come over here and finish mine?

How did you make those hat channels?  They look like 16 ga....

Well, they look pretty good!  I used the angle iron-hammer method but only with 18 ga and no heat...

You know, by the time you are nearly finished your patching skills get pretty good...when I look back on my first patch or two I kinda wish I could re-do them. But, that's what it's about...it's a learning process...