Family treasure - 46 CJ-2A all original - The CJ2A Page Forums

Great advice Windyhill, thanks! I'll probably hold off on the original-looking cloth wire harness until I do a full frame-off restoration. Right now it still likes to get dirty now and then.

This is what the engine compartment looks like. I would like to start painting some things, but that's a slippery-slope. Once you start, before you know it everything is so clean you hate to drive it and get anything dirty!

Several members have offered great advice, leave your jeep unrestored! Anything that you repaint will stand out like a sore thumb and take away from its value as a survivor. It is a rare thing to find a 60+ year old vehicle in the condition yours is in. Just give it a good detail job, do the repairs necessary to keep it safe and running and enjoy it as it is. Post us more pictures

Gordon
48 cj2a 152642
Bantam T3-C 4297

The land of ice and snow WI .... I am betting a homemade Block heater.. Note plug wire goes to the front so it can be plugged in at night.

Uncle Steve, and I hate it when people say " boy are you lucky " WHEN in fact..The harder you work, the luckier you are

You're all right about the block heater. It still works and I use it on cold mornings -- only takes 15 minutes to get the top half of the block warm.

The HOOD SPRING...good question! I've not found any other example of it. I think it's either an owner- or dealer-bubba. Why? The only thing it seems to do is compress when you close the lid -- acting opposite the hold-down latches. When you release the latches the hood pops up an inch or so. I believe it may counter an undesirable vibration...only because I can't think of any other reason to have it. Actually I kind of like that the hood pops up a bit when unlatched.

Here are a couple of photos of this unusual detail:

I just took a fun little nighttime cruise tonight -- now that I have a working battery charger and appropriate lighting. The headlights are so bright I got "flashed" by a passerby who thought they were TOO bright. I'm going to have to aim them even lower. Nice problem to have, compared to having no or very dim lamps...

And it's nice to have the heater too when the temps are below 40F. My left foot was in 7th heaven!

Jeeps don't leak...they mark their territory.

You could try an awning business to help with seams. They have the heavy-duty sewing machines required for the task.

Dennis Braam
North Vancouver, BC
1947 Willys CJ2A https://sites.google.com/site/willyscj2ajeep/

Think that spring was installed to keep the wallowed out hinge from allowing the hood to rattle going down the road? Bubba fixed it..

Take it off and drive it, see what happens.

Real nice Jeep!

Edited by kilroy - 11 Nov. 2013 at 4:21pm

"You know, I'm too old a bunny to get very excited about all this."
General H.E. von Salmuth
Commander
German Fourth Army
France: 5 June 1944

1947 Willys CJ2A
1947 Bantam T3-C Trailer

I went springless tonight, not a huge difference. thought I heard a rattle but that might have been power of suggestion. Ah, well. I put the spring back on.

Jeff-- a very welcome offer to consider refreshing the existing canvas (vs. replacement). What do you suggest re: first steps? -Doug

Jeeps don't leak...they mark their territory.

…. or you could bring it to me in Milwaukee on the 25th. I will be there on business.

CJ2A #29110 "General Willys"
MB #204827 "BAM BAM"

"We do what we can, and we try what we can't"

No, it didn't pop open. The spring IS in tension -- but when you close the lid it simply "squishes" the spring longitudinally (between the hood support beam and firewall). The spring being itself in tension doesn't seem to do anything more than hold itself in place.

Jeeps don't leak...they mark their territory.