Parts Jeep Trail Build

Wow, thanks for this advice! Yesterday I was looking at the bottom of my M100 jeep trailer that I'm restoring, contemplating the best way to remove the original undercoating (the Marine Corps M100s were all undercoated). The stuff is super thick and still intact after 70 years. I'll try the dry ice method.

CJ2A #140275 "Ziggie" (purchased new by my dad in 1947)
ACM #124334
CJ3A windshield, Warn Overdrive
1953 Strick M100 trailer
Serial #18253

After the windshield frame I jumped in fixing the right fender; the front sheet metal will be a warm-up for working on the tub. The fender’s brace is bent- you can see it is less than 90 degrees and the top of the fender is bowed and full of bondo. There’s a story here with the fender I’m sure.

To move the fender brace I reached for the porto-power; putting some pressure on the fender and working the brace so it will stay after letting the pressure off.

Now the brace is at 90 degrees, but the front of the fender is high. I blocked the brace with some lumber to the floor and clamped a 2x4 to the top of the fender- not all body shop tools are fancy.

Got some cracked bondo on top; looks like a couple of different flavors- this will get ground out later and the top of the fender’s metal worked a little more. The fender had a lot of cracks at virtually every attachment point.

I took a photo of the fender gussets on the blue jeep because the black jeep’s fender gussets were so rusted and busted; it was easier to make new ones once I knew what they looked like.

Since the tub was barely fastened to the frame when I got the jeep, my guess is that stuff was loose and moving around causing the cracks. I spent a short day and a half welding cracks while checking fitment and getting the fender back where it should be- it’s got a good fit now.

47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A
64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon
If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle!

Just a little bondo there LOL

Dennis
'47 CJ2A 101823
'74 Cherokee

The left fender is in better shape with less cracks, but more holes and tar. I compared this fender with the fender on my blue jeep to identify all the non stock holes- they’re marked out here and got welded up.

The fender gusset is half torn off and there is a crack underneath, so I’ll cut this off and make a new one for this side too.

47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A
64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon
If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle!

Today was the day!

The two probably haven't been separated since 1947.

47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A
64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon
If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle!

Started to make some patch panels for the driver’s side and had to create a widget for making the drain hole. Took some time but turned out fine. I have to hand- form these as I don’t have fancy sheet metal tools- I’ve replaced countless panels on auto bodies but never had to make them from scratch!

47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A
64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon
If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle!

I ran out of welding wire so I'm done for the weekend. I did manage to get a section of hat channel wood out in one piece.

47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A
64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon
If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle!

I’m starting on the driver’s side cowl and lower front ¼ panel. Once those are patched in, I’ll work on replacing the floor and repairing the riser panel. It seems like working from the outside in will be an easier way to keep everything lined up. Someone ground on the gas filler pocket until the edges were razor sharp, so that had to come out. If someone has an extra- let’s talk.

I used some CAD (cardboard aided design) skills to create the driver’s floorboard. After making a new lower flange for the riser panel and welding it in, the floor got fitted in. Matching the angle of the cowl and ¼ panel was of concern, but it turned out really well.

I'm re-thinking a rotisserie for doing this work, the passenger side will be a bit more involved with the toolbox having to come out and my desire to install the indents in the right side panels for the axe and shovel. The numbers written on the panels are the number of non-stock holes drilled in each panel, I'm keeping a tally.

vfvf

47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A
64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon
If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle!

Too bad you already did the metal repair on the drivers side. There are tool indent panels available that would have made at least the bottom axe indent. I got these from the Netherlands(great quality and reasonable cost) and have the shovel indent that was cut from a donor from here on the page.

Once a Navy man, always a Navy man!