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CJ-2a Restoration, Let the fun begin

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Cheapsnake View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cheapsnake Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: CJ-2a Restoration, Let the fun begin
    Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 3:27pm
After an ill-fated attempt at a YJ restoration (didn't end well), I picked up a '46 CJ-2a for a winter project. It actually runs and seems pretty solid and mostly original, except for some well-intentioned but heavy handed modifications for a snowplow. My intention right now is to bring it back as an MB tribute. However, I've always had a problem with replacing old original crappy parts with new original crappy parts so this may end up being a resto-mod project. Here's some pics:


Most of it's there except for seats, windshield and a few trim pieces. Bodywork is in remarkably good shape, no rust and very few dings. Tires have good tread, but are cracked from sitting flat. Brakes? Nah! I love that rope wrap on the front bumper. Wonder what's under there.


Underside shows the usual rust, but I couldn't find any holes or soft spots, BIG relief! Suspension appears good except for a good cleaning, paint and bushings.


Everything under the hood appears original and the motor starts and runs fairly well, despite having to run on old stinky gas. Will probably do a compression check and if that's good, clean her up and let er go. 12v conversion done.


Gauges are all there, but probably unworkable. Fortunately, you can buy a full set of knock-offs for $50...or a set of originals for $300. Hmmmmm. The wiring and switches are all original as evidenced by corroded terminals and missing cloth insulation. It's surprising this thing runs, even more surprising it didn't catch fire.


OOPS! This is the worst rust on the vehicle. I really hate to replace the whole floor, the rest of which is solid for this piece so I may just weld in a fresh piece of 16ga. The braces underneath are also toast so those will be replaced.


Steering on this thing is an approximation of direction, so definitely some work to be done here. It has a steering damper. Is this a stock item or aftermarket? It has no brakes, not bad brakes, no brakes. A PO added 1/2" steel plate structure for what I surmise was a snowplow. That'll have to go. Luckily, the guy was a bad welder so it shouldn't take much to get it out.


Thankfully everybody before me had the good sense to save the labels and not over them. It even has a title.

That's it for now. I'll be posting pics as I go along and your comments are welcome.

Tom
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Stev View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 3:34pm
Cheapsake,

Welcome to the CJ2A Page!  Good looking Jeep!
  
Stev
1946 CJ2A Trail Jeep (The Saint), 1948 CJ2A Lefty Restored
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LuzonRed47 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LuzonRed47 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 3:44pm
Looks like a solid foundation. Floor rot not surprising. Suggest checking/probing all the hat channels underneath - these commonly rust through and contain wood. Steering damper is an aftermarket add. The painted cylinder head indicates the head's been off. This forum is THE place for 2A knowledge.
CJ2A #140275 "Ziggie" (purchased new by my dad in 1947)
ACM #124334
CJ3A windshield, Warn Overdrive
1953 Strick M100 trailer
Serial #18253
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JeepFever Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 4:18pm
Welcome !!    That is in nice shape.

I don't remember serial on my '2A exactly,   but it is close to that.

Keep us informed on progress.  Smile

Edit:  serial #'s are somewhat close,  but not as close a I thought. 
I was thinking that Wilson was 63xxx,  but is 65990.


Edited by JeepFever - 19 Oct. 2019 at 3:07am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote berettajeep Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 4:39pm
Welcome to the 2Apage!

Data--> http://cj-2a.com/parts_list/CJ2A_data.php
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 4:54pm
Welcome aboard,have fun working on your Jeep.

Giles
1946 cj2a 59108
1998 Jeep Cherokee 2 doors
2016 Jeep Cherokee TrailHawk
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Floater Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 8:24pm
No oil filter? 

But yeah - a nice Jeep!
"More time under it than in it..."

M201 Super Jeep
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 3-48s Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 11:26pm
I have an oil filter if you need one!
1945 CJ2A #10536
1948 CJ2A #176528 "Elmer"
1948 CJ2A #155970 "Gray Mule"
1948 CJ2A #155365 "Old Yeller" (GONE)
BANTAM T3C # 6147 (GONE)
BANTAM T3C # 30856
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dasvis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct. 2019 at 11:44pm
Welcome fellow newbie. Yours looks in similar condition to my '47 
1947 CJ2A #88659 "Rat Patrol"
1953 CJ3A #453-GB1 11266 "Black Beauty"
1964 Thunderbird convertible
..... & one of them moves under it's own power!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cheapsnake Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 12:12am
Thanks guys, this is obviously the place for all things CJ-2a. Let the demo begin.


Got rid of the rope wrap it's pretty ugly underneath. Somebody welded a 3x3x1/4" angle onto the bumper, for what reason I'll never know. It was well attached and had to come off in pieces.


Next comes the snowplow mount. 1/2" steel plates with massive welds to 1/8" frame material. Somebody ought to take that welder away from that guy.


Pulled the gas tank and was happy to see solid floor underneath. It was new steel pop riveted in, obviously a patch. It was well done so I'm going to leave it, but weld it in.

That's it for now. Going on vacation next week so there'll be a week before I get back at it. See ya then.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cheapsnake Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 12:17am
Oil filter??? Embarassed to say, I never knew there was supposed to be one, or where it goes. Clues?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TeddieG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 4:42am
Hi and welcome from another newbie.  Oil filter.  Mine came with one.  It's the orange thing above the alternator.

Teddie
CJ2A '47
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cpt logger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Oct. 2019 at 1:33am
Originally posted by Cheapsnake Cheapsnake wrote:

Oil filter??? Embarassed to say, I never knew there was supposed to be one, or where it goes. Clues?


It was an option. Most folks paid for this upgrade as it made their brand new Jeep last longer. Of course some folks were just too cheap.

Thus, your Jeep may not have come with one from the factory. If you are going to use it as a Parade Jeep, you probably would not drive it enough to justify getting one. OTOH, If you will use it as a daily driver, I would recommend installing one.

IHTH, Cpt Logger.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bruce W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Oct. 2019 at 2:35am
. The oil filter was NOT an option, every CJ2-A left the factory with one in place. There was an old wive’s tale about the filter robbing oil from the front main and #1 rod bearings that resulted in a lot of them being removed or blocked off. That has since been proved false. Also, a lot of them were removed so that a hydraulic pump or other equipment could be mounted in their place. As cpt logger said, I would recommend running one. BW
It is NOT a Jeep Willys! It is a Willys jeep.

Happy Trails! Good-bye, Good Luck, and May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to You!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cpt logger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Oct. 2019 at 2:51am
Well, Since it was NOT an option, I guess that my uncle had his removed before he took delivery of it. Yet that seems odd, since he was a serious cheap skate. Why remove an important piece of the lubrication system?

He may have removed it soon after delivery, but his brothers all say it came without an oil filter. They were there when he brought it home. I was not, heck I was not even born until twelve years later, so I will take their word for it not having one.

I installed one in it in 1976 & that one is still on it. That one came off a 1952 Caterpillar.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cpt logger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Oct. 2019 at 3:15am
Cheapsnake, Welcome to the madness.

Bruce is one of the many folks on here that know their stuff. If he says the oil filter was NOT an option, I will take his word for it. I will retract my statement that it was. I sit corrected.

Your Jeep must have had the oil filter removed to install the hydraulic pump for the snow plow. If I were installing a snow plow on any Jeep, I would move the oil filter, not remove it. This is the kind of sever use that would need an oil filter to last longer. 

I am curious, what do you intend to do with this rig? Restore it to showroom condition? Make a Daily Driver, (DD), out of it? Make a rock crawler out of it? Or do you plan to make it safe & reliable, then use it as a weekend rig?

Enough questions for now.

Again Welcome aboard, Cpt Logger.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote damar2yxr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Oct. 2019 at 2:25pm
Dude you know that a Jeep like that in Wisconsin is pretty rare. Don’t be too quick to get nuts with it. It runs, it drives. Enjoy it and take your time figuring what to do with it. Parts are EASY to come by. Post your needs here first I bet you’ll find all you need.
That baby is a time capsule.
I’m close enough. Let me know how I can help. There are quite a few of us here in Wisconsin and we are always willing to help a brother out.Thumbs Up


Edited by damar2yxr - 20 Oct. 2019 at 2:28pm
eat,sleep,jeep

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Joe DeYoung Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Oct. 2019 at 3:22pm
Welcome to the forum. Thats a nice start to a project there. My advise if you haven't already done so it to get both a service and parts manual. Those two public publications will have crucial info for you project. 
Joe DeYoung
to many jeeps, parts, and accessories to list here, but apparently enough to keep me in trouble with my wife.





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