Frame Issue

Maybe someone welded a bubba version of a gun mount plate on a 2A frame. It looks like a t84 trany cross member has been lowered to accept the taller T90 transmissson. Come on Gary... that battery tray isn't so bad!?

The frame tag is probably in the original (correct) location. The information in the history section of this Web Site is not correct concerning the location of the frame tag. It is NOT true that only the 1st hundred serial numbers were located on the inside of the frame rail. Here's some data for those of you that are interested in this sort of thing.

I have a 10030, 12022, 12130, 16837, and 29258. All are original and have the frame tag on the inside.

I also have 17173, 23281, 37859, and 43492. These are all originial and have the frame tag mounted on the outside. All of my later serial number tags are on the outside.

Does anyone have Willys documentation that states were the tag is supposed to be according to documented engineering prints or memos? I would be curoius to know what the real story is here. Was there was a person on the assembly line that didn't do their job very well? Did the 3rd shift line forman not care what side it was on? I've seen illustrations of frame tag locations, but I don't trust them as willys used old out dated photos quite frequently in their advertising brouchures, service and part manuals.

Hi Joe,I don`t think the gun mount has been welded on by Bubba there are two many other items that support the MB chassis.

In fact it looks as if it`s a Bubba job they carried out in cutting one half off with a hot wrench

Take a look at the rear shock mount,you can see the plate where it used to mount as on an mb its the one that has the curled edges.

Now it`s been moved they have had to weld in a plate on the inside to take the new position of the shock mount.

I don`t know when they changed the chassis tag position from inside to out but would have thought as the first civvy jeeps were based on mb chassis and built along side the mb that many would have had the tag on the inside.

That`s why my request for a closer inspection of the chassis tag may reveal or throw some light on it`s origin

Geoff

 Hi Joe, certainly interesting stuff one gets to look at !!!!!!!

I think it is an mb as I`m sure I can see traces of O/D paint on the lower rad mount as well as the drivers side grill mount and if you look carefully I think there`s still some left on the gun mount up in the top left corner of the plate.

Oh this is riviting stuff can`t wait to see what the chassis tag says.

Mind you it could have been swopped over as it only take a screw driver to push out the rivits from behind.now wouldn`t that be a real let down.

Still your request for pictures of the bell crank mount as well as others will help.

So how about it? don`t keep us all in suspense to long

if you can`t take pictures how about a description of what it says on the tag?

Geoff

You can see Sharek's '45 2A #10224 on this homepage under Indiana Flatfender Gathering.   This frame isn't from that Jeep.

I agree with most of the above statements.   Looks like some sort of

hybrid 2A/MB frame.

FYI.  My frame tag on #13943 is on the inside of the frame rail.

Randy

Hi BH960,

I think this is an MB frame that has had a 2a chassis tag swopped over.

And all the other modifications have had to be carried out so a 2a tub would fit.

How well is the welding been done on the bell crank mount on the front cross member?

First I can`t see Willys plug welding the two left side body mounts and I`d have thought by the CJ2a chassis number they would have used all the MB chassis`s up by the time they got to that number.

The gun mount would have had to be cut off as a CJ body does not have the half circle floor riser like an Mb.

As regards the rear cross member and the rear PTO hole,has the rear cross member been replaced at some time? or has the hole just been cut in an MB cross member?

If it`s an MB rear cross member there will be the holes where the bumperettes would go also an MB rear cross member is shorter than a CJ one,take a look at the slope at both ends if there equal then it`s an MB if the drivers side has a longer slope it`s CJ.

MB ones end by the rear panel to corner seams on both sides,CJ`s passenger side is the same whereas drivers extent past the seam.

45 CJ parts list rear cross member as 640219 not a Willys A number that would be used on an MB.

What do you think Joe you have several early CJ`s

Geoff

I can get more photos, but the front cross member is definately civilian. The brush guard holes are intact and the front cross member matches my earlier 2A exactly. I cant find any welds that look ' non factory. This frame is throwing a wrench in this 2A restoration!

I'll look at the rear cross member when the sun comes up.