This is the second of two videos made by Universal International News. Much of this footage seems very similar to the shots taken by Life Magazine of the Ridge Runners, when they did ran a story about the Jeep Club.
Features Research Archives
Videos: Ridge Runners Video #1
The Yakima Ridge Runners Jeep Club recognizes itself as the world’s first incorporated Jeep Club, incorporating in early 1947. I have run across reports of early clubs formed in Southern California, but whether they actually incorporated or not is unknown to me. This video made by Universal International News was one of two.
2008 PNW4DA Racing
I was searching to see if anyone posted videos from the PNW4WDA 2009 Convention, but haven’t seen any yet. I did find this nicely organized collection of racing images from 2008 that I hadn’t seen. So, I thought I’d share them. Note the audio has been disabled. I have to wonder exactly how they track down audio like that given the millions of videos uploaded vs. the relatively low number of hits on this video.
Tail Light King: Willys & Jeep Section
I was looking for some Willys Jeep script ran across the Tail Light King Website accidently. I don’t think I mentioned it last time, but the taillightking.com has Willys & Jeep lights as well.
Diamond Plating Question
Several of our finest in Blue from Arizona read ewillys daily. One of the readers asked about diamond plating for old flatties. I can’t say I was much help, but maybe some of you have a suggestion?
Here is what I wrote:
It appears Warrior Products (http://www.warriorproducts.com/order.html) is the only company making them still (that I can find). Most of the links below are the same product sold at different prices.
Here’s some options for side plates:
http://www.rjroffroad.com/warrior-sideplates-for-45-55-jeep-cj2a-cj3a-offroad-pr-17046.html
http://www.kaiserwillys.com/category/willys_warriorcornerplates
http://collinsbros.stores.yahoo.net/alsidplatpai.html $115 (for cj3a … cj3b not mentioned)
BEST PRICE: http://www.central4wd.com/inventorydetail.aspx?page=id|9288;folder|5701
Here are corner options for corner plates:
http://www.central4wd.com/inventorydetail.aspx?page=id|9269;folder|5709
http://www.kaiserwillys.com/product/1830/willys_warriorcornerplates
BEST PRICE I FOUND: http://collinsbros.stores.yahoo.net/alcorguar.html $109.95
USED: http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/pts/1338556016.html
Used Jeep Junkyards (maybe they have some):
http://collinsbros.stores.yahoo.net/usedjeepparts.html (Wylie, Tx)
http://www.jwjeep.com/ (Antelope, CA)
http://jeeprepublic.com/ (Englewood, CO)
http://www.ewillys.com/?p=5067 (Kingston NY)
Working with Diamond Plating:
http://www.quadratecforum.com/showthread.php?t=72275
How to Polish Aluminum Diamond Plating (Something I didn’t know)
http://www.ehow.com/how_4556441_polish-aluminum-diamond-plating-mothers.html
Builds: Jim is at it again with the CJ-3A
UPDATE: Here’s the ebay listing.
Here’s another great, efficient makeover by Boswell International (catchy, isn’t it?). Jim ought to have this on ebay in the next couple of days.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Builds: Dan updates us on his Grandfather’s Jeep
This is a continuing series on Dan’s efforts to rebuild his Grandfather’s jeep. Here’s the previous post. [Editor’s note – that looks like a steal at $100. Running and complete!]
Dan writes, “Sometime in the 1960’s my grandfather’s friend purchased a new Jeep and immediately swapped out the little four banger for a V8. My grandfather bought the new (at the time) 134 F head from his friend and installed it in his own 1955 CJ5 replacing the tired original 134. Over the years this second engine was rebuilt three or four times.
At one point in time my grandfather had a V6 of some kind sitting in the garage that was supposed to go into the Jeep. Unfortunately when he made the move from Colorado to Washington State, the V6 was left behind.
Today I just came home with an engine for the old CJ5. It’s a Kaiser odd-fire Dauntless V6. I found it behind a barn in a Jeepster C101 sporting a Volkswagen Bug body. (It was the ugliest “Jeep” I have ever seen). But the engine was still in tact and was running when parked. I made the guy an offer for $100. He pulled the engine and had it sitting on a pallet for me the next week. I took home everything from the radiator to the bell housing. He wanted the transmission which is fine with me. Someone had painted the valve covers red but you can see the original paint underneath. There was a power steering pump scabbed on which I will remove since I have a manual Saginaw box. It will be nice to breath the life into the CJ5 that my grandfather had wanted.
Originally, I had responded to a Craigslist add for a set of fenders. As it turned out I came home with a set of front fenders, a nice Koenig steel hard top model 550, and a Dauntless V6. He still has a Koenig PTO winch that I’m drooling over, but they don’t fit too well next to a Saginaw box.
I have attached a few pictures of the V6. In one of them you can catch a glimpse of the old CJ5 in the garage.
Not 1, but 2 lego flatties **SOLD**
UPDATE: The winning bid price on this was $100. The seller also sold this military bi-level with tiger tank for $285. It seems the seller knows what he/she is doing.
Ok. Really. I know these are from Boise, but I swear I’m not selling them. The current bid of $57 would buy a lot of legos, wouldn’t it? Seriously, the seller notes the “front window frames bend down for low clearance “… like this is a serious issue in a Lego Jeep? Oh no, we are approaching a low Lego tree!! What will we do? Quick, lower that window frame!!!
“Lego custom military flatbed with a set of two Willys Jeeps. Willy Jeeps feature center mount machine gun, rear side packs, side mounted shovel and axe, rear full size spare tire and extra gas can on tail gate. The inside of the Jeeps have room for two soldiers up front as well as room for ammo canisters or soldiers in the rear. Front window frames can be bent down for low clearance terrain…”
Camping in Style – Super Cool Truck
Jim found this super cool truck. You could probably even get some long ramps and park your jeep on top of it — if you are brave.
The White Mice
This excerpt is from an article title White Mice, which is about policing European highways during and after the war. Included is a MB painted in the distinctive colors: White vehicle with a black hood. If you go to the website article, you will see a variety of cars with this motif. This would make an unusual restoration project.
“The 62nd Military Police Company was created on November 30, 1943 and activated in North Africa a day later. Originally, it was a standard combat MP unit, and participated in the campaigns in France, the Rhineland and Ardennes-Alsace. Following the end of the war, the unit was reorganized twice, first as the 62nd Military Police Service Company in June 1948 and then as the 62nd Military Police Highway Patrol Company on September 20, 1951, when it was reattached to the regular Army forces occupying American Zone of Germany.
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Unlike standard military police units, the Highway Patrol was created not only to enforce laws and regulations, but to handle other duties typically handled by civilian police agencies. These included assisting motorists and promoting traffic safety. On a given day, a trooper might work traffic, investigate a crime, or perform escort duty for a convoy. Or all three, just like his civilian counterpart.”
1946 VEC CJ-2A Vista, Ca **SOLD**
UPDATE: This seller also restored this CJ-2A with a similar theme.
A well executed and creative build. These are exactly the kinds of non traditional restorations I’d like to see more of that properly record the wide and varied deployment of the jeep.
The builder/seller writes, “1946 Willys V.E.C. CJ2A #14, 422 – County Sheriff Patrol Jeep: I’m relisting this beautiful Willys with a lower reserve. However, don’t make the mistake of believing that I’m giving it away! I just recognize that the market is soft right now. I know what I have put into this restoration. This is my fourth and final restoration of a 1946 Willys Civilian Jeep (CJ) 2A.
I became interested in the 1946 CJ-2A because it was the first production 4 wheel drive vehicle available to the public and is the grandfather of all modern SUVs. This particular CJ-2A restored as a Sheriff Patrol Jeep was restored as a tribute to my own Grandfather who was a deputy sheriff in Southern California during the 1940’s and early 1950’s. This CJ-2A is a faithful restoration of the type patrol vehicle that may have been used by the sheriff in the California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona back-country. The Federal siren and all Unity lights are period vintage police equipment. The STOP light on the left front fender is a vintage Griffin model used by Military Police on jeeps during the Second World War.
Broken Down Heroes
I discovered recently that an eWillys’ reader named Bob has created an ongoing photo essay on junked cars from America’s past called Broken Down Heroes. For me, the black and while photos capture a sadness, a silence of vehicles trapped and forgotten as trees, bushes and grass slowly overtake and swallow them whole. Great work! Here’s a couple photos.
Builds: Chris’ Great Grandfather’s Jeep
Chris is a 15 year old who wrote to me last week about a wiring question. Since then, he and I have been working through some wiring and brake drum issues. Here’s a little bit about his jeep and some pics.
Chris writes, “It’s a 1947 cj2a mostly stock, with a few mods. It’s got the stock engine and 6 volt wiring (I want to update it to 12 volt). I got it last summer from my grandpa down in oregon. He had picked it up in a field in Idaho (I think Emmet). Thats supposedly where my great grandapa had parked it after he used it on his cattle ranch since it was new. It sat there for about 20 to 25 years. At some point somebody took all of the brake lines, the master cylinder, and the brake pedal (but my grandpa found me a new pedal). The picture of the engine is when i dropped the transmission to put in a new cluch fork (you can see the old one on the radiator).”
Website: Classic Military Automotive
Here’s a recently launched website that focuses on military vehicles called Classic Military Automotive. The site also has a classified section.
According to the website, “Classic Military Automotive specializes in the sales, restoration and maintenance of 1941 to 1954 military jeeps and light weight trucks. We are located in the Sonoma County Wine Country of the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Our customer base is primarily in California though we have sold vehicles to customers from all over the USA and abroad. We are experienced in complete frame-off restoration down to minor maintenance. If you have any questions, or other needs, don’t hesitate to e-mail us at gpajeep@yahoo.com or call Terry at (707) 542-4353.”
Very unusual Flat Fender Ottawa, Ontario, Canada **Status Unknown**
UPDATE: The status of this is unknown.
This is an extremely unusual flattie. The seller provides a great deal of info about it. It’s been featured in various magazines.
“1946 “Willys” Jeep CJ-2. The “Jeepilac” as it is known (Jeep with a Cadillac engine) was professionally built by Johnson Welding Works. They are a local shop and are very well known in the area for building high quality street rods using top quality parts with attention to detail and safety. It has 2,700 miles since the build …. ”
This vehicle was also featured in the movie “Smash Cut“.
Year Specific MB & GPW Sites
I found a website called 1943MB.com the other day and thought that it had some useful information. I didn’t realize it until now, but there’s a list of similar sites. While they look similar, they appear to have at least some different information (I didn’t investigate too closely). For example, the 1941MB.com site has a link to a slat grille rebuild.
- http://www.1941mb.com
- http://www.1942MB.com
- http://www.1943MB.com
- http://www.1944MB.com
- http://www.1945MB.com
- http://www.1942GPW.com
- http://www.1943GPW.com
- http://www.1944GPW.com
- http://www.1945GPW.com
One cool feature is the Napa Online Website Link for parts. Here’s a snapshot of it below.
Life Magazine Photo — Oops
“I kept telling Larry, take the stairs, take the stairs! But no, he had to show off!”
I just love these old pics!
Life Magazine Photos — Scotch Tape
Ever gotten stuck? Who needs a chain when you got Scotch Tape! There’s plenty more photos from this very obvious photo op.
A large number of Jeep Brochures
Jim sent this my direction. Theres a number of varying Willys and Jeep brochures from early years up to today.
Some examples below
A great plug for Dataplates4U.com
Our intrepid Afghan Bureau Chief, Buck, has safely returned from his all-expenses paid stay in Afghanistan, courtesy of the Federal Government. He’s jumped back into his restoration project and had this positive report to file about his experience with Dataplates4U.com experience.
Buck writes, “I am nearing the end of my jeep restoration and was in need of data plates for the jeep. I had only the original patents plate left because all the others were long lost in the annals of time so replacements were required. I began the research and started talking with Robert at Dataplates4u.com (a small business in the Netherlands). Luckily the serial number was still readable so I was able to have him stamp the appropriate information onto the plates. Everything is dead-nuts accurate down to the fasteners and the font on the stamping. Take a look, the man does outstanding work and reasonable as well…I paid $156 USD for all four plates, stamping, fasteners, and shipping from Holland. As you can tell there is no way I can be disappointed with the result.”
Website: Updated CJ-2A.com
A Quick Clarification: This post relates to the CJ-2A.com site and not thecj2apage.com. Both great sites. Thanks for reminder Sean!
Sometimes I don’t get out and check out other jeeps sites often enough. So, I was browsing a bit today and dropped by the CJ-2A.com, which now has a new format.
One of the coolest new tools is the CJ-2A parts list and manual. The tool allows you to browse through and find lists and manual excerpts. So, if you don’t have a manual handy, I think you’ll find this really helpful.
Builds — More pics from Gerald
Here’s some more pics from Gerald.
“Here’s a picture of me with the same tires back in 83. Taking the turn hard in our 46 2A.”
I have several sets of wheels and tires. Guess they are kind of like shoes. 225 75 15 mud and snow on CJ steel rims on my 3B before green paint next to my brother’s M-38.
Here’s the CJ-3B with 700 16 Non Directional military tread on 4.5 x 16 rims
LT 245 75 16 All Terrain on black spoke wheel 16 x 7, good tires but heavy,
700 x 15 bias ply Good Year work horse on old split rims with tubes, great snow plow tire for chains and drag racing,
33 12 15 bias all terain tires on 8 1/2 x 15 steel wheels I love these rims but the tires are just too big.
Finally my new set of mini terras. I have a couple more combos I would like to try but they will have to wait.
My Rebuild: Creating the Transmission Cover
Another of the projects I was putting off was the creation of a transmission cover. It’s really nice to be crossing these small projects off the project list. It’s not a thing of beauty, but it will do for now.
It turns out that the bad hood I had from one of the jeeps I purchased has been a great source of foldable, flat steel. So, I used a chunk of it to fold together a cover.
Before doing any cutting, I used some cardboard pieces to create a mockup. Here’s a look at most of the pieces in place (I actually had more, but removed them, then realized I hadn’t taken a pic, so I threw a few of them back on ..)
Here’s a pic of the flat steel from the hood:
Next, I drew some basic lines that I used as an outline for cutting and bending the piece. Then, I used a cutting wheel to create a rough cutout of what I wanted. Boy I wish I had had a cutting wheel for my first jeep! That little 4.5″ cutting wheel has been invaluable.
Once I did a rough cut, I made an initial bend (note the clean working space .. lol):
Because of the odd and curved shapes, I cut a little, tested it, cut a little and tested it again. Once I was convinced it would work, I sanded it down and made some additional folds:
After testing it some more, I made the last fold and riveted it in place.
With it finished, I drilled the holes necessary to mount the rubber boot on top and to attach the cover to the body.
All that was left to do was to paint the piece with Herculiner to match the body floor. By this morning the paint was dry, so I installed the cover:
And, from the other side:
Once I grab a rubber dual boot for the transfer case shifter (if any one has one of these, I’m open to a trade or cash!), I’ll create a small piece to complete the cover.
Wayback Machine: Old Jeeping Photos from late 70s
Here’s some great old photographs from the 1970s. They document some of the events attended by the Good Time Four Wheelers. The image below was from the 3rd Annual Green River Valley Jeepers in 1976. I attended one of their playdays in 1981 (I think). It was located between Black Diamond and Enumclaw; I wouldn’t be surprised if the area is full of homes now.
I’m suprised that as late as ’76 they weren’t requiring cages to race. It wouldn’t be too long before they were required. View all the pics (lots of desert dogs) at the pnw4wda forum.
M-38 Pilot models from the CJ-3A info site
Bob Westerman has written a detailed overview of the M-38 pilot models.
From the website, Bob writes: “NEW: 1/1/2009 In the time since this web-page was published some new photos of the Pilot Models have surfaced. The photos reveal that the pilot models were in a constant state of change as different features were implemented and tested. The new information shows that some previous assumptions are no longer valid. See the MVPA’s magazine Army Motors #126 for the latest information.”
Visit the CJ-3A.Info website to learn more about the M-38 Pilot model history.