Features Research Archives

To Top

1946 VEC CJ-2A Vista, Ca **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

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.

1946_cj2a_sheriff_vista

Continue reading

[fb_button]
 
To Top

Broken Down Heroes

• CATEGORIES: Features, Website This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

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.

[fb_button]
 
To Top

Builds: Chris’ Great Grandfather’s Jeep

• CATEGORIES: Builds, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

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).

chris_cj2a_2

chris_cj2a_1

[fb_button]
 
To Top

Website: Classic Military Automotive

• CATEGORIES: Features, Website This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

green_invasion_star_100x100Here’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.”

Visit Classic Military Automotive

[fb_button]
 
To Top

Very unusual Flat Fender Ottawa, Ontario, Canada **Status Unknown**

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, Features, Racing, Unusual • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

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“.

modified_flatfender_ottawa-canada

[fb_button]
 
To Top

Year Specific MB & GPW Sites

• CATEGORIES: Features, GPW (Ford MB), MB, Website This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

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.

One cool feature is the Napa Online Website Link for parts.  Here’s a snapshot of it below.

napa_parts_1943MB_website

[fb_button]
 
To Top

A great plug for Dataplates4U.com

• CATEGORIES: Features, Website This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

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.

dataplate5

dataplate1

dataplate2

dataplate3dataplate4

[fb_button]