1960 DJ3A Resto with my 18 year old son

[BeninCT]

4001901E-B685-4CAE-9032-D01178011594.jpg

We truly need gmwillys to jump in here and see what he thinks.

I am going to say you have a 2A or 3A frame that someone put a body on. The confusing thing is the comments on the bell crank. On the very early jeep, the bell crank was on the axle. On the later models the bell crank was moved to the round cross member you mentioned. That almost makes me think it is a newer Military frame (the rear gas can mounts make me think military) because of the bell crank mount on the round cross member. I cannot see if it has the machine gun mount which would distinguish it from the civilian frame The front axle on the other hand has to be something early like an MB or very early 2A to have the bell crank on it.

Here is a clear shot of the frame and if I recall correctly the machine gun mount was a steel circle in the middle of the frame which I don’t have but please confirm. Fuel tank under the rear floor where the 3A frame had angled braces to me says DJ but like u said the front axle is confusing. NEed a little help!

[51 CJ3]

I don’t know much about CJs and less about DJs but, isn’t the left front engine mount further forward on a CJ3A than a CJ2A? I know the engine mount bracket is reversed on the CJ3A engine to provide fuel pump clearance.

[bmorgil]

That is an indicator for sure Jeff, However that change was kind of filtered in. There are a few 3A's running around that came from the factory in early production with a 3A frame and an adapter at the engine mount, as Willys used up old 2A and Truck motor inventory.

Check this factory flyer out. It looks like yours especially the top. This is advertising for the 2 wheel drive DJ-3A Dispatcher. The 4 wheel drive farm was intended to compete with farm tractors, and I think they were all CJ's not DJ's. It looks like the 2 wheel drive was after the passenger/delivery market. If yours was a 2 wheel drive originally, they did move the gas tank. The bell crank would have to be on the cross member because there was no front axle in a DJ.

[BeninCT]

That is how it is set up- yes.

[bmorgil]

I think you have a DJ tub on a DJ frame. I think someone got a hold of an old jeep power train and stuck it underneath a genuine DJ. A very rare Jeep to say the least! I would be tempted to try to return it to that status. It would be fairly easy using the surplus of 2 wheel drive postal Jeeps out there. The stopper is the transmission. The two wheel drive transmission could be near impossible to find. The rear tail shaft on the transmission is different because there was no transfer case. The postal jeeps are typically all column shifted and usually right hand steer. There are some left hands out there but, they are rare. Does your steering column look like it used to have a shifter or was it originally a floor shift?

You have a real interesting find no question.

[LarrBeard]

We love mysteries here...

[BeninCT]

We love mysteries here...

Me too- I want to purchase a bunch of parts for steering, suspension but waiting to see what the group thinks I have. I think the 3A parts will work for my steering, brakes, axles but need to be sure obv.

[gmwillys]

What we have here is a conglomeration of a lot of different Jeeps. The front axle is from an MB, or WWII Jeep due to the steering bell crank being mounted to the axle. The frame looks to be a CJ 3A 4X4, with how the front frame horns step up on the top frame, and the lack of crossmember brackets. You are correct that the military frames did have the provision for a machine gun mount, to which your frame does not have, (it would have been welded onto the most forward rear crossmember to be placed in the center of the rear cargo floor. The top is an option, (dealer installed) but the rocker panels being cut on your DJ body was done after purchase, or so I thought. The last link at the bottom shoes what appears to be a factory DJ with the same door modifications that look original. Another feature that says that your tub is a DJ is the round speedometer with integrated oil and water gages.

The photos are 1) An M38A1 frame with the squared machine gun mount affixed to the crossmember. The earlier ones were round. 2) This is an late CJ2A or early CJ3A frame that has the engine mounts directly across from one another. 3) another shot of the previously mentioned frame, just more of the rear hitch. 4) This is an M38 frame that had the machine gun mount removed before I purchased it.

DJ example links;

http://www.ewillys.com/2022/06/23/19...anson-mo-3500/

http://www.ewillys.com/2018/06/19/19...unty-ca-12500/

http://www.ewillys.com/2010/06/08/19...rings-wv-ebay/

[bmorgil]

I knew gm would get in here and straighten things out! The rear axle is also out of an old Jeep, most likely the rear axle, front axle, transfer case, and driveshaft all came out of the same MB or WWII era Jeep.

I am looking at some of the pictures in the Galley and I am wondering if someone didn't take a left hand steer Postal Jeep (they are DJ's) and set it on a MB or WWII Jeep power train. It looks like it was painted white at sometime in its life. The door opening is the same and it sure looks like the same top. The picture below is a right hand drive. I have read that left hand drives are also out there.

This is interesting:
http://www.ewillys.com/2017/01/16/19...ep-dispatcher/

[BeninCT]

I have read that link- I think the drivetrain will tell the tale. Jeep was originally white like this picture- 4466B80D-895C-4774-BA42-457ABE1CB147.jpg

I hope I am not breaking any hearts here but I am not going to re-use that top. We are headed towards a “resto mod” rather than a factory original restoration so that top is up for grabs if anyone wants it (Free). I have a plow for the jeep as well if anyone is interested. Let me know I can post pictures.