New guy from South Eastern PA

[MikesRJ]

Howdy all, Mike from South Eastern PA area. Didn't want to be a lurker so thought I'd say hello. Thinking of purchasing a CJ2A for MB conversion and just doing the preliminary pre-learning portion. Not completely new to restoration work, but my experience is rather dated in automotive. Recently I've been doing antique tractors.

1958 Wheel Horse RJ-58
2651 2652

1973 Wheel Horse 10hp 8-Speed
2653 2654

[gmwillys]

The Wheel Horse mowers look great! I really like the '58 with the sickle bar mower up front. Much like your vintage tractors, a Willys is a fairly simple machine. With your experience, you'll go far in a restoration. Let us know if you have any questions, and we will be happy to lend our opinions.

A good source for research is as follows;

http://www.ewillys.com/

http://eastcoastwillys.proboards.com/

[LarrBeard]

Welcome!

As you get into the project, you will find that someone changed something and it's not like the book.

Jeep Rule No. 1: What you see is what you have!

Good luck, post pictures.

[MikesRJ]

Thanks @gmwillys. I'll read through the sites presented, tonight.

[MikesRJ]

Well, yes and no to an extent, @LarrBeard. Being somewhat of an anal retentive purist, what I get which is "wrong" will be what is changed back to the book, in more cases than not. Since I am looking to do a MB2A conversion, I suspect there are going to be many things I won;t be able to get "right", but as near as I can come will suffice. What I'd like to see, as the outcome to this project, is that only a truly MB knowledgeable person would be able to tell the difference. Realizing that the CJ2A frame and parts marking are the dead give-aways, that statement is a long shot for sure.


Welcome!

As you get into the project, you will find that someone changed something and it's not like the book.

Jeep Rule No. 1: What you see is what you have!

Good luck, post pictures.

[gmwillys]

Mike,.
It will be a challenge, but you have a plan. The biggest hurdle will be to replicate the front MB axle. The steering pivot mounts to the axle on the MB, where the 2A mounts to the frame cross member. The MB had a bad habit of brake steering when the binders are applied in hast, then you might end up in the rubarb. The 2A set up is a much better design, but to do an accurate tribute, then that will need to be addressed. The rest of the MB traits will be mostly body work.

LarrBeard is right about the typical Heep salad we usually see when taking on a 70 plus year old Jeep. It is rare to find a survivor that is intact. The military variants were civilianized, loosing the 24 volt goodies, or12 volt in the case of the MB.

[MikesRJ]

After looking at the pro's and con's of the steering options, I am probably going to leave the 2A steering bell-crank mounting alone. The more I read into this, there are several area's I am seriously thinking of applying the 10 ft. rule. LOL


Mike,.
It will be a challenge, but you have a plan. The biggest hurdle will be to replicate the front MB axle. The steering pivot mounts to the axle on the MB, where the 2A mounts to the frame cross member. The MB had a bad habit of brake steering when the binders are applied in hast, then you might end up in the rubarb. The 2A set up is a much better design, but to do an accurate tribute, then that will need to be addressed. The rest of the MB traits will be mostly body work.

LarrBeard is right about the typical Heep salad we usually see when taking on a 70 plus year old Jeep. It is rare to find a survivor that is intact. The military variants were civilianized, loosing the 24 volt goodies, or12 volt in the case of the MB.

[gmwillys]

Mike,

The 10 foot rule will work just fine. The steering attitude is greatly improved in the 2A and later design.

[gmwillys]

Mike,

I came across this listing on ewillys. Might be worth a look, because the GPW(Ford version of the MB) has most of the important pieces there. The lot comes with a ton of parts, and if you played your cards right, you could sell the civilian/extra parts to offset the purchase price and fund your restoration.

http://www.ewillys.com/2018/05/16/1943-mb-many-parts-windsor-ny-6200/