New and happy to meet everyone

Hey everyone I'm Dustin I live in central California and we have a willys jeep that's been in the family since the 60s it was my grandfather's and my mom drove it around when she was 9 and can tell u how every scratch and dent got there my grandfather passed 3 years ago so we took the jeep home finally last week I think it's a 1953 cj-3b with huracan engine. Have new rebuilt one ready for it but my mom gave it to me to restore and the family to keep having fun with. Just wanted to see what u guys think I'm not a vary smart man when it comes to willys just yet I know u guys are gonna be the smartest people to talk to. Going to start making a list Thursday. And clean it up ive built a few mopars 71 roadrunner and street rods my whole life so I'm VARY EXCITED to start this one so I can get away from people and do so fishing and hunting in.

Welcome Dustin! We are happy to have you on board.

If you can handle building street rods and a Roadrunner, you'll have no problem figuring out your 3B. They are pretty basic machines, but do tend to have a stubborn streak from time to time. We will be happy to assist any way we can.

In my opinion, I wouldn't change a thing when it comes to the body. Each scratch and dent tells a family story. Get her up and running, and enjoy it just as it is.

Wow that is a great start Dustin! You truly own the history. I would have Mom walk around it with your video camera in hand, and record its memory. You don't often have that opportunity. Darn clean Jeep there. I like the parking sign.

Hey Dustin,
these guys are smart all right so you are inhabiting the right website. Take your time, do your homework and ask lots of questions.

You've got a whole lot to work with there. And you have a new engine to boot. Depends on how detailed you want to get on the body and paint, now is the time to give it a good going through. The body will come of pretty easily.

Seriously - do have your Mom give you a dent-by-dent tour of the Jeep on video. It will be a very dear family history item and a source of a lot of stories.

Welcome Dustin.
I see you got added, so now those thumbs can get busy!

Ya I should she was just telling me how one of the horses bit one of the windshield bumpers on the hood and she got in trouble by my grandfather cuz she parked it to close to the stalls lol my plan is to make it all original from 1953 and how my grandfather kept it he used it for work around property and to deliver parts and engines and go off roading and snow driving just to get to the store and back it mainly lived in Pollock pines and up hwy 88 and hwy 4 it's been everywhere in these mountains.

Anyone have a willys with the speedo only in kilometers?

Are you saying your speedo reads in kilometers? Or are you looking for one that reads in kilometers?

I just noticed it only reads in kilometers I'm no willy expert but I thought that was different and temp gauge is in celcius just wanted to see if anyone could tell me s that was normal or if it means it came from somewhere else

I'm probably gonna have alot of questions about this jeep cuz I'm a history nut about the old cars and trucks my hole education was helping my grandfather the owner of this jeep build race flatheads and built street rods since I was a boy scrubbing parts with gasoline and a wire brush making 8 dollars an hour i was only 10 lol

Yes only reads in kilometersAttachment 6483Attachment 6483Attachment 6483

Well, I would take a wild guess and say it came from Canada.

Ya I was thinking the same thing kinda cool I guess

I agree with Okiemark on the Jeep coming from Canada. What I find interesting is that there are military black out style marker lights in the grill. Is there any data plates on the dash that would confirm this might have seen government service? CJ3Bs were used around bases for odd jobs for a short time.

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Originally Posted by Dustin

Yes only reads in kilometersAttachment 6483Attachment 6483Attachment 6483

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Were the Australian Jeeps metric as well? I'n surprised the Oil Pressure gauge wasn't in KPa or Bar units.

(Another page to add to the book of "Don't say Willys never ... .")

No paint on that oil gauge.

I think okiemark spotted it. The Stewart Warner gauges are replacements. Does the serial number hold any clues?

https://willysjeepforum.kaiserwillys...res-amp-Models

Great looking Jeep! Looking forward to the progress. That horse eating a wiper story also applies to mules, btw. Love the idea of an heirloom's Jeep tour!

I had goats eat my pool fence when I was living in Scottsdale. Anything can happen in Arizona.

Well I took the hole day today going threw the willys not as bad as I thought! Some rust under the gas tank after I pulled it out was the worst of it biggest hole is the size of a quarter and some pin holes. No big deal. Got a new tank and sending unit coming. I wanted to get a full wire harness for the jeep do u guys have any recommendations on a brand / kit. There alot out there.

Attachment 6510 this is Attachment 6510the only tag on the keeping still learning how to read all of it but looks like 1953 cj3bif I'm correct..I'm welcome to hear if u guys know anything more about this.

Our dog Diesel, tried to help me pull a new wire for Sarge's taillight. Only problem was, he ran the wrong direction with the spool of wire!

Some builds are just more fun. A whole day? And no pictures? Nothing completely wrong yet?

It was alot of cleaning and shopvac ing. Then wire wheeling the the pressure washer. Not to bad not alot of rot.Attachment 6516 that's under the gas tank driver floor bord. I was surprised.

Gonna have more pictures soon be working alot and looking to buy a house. And with the kids doing school from home my hands always busy.

Looking like a good start. Not very bad at all for under the tank. Definitely a usual bad spot. Start up a restoration thread and take pictures as you go. It is a great way to preserve your restoration.