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Thread: CJ-3A First Willys

  1. #61
    Super Moderator gmwillys's Avatar
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    Reproduction parts and complete bodies are a sore spot for many restorations. Not just in the Heep world but in others. Several years back I was working on my Chevelle project, and was following an outfit that was making complete body kits for Cameros. At the time, they rolled out the kit, it was rumored that the Chevelle kits weren't far behind. After watching a few shows that presented the cons and a few pros to dropping $12,000 for the kit. Nothing fit correctly. The kits had to be taken down and fixed before anything else could be done. The body kits were made somewhere in Asia, and maybe next to the Juan factory.

  2. #62
    Super Moderator LarrBeard's Avatar
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    Your decision to go find someone who knew what he was doing and get things done correctly instead of "Bubba-ing" and butchering it wasn't chickening out - it was a really wise decision. As Clint Eastwood, another crusty old geezer once said; "A man's got to know his limitations". A saying worth remembering.

    OK, it cost you some money, but it's done right and every time you decide to lower the windshield, step on the starter or look at the high beam indicator, you're not going to mumble and cuss to yourself about how it isn't right! (And even loading it up and hauling it to the body shop - you probably spent fewer calendar days getting it fixed than if you had kept on trying it yourself).

    I like the deep green - definitely not OD or CARG, but a solid respectable Jeep color. Jeeps just should NEVER be Poison Lime Green or Hello Kitty Pink like some of the new little SUV's.!

  3. #63
    Super Moderator bmorgil's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LarrBeard View Post
    "A man's got to know his limitations". A saying worth remembering.
    My all time favorite Eastwood Dirty Harry quote! It was written by John Frederick Milius, the writer who brought us Apocalypse Now.

    Yes LarrBeard the feeling of cowardice faded quickly, when in a few hours it looked great! I was able to correct everything, but that windshield and delicate tin work around the firewall, I don't have the expertise. I know more now. I might try it my self next time. Whoops... can't let the little misses hear "next time"!

    You are absolutely right, I would have thought about every mistake every time I looked at it.

    gmwillys I couldn't imagine shelling out $12,000 in several years back cash value (3% inflation), and having it not be perfect. Man that would hurt. I really can't complain. Taking your story and several from the early 2000's on Juan Tubs, I didn't have to do much. I think it looks pretty original. We will see in August! There will be a lot of originals bodies to compare it to in the Toledo parade (If I "git er done").

  4. #64
    Super Moderator bmorgil's Avatar
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    Windshield piviot size help!

    Well this saga goes on. Windshield is all fitted up nice and we are having trouble getting the latches to hook. They just don't go up far enough. The next thing is a big question for you all. How sloppy is the fit between the hole in the windshield arm and the pilot on the pivot bolt? I have new stainless pivot bolts. They are smaller by a good 1/16" than the hole in the windshield. It makes for a sloppy fit. Is this the way it is? The body shop boy's are unhappy with it. These are show car guy's however. I did have to dial them down from custom mixed 15 coat see through pearl essence.

    What do you all think? Are the pivot bolts that sloppy?

  5. #65
    Super Moderator gmwillys's Avatar
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    Not 1/16" sloppy. The well used and abused '46 we have, with the original rusted out windshield is tighter than that, at about 2 to 4/32". It's a pain to try and balance the windshield while trying to start the bolt in the caged nut.

  6. #66
    Super Moderator bmorgil's Avatar
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    Dang it! This will be a pain to fix.

  7. #67
    Senior Member TJones's Avatar
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    Bmorgil,
    I bought the same nuts for mine from KW’s and I had the same problem until I got the windshield PCed and now it fits tight. I’m not sure about the size but I think their 9/16 and I bought SS washers to fit over the shoulder of the bolt and maybe even put one on the inside and it will tighten up pretty good on the windshield arms.
    I even bought some sticky one side 1” x 3/4” weather stripping and put it on the bottom edge of the windshield frame where it sits on the cowl and it helped tighten everything up as well.

  8. #68
    Super Moderator bmorgil's Avatar
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    The hole in the frame is much larger than the pivot. The windshield kind of flops around on them. I bought the type with the wing nut just to try a different type. The threads on my stainless ones didn't get any lube and the stainless galled up. What a mess! Well I'll see if the wing nuts fit any better. I also bought washers for the inside and out. The first thing that happened was the windshield dug right into the nut when the frame pivoted. So new frame mounts and new pivot bolts and we will try this again.

  9. #69
    Senior Member TJones's Avatar
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    Yes I had the same thing happen.
    I welded fine thread nuts on the back of the bracket and had them PCed, then I started trying to get the windshield fitted and low and behold some idiot forgot to Never-Seeze the stainless pivot bolt and it galled together.
    My mentor that’s been helping has told me.....at least a dozen times ALWAYS Never-Seeze stainless. It’s not as bad with stainless bolt and nut verses stainless bolt and non-stainless nut.
    So back to unbolting the bracket,take a dremel with a cutting wheel, split the nut, weld on another and send it out to get re-PCed. Oh and order another pivot nut from KW only to find out you can only order them by the pair.
    I’m my worst enemy!!!!
    P.S. Always Use NS on stainless bolts/nuts

  10. #70
    Super Moderator bmorgil's Avatar
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    Oh man! You would be shocked at how many people don't realize that under high pressure loads, stainless will "gall". Literally weld itself together. This mistake is the worst there is. The fastener fails exactly in the mode you are trying to prevent. It seizes up much tighter than a rusted bolt and nut. Once it galls up and stops turning its over. Now you will have to cut it off or, break it. Sometimes I wonder if using stainless is worth the trouble! I am using it everywhere grade 8 isn't required. I like the way they look and, they don't rust up and stain the paint.

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