Hello, i have recently purchased my first project car. i found it in a local newspaper ad, and picked it up a couple months ago. it is a 1956 willys cj5, all stock drivetrain f4-134 hurricane, T90, Dana 18. I've already made some progress. When I got it the wiring was completely junk. Only one running light worked and it would turn on and off randomly and sparks came from the dash. It would also start and run with the key off so i'd have to disconnect the battery to kill the engine. So first i removed the dash and ripped out every wire then got a universal harness/fuse block. I have it installed and ignition wires done. There are also no brakes. Theres only drums in the rear and one of which has a 2 inch long cut in it from an angle grinder. Both are gouged to much to get resurfaced. Also missing wheel cylinders and the lining on the shoes is completly gone. The gas tank is missing, previous owner ziptied a plastic lawnmower tank to the ebrake cable on firewall. Only a few inches from the exhaust, nothing unsafe there. The body is extremely rusty, floors are gone. And the passenger side only has one body mount thats strong. Now on to the good stuff. The drivetrain is complete and runs amazingly. even in below freezing temps it only cranks for a second then fires and runs beautifully. The transmission shifts super smooth and the detents are still strong, feels like brand new. At first the oil was turning white and frothy. Theres no other signs of a blown headgasket. has good compresion and never smokes. It also had sat almost a year without being run before I got it. So I changed the oil, got a new filter and put in non detergent oil (it had reguler oil before.) and then drove it around the yard for over 2 hours and got it up to temperature. Probably the first time in many years it was run for more than a few minutes. Now everytime i run it the oil is still clean. I also got an original Jeep hardtop and doors from a 64 model. The top is in great shape, passenger door is good but drivers is missing glass and inner panel. My plan right now is to make everything mechanically reliable. I'll probably leave the body how it is for now, just patch the rust so it's safe. My goal is to have it at the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival this June, then make it roadworthy for when I get my drivers license in a couple years. Any help and advice is greatly appreciated. I also have a YouTube channel @jacobnovosel so please go check that out to see videos of the jeep. Looking forward to many awesome adventure with my jeep. Thanks Jacob.
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