What direction to go......

I have had this jeep for about 6 years now. Its been a great little jeep and one of my best finds. I have tinkered with it over the years and am still rebuilding parts when needed. The list is still pretty long and I just don't know what direction to go with the project. I don't really want to get too crazy with it and cut it all up....but I don't want to keep it like it is now either.....



Specs-

1942 Willys MB
Buick 225 V-6, Dual exhaust inside the frame, Datsun radiator, New yorker electric fan.
SM420
Homemade D18 adapter ( 1/2" thick )
Twin stick D18
D44 rear, 4.27 gears, two piece axle, limited slip, small drum brakes.
D25? front, 4.27 gears, repreza style shafts, disc brakes.
15x8" trailer wheels with 2-3" backspacing
32x10.5x15 Swamper TSLs
Power steering conversion with hacked in GM column
Hanging pedal conversion with cable clutch linkage

Its fun like it is...but I just don't know what to do with it....

 

you make me jeleous. Wanna CJ7 for it?? If it were mine I would just leave it as it is or take it back to original. Ive never done anything that isnt reversable to my my vehicles and with it being such an early year I would take it all the way back and keep its originality. But hey to each man his own. I guess it depends on what you want to do and go with it.

 

When I found it most of the changes where already made. All I did was rebuild and improve things as they wore out. It's a little too far gone to take back to original, none of the original drive train stuff was there when I bought it. Even the Dana 18 is out of a CJ5. If I would have to guess about the history I would say most of the drive train came out of an early v-6 CJ5. The front end looks to be a bit of a mutt...bolt on steering arms, center pivot is on the axle tube for the old steering linkage, Reprezza style axle shafts, but it has 4.30-4.27 gears, disc brakes, and very early lockout hubs.

I wish I knew the guys who originally put it together. I bought it from a guy who got it from someone who owed the seller money, and he had bought it from some old lady who's husband had died. I think he was the one who built it originally. Who knows....

 

I understand. BUt what a cool project. So why are you so bored with it? Look at this maybe you could go this route? http://www.jeepingoffroad.com/Madbrit.htm

 

IMO that looks perfect, we need more pics though! Why do you feel like you need to change it?

 

Diesel conversion.
or
Swap in a V-8.
and
Chrome everything in site.

 

yeah put some neons under it,some 20inch wheels and hit the streets!!
haha

 

What an awesome picture.

This jeep has always made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside; not sure why:

 

Is that a repro body? Either way it doesn't look too late to gradually go back to original. What is the serial number of the Jeep?

 

I'll work on finding some more pictures that are out in the wild. I'm usually to busy driving to take too many

The body is original as far as I can tell. I have no idea on the number. The glove box door was missing when I got it. The front frame number was also covered up by the power steering conversion. I had to get an assigned ID/vin number for it when I bought it. The rear of the body tub looks like swiss cheese.....its a total shame. I don't know how much stuff was mounted back there...but dang....there is an extra hundred holes it seems like. Other than the random holes the body is in pretty good shape. There is a little rust hole on the drive side floor by your feet right above the body channel. There is also a pretty good dent in the cowl that I need to work out.

I love Soni's old flatfender. I still have the magazine with the feature in it somewhere. That was one of the coolest flattys......along with Pewe's before it got destroyed. Those guys where my hero's growing up.

I don't think I will ever go bigger than a 34" tire on it. First I have to wear out the 32s first, in a flatty that takes a bit of time! I have my eye on the new 34x10.5 LTBs.

The axles are marginal for the v-6. I would like to upgrade the rear to a full-floater and perhaps a 30 spline locker. I have have most of the part I need for the rear floater conversion other than the axle shafts. I am still trying to figure out something junkyard cool for that. I have been toying around the idea of building a cut down D44 for the front, but in all reality a D30 open knuckle front might be just fine? Having matching front and rear diffs, bearings, etc would be nice though.

When I think about building my ultimate flatty I wouldn't really keep anything out of it, so I might just fix whats wrong and keep loving it like it is. I guess I am just at that tipping point......

 

MB parts are fairly valuable, whatever is still there. I might keep the body and go with a tube frame or shortened CJ-5 frame, with a Dana 30 up front and an offset Dana 44 in the rear. The only reason I mention the frame is that most of these I've seen have had a lot of random welding and repairs to the frame. Keep the V6/SM465/D18 setup. Not raise it much, stay with narrow tires and the flatty stance.

 

If it were my Jeep, I'd probably just do cosmetic things to make it "look" good. I think it's a nice setup with what you have now. Upgrading axles is always a good thing too though. A small diesel would be an interesting project too.

 

Set of steel wheels and NDTs and call it a day.