GPW Serial #23254 Script tub restoration

[RoyWainscott]

Greetings G503 community! I'm starting this thread to document the restoration of my recently acquired GPW.

A little background: I've been building and restoring autos and motorcycles for the last 20 years or so. After getting an old '51 Willys Truck with its original 134 F head going again over the past few months, I realized I had been bitten by the jeep bug. Who doesn't grow up playing GI Joe and not want the grandfather of them all? Which led to the purchase of a 1942 GPW.

As the title says, it's S/N 23254. It's got plenty of "character" and by that I mean rust and dents. The floors are shot, the toolboxes are rusted out, and the rear panel is probably 25%Swiss cheese but the Ford logo embossing is worth saving in my opinion.

The motors number does not match and the center data plate on the glove box door is AWOL. But i feel pretty confident that the frame and tub go together.
Motor # 275383

I've done sheet metal repair and frame fab, so even though this might be the most extensive repair on a body I've completed, I feel like I can handle it with the quality repair panels available.

Otherwise I'll be looking for a few of the missing items: namely Drivers seat and rear seat. Under the hood it had a 12v modern alternator so ill be sourcing a generator and regulator as well.

Any and all info and opinions are welcome! I really do appreciate the accumulated knowledge collected herein!

One of the things I'd like to know is the assembly plant. I was born in Louisville KY and I'd love it if this old soldier was too.

Pics coming!

[RoyWainscott]

Here's some pics of the project when it arrived and some details of part markings.

[70th Division]

Hello Roy,

Welcome to the G !!!!

Your jeep looks like a great restoration project !!
With your experience the jeep is in good hands !
I am restoring a 43 GPW currently,
and it is a rewarding effort, and a lot of fun !!

Looking at what you have for the body, I think your front floor repair will be pretty good.
The transmission hump you have looks great.
You can order a new US made floor insert, that can be welded to the hump.
Ron F has them, and they are made by Midwest Military.
They also have new US made rear floors as well that will fit in perfectly.
Ron also has the new F marked rear seats available.
He also has in stock the correct small mouth, F marked fuel tank too.

I don't think that anyone makes Ford front seats.
You can locate them here on the G, or watch ebay, etc.
Ron carries the full line if great Joe's Motor Pool parts.
You can also watch G503 TV on YouTube, that Ron and Scott have been doing a great job explaining installation of parts.

It will be great following your restoration !!!

I believe you can save your rear panel, it is a lot better than adding a replacement one.

I would recommend to make things way easier ...... get a small spotwelder, with at least 12 inch tongs. Get a 110 Volt unit you can plug in a regular plug.

That tool can be used to spot weld in a new rear floor in short order !
It will also be able to attach the outer edges of your front floor insert to the bottom of the side walls as well.

Also you can use it to spot weld in new tool box bottoms as well.
You will still need some traditional welding on these parts but the spot welder will do about 90 percent or more !!
A spot welder is a must, I have one and highly recommend it .
Also get a good selection of welding clamps to clamp the new parts really right to the original steel where you will spot the new floor pans in. Also be sure they are bare, clean metal.

Harbor Freight has the best, and most affordable , welding clamps I have found.
They are made in Taiwan, not China, and are very high quality.
Bremen is the brand name.
I got the long clamps, regular, and some very small ones.

The frame issue can be welded up and repaired as well .

Please post some more pics !!!

If you had a data plate on the dash, and it had a 1/4 T stamped on it, it would be a Louisville, GPW
Hopefully someone will be able to figure out your factory based on the frame number.
Tom is the person that would know, but is on Facebook, which I don't have.
He is the foremost GPW expert in the known world .


An excellent project !!!

You can take a look at my 1943 GPW project in the Original Unrestored Jeep section.
I put it there before this category was recently made available


Best Regards
Ray

[70th Division]

Hello Roy,


Now with that said, there is another option to repair your floors.

If there is still enough decent steel, you can cut out patches of 18 gauge steel, and weld them in to repair the existing floors.

I have done that, and it has come out well.
The hat channels under the tub, may or may not be repairable. They can be replaced or if in good shape patched up.

You can carefully trim the floor rot from the top, be careful to not cut past the width of the hat channel tabs that you will be able to weld the patch onto from above.


Get all the Bubba stuff removed.

It looks like you cleaned up the front frame rails already !
You "may" be able to weld that spring hanger back into place.
Get it clamped into position, and get a good penetrating weld bead.
It may work, and if it does, that would be great !!

I am welding my frame now, and actually think it is coming out good, and will be rock solid.

Other will be able to give better input if they have repaired their cracked frames.

I am doing it for the first time, but all is going well !!!


Also crusty fenders can be restored pretty nicely as well !!


Looking forward to more pics!!

Best Regards,
Ray

[RoyWainscott]

Thanks for all the advice Ray. I've definitely been checking out all those resources you mentioned! Ron is about 6 hours from me so I'm going to make a trip up there soon and buy all the big parts for the tub. To describe the extent of the rot: it has eaten all the hat channels, even if front of the firewall, center riser, most of the front floor and sump area is gone. I'm finding more old repairs in the tub exterior that have to come out, but pretty much anything in and around the toolbox area is nearly gone. But no worries, 2 wheel well/tool box assemblies will take care of that. Center riser support, front floor, rear floor, firewall gussets etc will fill out the rest.

I'm plugging along, sandblasting parts,, removed the engine, pulled everything inside the shop and started cutting a frame to help support the tub sides when I cut out the floors.

I've mocked up the bumper to get an idea and have the rest of the hardware coming including 2 frame horns and shackle hangers. That whole area is so cracked and rotten that I'll just get it cut away at an angle and replace the horns and then rivet the shackle hangers and bumper brackets back on the frame. I'll get the rest of the running gear and springs off, basically strip the frame and perform the work then when I can ensure the frame can remain square and level.

Anyway, here's some pics!

[RoyWainscott]

Oh, I luckily got my inner windshield frame removed without damaging anything on the outer frame channel it slides into, but the inner frame ist Kaput! I'm just glad the outer frame is straight and mostly intact. I haven't found an F on it yet. It has the indent near the top to slide the windshield in from the side and no vacuum tubing. Are their any other identifying characteristics to look for in an early windshield, if any? I also have one with steel vacuum tubing along the edge and down to the mounting bracket.

[YLG80]

One of the things I'd like to know is the assembly plant. I was born in Louisville KY and I'd love it if this old soldier was too.

Pics coming!

You frame serial number is also a manufacturing plant signature, and to me, your jeep was issued from the Dallas plant.
It the same serial on my Dallas frame GPW<->xxxxxx [star]

But to be sure you should ask to Tom on his facebook page “ Military Vehicles by the Numbers”
Yves

[70th Division]

Hello Roy,

Wow you take action !!!
That is fantastic work you are doing with a beautiful workshop!

I will get you a picture of my early windshield later today and post it here for you.

What I have discovered is that on the early Ford windshields, there is a script "Ford" stamped into the left side "upper" bottom tube, facing the driver.
So look at the lower left inner side of the windshield upper tube. There may be Ford stamped there.
However it is very small, and if painted can be hidden.
A good way to find it is to rub your finger along the tube, and feel for a little indent, like a ding.
That would be what you are looking for

Keep up your great work !!!

Best Regards,
Ray

[nikola_n]

gpw 23254 assembly plant Louisville,Ky!

[RoyWainscott]

Wow guys, thanks for all the replies! Yves, your stamping layout looks just the same, but Nikola, you say Louisville and I'm wondering why? I don't have Facebook, can I find Tom on here as well?

More progress, disassembly is clipping right along.

I just got the final pieces for the bumper assembly so I mocked it all up to get a good idea what I'm working with. I should be able to get this area of the frame tackled over the weekend and probably get the axles broken down.

[YLG80]

Wow guys, thanks for all the replies! Yves, your stamping layout looks just the same, but Nikola, you say Louisville and I'm wondering why? I don't have Facebook, can I find Tom on here as well?

More progress, disassembly is clipping right along. 20210903_202805.jpg20210903_202845.jpg

I just got the final pieces for the bumper assembly so I mocked it all up to get a good idea what I'm working with. I should be able to get this area of the frame tackled over the weekend and probably get the axles broken down.

Nikola wrote that likely because your serial number was stamped on the engine support, not directly on the frame rail.
Tom has written in the past that stamping the s/n on the engine support was only done in Louisville.
Yves

[YLG80]

Wow guys, thanks for all the replies! Yves, your stamping layout looks just the same, but Nikola, you say Louisville and I'm wondering why? I don't have Facebook, can I find Tom on here as well?

More progress, disassembly is clipping right along. 20210903_202805.jpg20210903_202845.jpg

I just got the final pieces for the bumper assembly so I mocked it all up to get a good idea what I'm working with. I should be able to get this area of the frame tackled over the weekend and probably get the axles broken down.

Nikola wrote that likely because your serial number was stamped on the engine support, not directly on the frame rail.
Tom has written in the past that stamping the s/n on the engine support was only done in Louisville.
Nikola will likely confirm.
Yves
[/quote]

[RoyWainscott]

Tom has written in the past that stamping the s/n on the engine support was only done in Louisville.
Nikola will likely confirm.
Yves
[/quote]
[/quote]

Ok, thanks, thats great news if accurate! What 8s Tom's handle on the G?

[YLG80]

Tom has written in the past that stamping the s/n on the engine support was only done in Louisville.
Nikola will likely confirm.
Yves

Ok, thanks, thats great news if accurate! What 8s Tom's handle on the G?

Unfortunately Tom was banned from G503?
Yves

[nikola_n]

The answer... place of marking, until early June 1942, only for assembly plant Louisville,Ky.