Thanks for the slat Pop!

[jsebik]

1-15-42 slat, war surplus '45, used and much abused as a tug on trailer lot. Never titled or licensed. Pop purchased in '96 for parts ($100) for his CJ2A project. Hmmmm, perhaps he should have scrapped the 2A and restored the slat instead. Anyway, calls me in '97 and says get it out of his yard. Didn't know at the time the grave mistake I was making. Now it's sitting in my yard for 25 years. Thought heck, it's an old soldier just like me so give the poor thing some respect. Started summer '22. Found combat damage. Strangely data plates were intact. Tub was totally toast. Sure it can be salvaged but I'm 76 and ain't got all day. Kept good frame, windshield, slat seats, trans, transfer case, rear diff all period correct according to serial numbers, front axle is GPW with clever use of tar as lubricant. Pop coughed up 5 newly painted combat rims with new tires and a big box of parts that don't fit 'cause he felt guilty for the trick he was playing on me. Engine GPW, NO date casting, MB number on fully machined boss, rivets present but no rebuild tag. No F's anywhere else. Engine due back from builder maybe next week, so will check block surface for stampings. Soooo now that I sorta know how to send photos and kinda got the moderator fooled, I'll try to keep this thread alive with my progress reports. The photos are BEFORE Pop mined for parts, the AFTER will make you cry.

[70th Division]

1-15-42 slat, war surplus '45, used and much abused as a tug on trailer lot. Never titled or licensed. Pop purchased in '96 for parts ($100) for his CJ2A project. Hmmmm, perhaps he should have scrapped the 2A and restored the slat instead. Anyway, calls me in '97 and says get it out of his yard. Didn't know at the time the grave mistake I was making. Now it's sitting in my yard for 25 years. Thought heck, it's an old soldier just like me so give the poor thing some respect. Started summer '22. Found combat damage. Strangely data plates were intact. Tub was totally toast. Sure it can be salvaged but I'm 76 and ain't got all day. Kept good frame, windshield, slat seats, trans, transfer case, rear diff all period correct according to serial numbers, front axle is GPW with clever use of tar as lubricant. Pop coughed up 5 newly painted combat rims with new tires and a big box of parts that don't fit 'cause he felt guilty for the trick he was playing on me. Engine GPW, NO date casting, MB number on fully machined boss, rivets present but no rebuild tag. No F's anywhere else. Engine due back from builder maybe next week, so will check block surface for stampings. Soooo now that I sorta know how to send photos and kinda got the moderator fooled, I'll try to keep this thread alive with my progress reports. The photos are BEFORE Pop mined for parts, the AFTER will make you cry. 20220912_144237.jpgP9010143.jpgP9010144.jpg

Hello,


Welcome to the G 503 !!

That looks like a great restoration project and we are looking forward to updates as you get her restored !
Also looking forward to pictures and what you have to work with
It is nice to see another early WW2 jeep saved and being restored .
Also I want to thank you for your Military Service !!

Best Regards,
Ray

[jsebik]

Differential housing defects

Stripped, degreased, sandblasted , and primed axles. Rear Dana 23 shows small weep from oil return passage between pinion bearings. No worries, easy fix. Front diff a 25, marked 17038 with "F" internals shows similar defect in same location. Anyone notice this on other differential housings?

Joseph

[70th Division]

Differential housing defects

Stripped, degreased, sandblasted , and primed axles. Rear Dana 23 shows small weep from oil return passage between pinion bearings. No worries, easy fix. Front diff a 25, marked 17038 with "F" internals shows similar defect in same location. Anyone notice this on other differential housings?

Joseph

Hello Joseph,


I have not seen that before, but I will certainly look out for it !
Having just restored a GPW set, I will watch closely when the oil is back in them.

I am also restoring a Willys MB as well, and will start on the axles next week and will look very close at them.


It must be a casting defect you found, that can be fixed with some JB Weld .

Keep up your good works !

Best Regards,
Ray

[jsebik]

Thanks Ray, Was kinda thinking along those lines. Just an annoying wet spot, been like that for 80 years but don't want to paint over. Sun came out today so back to the frame and excess weld removal. I'll get it done ... eventually. Pop always said ya gotta take yer time if yer gonna screw sumthin' up.
Joseph

[70th Division]

Thanks Ray, Was kinda thinking along those lines. Just an annoying wet spot, been like that for 80 years but don't want to paint over. Sun came out today so back to the frame and excess weld removal. I'll get it done ... eventually. Pop always said ya gotta take yer time if yer gonna screw sumthin' up.
Joseph

Wow Joseph,

That is great frame repair work right there, you did an excellent job taking something ugly and restoring it to beautiful !!

Keep up your good work, as we all like to see another jeep coming back to life again, and keep posting updates !

Keep 'em Rolling !



Best Regards,
Ray

[jsebik]

Great fun I tell ya! 1-15-42 slat Dana 23 rear axle
Several days to clean. Removed bearing caps and diff fell out onto dirt, no shims. Caps were on upside down. No pinion shims observed no pinion yoke. Remains of what at one time might have been a 5/16 bolt were among gear teeth and assorted debris in oil. Spreader holes filled with weld so to the mill to put 'em back. All eight ring bolts were finger tight but locking tabs were still functional. The usual hammer and pry bar dings were found. So all new parts, case, and carrier are now in family room and being assembled. Yes, my dear wife lets me work on Jeep in the house as long as everything is clean and doesn't smell. My daughter's unused dip stand is a perfect axle stand. You might say it has become a family project. Front Dana 25 next, it appears to be in better condition. Have the parts, just need another snow storm to get it done.

Joseph

[jsebik]

Finished axles, everything new and book perfect. Ron's inner axle seals too large for tube, old seals, Trostel 200-112 about 12 thou smaller. Careful work with right angle Dremel opened things up enough for a 2" seals. Examining excessive welding indicates tubes replaced in the past. Pinion seals jammed against NOS yoke dust cover when torqued, very difficult to turn. Disassembled both axles. still within specifications. Switched to National seals and no binding. Now if the weather would improve I can move them outside for final painting.

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Another "Thanks Pop". Gave me 5 combat rims with tires in '97 which I stored in closet. Were painted semigloss OD so I retrieved this month ( yes 26 years later) to repaint.
Paint stuck around bolt holes so I cleaned up a bit prior to repainting flat OD and got a surprise. He could have afforded new wheels but opted to blast, prime , Bondo and paint the wheels that came with the slat.

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Now Pop was a die hard Jeep restorer for many years and everything had to be perfect. Why he spent days making the rims look perfect when better rims back then were readily available I'll never understand. If he ever caught me pulling that crap I'd pay dearly. Well nonetheless they sure looked pretty! I'll restore the worst with warning tags and "K" bolts and mount as a spare and repair the remainder as best I can and order four, fingers crossed, from Ron. Bye bye 800 bucks. Just has to occasionally get me and the wife to the Sonic on a Saturday afternoon no off road, no highway. Sure would like to find some 4" solids.

Joseph

[jsebik]

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[70th Division]

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Hello Joseph,

Those axles look great, excellent work !!

I am sure your Pop would appreciate your workmanship and perseverance on getting this jeep restored !


Keep up your good work !!
Keep us updated !!

Best Regards,
Ray

[jsebik]

Ray,
Thanks for the compliment. Pop gone many years but somehow feel he might be looking over my shoulder.

Diffs took me a couple of weeks, a lot of take in and out again. Ground my setup bearings from new rather than trying to use old worn bearings. Hardened washers under carrier caps during set-up keeps caps from getting chewed up. Do not use for final assembly! When everything is perfect and torqued, take all apart, flush bearings and case and reassemble. I found metal slivers in spite of care taken to prevent. Lot of work, learned a lot, can do it in my sleep.

Poor man's tool post grinder

Ron sending four new wheels. Will sand blast five old WW2 combats to white (sorry Pop) to check condition and then prime. I think four could be used but will store for possible later use, perhaps a trailer. Will mount correct best one as spare. Gonna be factory/motor pool class when finished I guess.

Anyway, it's expensive fun, keeps me outa bars, churches, and away from loose women.

Joseph

[Scrumps]

Anyway, it's expensive fun, keeps me outa bars, churches, and away from loose women.

Joseph

Hi Joseph,

Good work and even better sentiment.

Keep up the good work!

Scrumps

[jsebik]

Five beautiful combat wheels from Pop back in '96. Wanted flat OD so I took 'em apart for prep and paint and found, wait for it, Bondo!

Bad sign

Sand blast to white, my usual routine.

Really bad sign

Really glad I wanted to repaint, could have had a bad accident, but he did a really nice job. Was gonna use one as a spare since they came with the slat, WW2 and all, but think not. "Trust but verify"
Joseph

[jsebik]

Progress update. Moved frame out of sand box. Scraped, degreased, needle scaled, sandblaster, primed and painted. Moved to driveway under giant ash tree for assembly.

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Did find another bullet strike behind left rear wheel.

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Engine back, not hot tanked. One man shop with good reputation building race engines. Painted black. Two days paint remover and easy off to remedy. Close to suitable for painting. Stripped everything and inspected work. "Trust but verify"

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Slat with GPW engine. MB 196915 stamped on old style boss, block top12568, no assembly stamp, casting clock E 5. gen and starter armatures Oct 43. Rivets in block for rebuild tag but no tag. Still unsure of date. Might have been in a solvent tank but not a true hot tank. Had crank ground .010 mains and rods. Carrying back to car tripped and went flying, saved crank, hurt pride. Will replace camshaft. Paint? Ford grey or OD? Gotta decide before moving it into house for assembly.

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Anyway it's been almost a year of work. Tub is a replacement. Could have restored old tub and ended up with 15% original parts. I'm 76 and ain't got the time or talent. Frame, seats, trans, tc, bell housing, windshield frame, grill all original slat. Axles Ford with r&p dates 1941. Trying to keep things as close to DOD 15 Jan 42 as possible but one does what one can. One surprise was dash data plates in place and in good condition. Slat had a hard 81 years, trashed, neglected, scavenged for parts, never titled or registered. CO allows bonded titled so no problem. Cost? Yeah, you know the answer to that. Pop would have been proud ... probably. One more thing, rear diff has oil drip. Thought I had that well sealed but it is a Jeep after all, supposed to drip?
Joseph

[jsebik]

Where photos?

Bullet strike?

Almost paint ready

correct slat zinc chromate

shade tree mechanic

start

finish