1945 MB restoration project

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
steviem
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1945 MB restoration project

Post by steviem » Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:52 am

Hi folks, here i have March 45 Willys for restoration, it runs well with good oil pressure gear selection etc seems fine, the brake pedal is however rock solid, i have had this a few weeks now and in the process of a front end strip but with the virus alert at the moment can not get anywhere near it as it is at my daughters house, i am a novice so hopefully in the right place for help and advice
Steve
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dpcd67
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by dpcd67 » Thu Mar 26, 2020 7:22 am

How lucky you are to get such a nice restoration candidate; I never see ones like this any more; all rust buckets. Must live West of the rockies.
First thing you do; do not touch the jeep until you do these things:
Get a complete set of TMs including the SNL.
Study them for a month, every day.
Get and read the books, All American Wonder.
Read Jeep Draw in its entirety.
Get and read Ren's jeep restoration book.
There is a web site, 1945 MB restoration; read that.
Search here on G503 about it.
Study and read.
Call Ron Fitzpatrick and get to know him. He is a nice guy and that is where all the parts come from; he is paying for you to be on this site.
Find an experienced WW2 jeep guy near you. Put where you are in your profile.
Keep 6 feet away from him/her.
Do all that, and then you can start thinking of a plan. Have a plan; do not just start ripping into it, like I do.
And 1000 more things.
U. S. Army 28 years.
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Ed Roberts
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by Ed Roberts » Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:47 pm

Spot on advice from DPCD. Use this down time to get and read your books. Review various topics on the Gee. All of what's recommended is very worthwhile. Take a deep breath, knowing you have a excellent place from which to start. That hard part is done. The wrenches and other tools aren't going anywhere while you learn. Welcome here. You won't find better people or resources. Oh, and think about a 2nd. mortgage on the house.
Best regards, Eddie
V/r Eddie
1942 GPW #5739 "Sentimental Reasons"
MVPA & MVCC

jkillelea
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by jkillelea » Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:27 pm

Do you have a computer? If so, start a file for JEEP. In it, put all kinds of files for research. Take about a zillion pictures of every angle: inside, outside, underneath, etc. Good close ups that are in focus, that are well lighted. Because later in life you want to put it all back together the right way. Good luck. There are amazing people here on the G 503 site that can help with the simplest questions. Don't afraid to ask ANY questions. You will get the right answers.
Welcome to the G.
Keep 6 ft. away from anybody!
John

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jeepfinger
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by jeepfinger » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:13 pm

Hi Steve,
Welcome to the Jeep world, that MB looks familiar, did you get it from AMD4X4? Think that I saw her there last summer.
Do you live in the UK? Like others say read the books etc, loads of info here on the Gee.
Enjoy her.
Dave
Dave Boocock
GPW 41158 June 19 1942
Bantam T3 9555 1/11/1943 USA 0258448
BSA WDM20 Sept 1940 C4343114

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dpcd67
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by dpcd67 » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:49 pm

Ok, I dug out that Steve is in England; plenty of WW2 jeep guys there.
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steviem
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by steviem » Fri Mar 27, 2020 1:42 am

Hi folks thanks for the warm welcome, i will update my profile in due course, Yes i am in the UK (Nottingham) and yes the Jeep was purchased from AMD Mike and his staff were great i decided on on this as mike was telling most of his stock is now Ford and Willys was getting hard to find even though more were made (weird eh) so this girl as her original tub and engine although a later head is fitted this can be replaced as and when it is now registered here and has the number MXS 547 although it will be a while before it is seen on the local roads i have books watched all of the G503 youtube tutorials funny how now of the pieces were seized or welded together during the strip, this is the way i have chosen to go with the strip piece by piece bolt by bolt tagged and bagged and un earthing some Bubba jobs on the way (where did the Bubba quote come from) My Jeep is still at my daughters who is happy for me to keep it there for a while whilst i sort my space out i was due to have my father in law help me he is a good tin man and handy with the spanners etc but he has fallen ill so i am just taking my time here at the moment.
Steve

steviem
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by steviem » Fri Mar 27, 2020 1:47 am

dpcd67 wrote:
Thu Mar 26, 2020 7:22 am
How lucky you are to get such a nice restoration candidate; I never see ones like this any more; all rust buckets. Must live West of the rockies.
First thing you do; do not touch the jeep until you do these things:
Get a complete set of TMs including the SNL.
Study them for a month, every day.
Get and read the books, All American Wonder.
Read Jeep Draw in its entirety.
Get and read Ren's jeep restoration book.
There is a web site, 1945 MB restoration; read that.
Search here on G503 about it.
Study and read.
Call Ron Fitzpatrick and get to know him. He is a nice guy and that is where all the parts come from; he is paying for you to be on this site.
Find an experienced WW2 jeep guy near you. Put where you are in your profile.
Keep 6 feet away from him/her.
Do all that, and then you can start thinking of a plan. Have a plan; do not just start ripping into it, like I do.
And 1000 more things.
Hey buddy this girl was imported from Iowa last June.

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twinflyer17
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by twinflyer17 » Fri Mar 27, 2020 5:40 am

Steve,

Congrats on the "new" jeep and welcome to the G! All great advice from some well known and reputable 'G' posters. If I can add one additional thing, post all of your questions, with pictures, here and not on the G503 Facebook site. That's a good page to browse, but (my opinion) there is more knowledge and much better advice here. Also, find some good threads of other restorations here that you can use for reference. Guaranteed you'll scratch your head 1,000+ times wondering how others did something - those threads will help you when you're still confused by the manuals, etc.

Good luck and keep posting updates! Even when you don't have questions we all like to see updates on progress 8)
Sean

GPW 108175 viewtopic.php?t=267732
DOD 4/14/43 Louisville, KY USA20371070

MVPA
AOPA

harve
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by harve » Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:34 am

Nice MB , I’d completely replace the brake system and drive it around for a while, enjoy it and in a few years completely restore it :mrgreen:

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dpcd67
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by dpcd67 » Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:41 am

How do you know it's a girl?
You got a very rare vehicle; with all the humidity here, that jeep must have been indoors it's whole life. Corn makes humidity and in the summer it is 90% all the time.
U. S. Army 28 years.
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steviem
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by steviem » Fri Mar 27, 2020 8:20 am

Thanks folks, firstly i do not do face book, its a girl as i will be naming her after my granddaughter, "little pud" shortened to lil pud.
yeah the brakes will be fully replaced along with the wiring fuel lines etc, water pump has a small leak i have a replacement but will try to repair the original as well, one mother of a job i will have is someone welded the screen frame to the body fixings therefore it will not drop having seen the price of a replacement screen (money best spent elsewhere on the jeep) i will have to try them apart, oil all looks good all lights worked but the wires are a touch fragile Bubba also welded the fenders to the side step are filled them with filler (bondo).

steviem
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by steviem » Fri Mar 27, 2020 8:33 am

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A few more shots i have more recent ones but the sizes are to large i need to shrink them to post them, now guys supplies? 4 well known outlets here in the UK i guess anything from the States will be a killer for shipping ive had a few bits from Joes motor pool which appear quite good.
Steve

steviem
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by steviem » Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:53 am

Also guys any way of finding the hood number if am unable to trace it by paint removal
regd 04/03/1945 vin;432030 engine number mb566495

previous owner by the way
tomason,dana lynn
4080 290th av
dickens ia 513337516

just in case they view this.

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dpcd67
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Re: 1945 MB restoration project

Post by dpcd67 » Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:18 am

That is 300 miles away from me.
Out in the middle of nowhere. I never saw it advertised anywhere though.
Exact registration numbers are impossible to get; they can be estimated from nearby serial numbers. Engine numbers on MBs are always thousands ahead; they made many more engines than jeeps.
Whereas Ford numbered the frames to match the engine number; you know all this.
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