mb 102550 build

[Radmonster]

Hi new to posting on the board but I have been checking it for years now. My name is Rich and I am doing what i would consider a battle field restoration leaving some dents and really only fixing rust rot or things that are blatantly incorrect. Ive been working on my jeep for a few years now on and off but have really been working on it lately and decided to start a build page.

NOTE: I know some parts like my t90 transmission and civilian head are incorrect for the time period but I do plan on almost daily driving this jeep, taking it on trails and just having fun with it.

When I got this jeep it was made into a hunting vehicle and long ago lost its slat grill, got a later 42-43 tub, wrong windshield, seats, and the back of the tub was smoothed out and the tail lights were relocated. It also has a mix of GPW parts thrown in... basically my restoration will be as if GI's grabbed parts from what they had to keep her going

so here are some pics (I have many more to come) of some progress

[Radmonster]

correcting the hack job on the dash and new frame horns

[IvorGPW]

Nice build, looks like you are doing great work. I will definatly be following this thread.

[Radmonster]

Nice build, looks like you are doing great work. I will definatly be following this thread.

Thanks! I'll be posting a ton more pics to get caught up to where I'm currently at on this build in the next few days

[twinflyer17]

Nice job on the dash! I'll be curious to see your other work as well, as it looks like you'll have a fantastic jeep when finished

[Radmonster]

at some point someone removed the gas tank sump and put a cj tank under the front seat then later moved a fuel cell into where the back seat was. they cut out the brackets for the gas tank straps and rear seat brackets. I cut out the rotted section of floor and removed the large plate they welded in where the gas tank sump was.

When I first got the jeep I was really worried about locating all the original body holes on the outside because the tub was completely smoothed out. But after I started stripping the paint I found that they had just plugged all the holes with thick bondo! The tub itself really wasn't in bad condition! After that I took the tub off the frame and moved it to the garage to start fixing the rot from the stiffeners

[Radmonster]

stiffeners off and floor patching in... also filled all the random floor holes and put a gas tank strap bracket on

[Radmonster]

ok almost to the point where I'm current with the build. So here's more of some of the fun stuff I'm getting to do now

Since my mb came with a t90 trans when I got her and I'm keeping it for drive-ability I wanted to make it look as natural to the jeep as possible. I've seen a lot of people just make a box over the original trans plate but i think that looks clunky so I did my own version to keep it clean and at the same time relocated the transfer case hole to line up. I also had to make new cross-member brackets because they had been cut up with a torch and need to be moved to fit the length of the t90.

[YLG80]

Waooh, amazing job ! I'm impressed ! Congratulations.
It's kind of a return to the roots !
Yves

[Radmonster]

Thanks for the kind support guys!

Even though my jeeps not going to be 100% correct I dont want people to be able to tell. When I got my jeep it had already been converted to 12v but it had an alternator on it, I picked up a 48 cj generator for under $20 and had a friend rebuild it for me 12v. Last month at the Tower Park swap, after years off holding off because I knew it would have to be converted to 12v and prices are normally $250 I scored an Autolite regulator for $40!. After doing some research I found that the big trucks also used these regulators but had a different output which didn't matter to me anyway. So i gutted it and was able to fit a new style 12v regulator inside the old housing and pig-tailed the wires to the Autolite's 3 tabs.

I aslo scored 5 combat wheels at the swap. this week I blasted them and primed them! I used GCI 111 and the came out nice!

The primer color came out darker than expected but I have seen other posts on this form and some look the same. Does this look right? all the after market stuff I've bought is a lot brighter almost like the golden gate bridge...

[The Fireman]

Radmonster,

If your jeep is a slat, you need to fill in the glove box area. Early slat's did not have a glove box. Congratulations on your work, you are doing a bang up job !

Frank

[Radmonster]

Radmonster,

If your jeep is a slat, you need to fill in the glove box area. Early slat's did not have a glove box. Congratulations on your work, you are doing a bang up job !

Frank

Ya I know slats had no glove box but like i said this mb is kind of a mutt.. When I got her the only thing left from being a slat was the frame, hood, and rear tire carrier and it lost its slat grill long ago. It even had a mix of GPW parts like tool box lids and other F stamped parts all over it and that how I'm keeping it.. That's why I decided to do a "battle" restoration as if it kept getting re-built in the field. its basically like having a early 42 tub that still has the WILLYS script but has the glove box.... but thanks for the complement on my work!

that being said I ordered my early wire harness awhile back and through my research I realized I needed the TOBE radio filterette but only for the appearance since they aren't really needed now. I found one on ebay a few weeks ago watched it and couldn't bring myself to spend $250 for a box that does nothing under my dash so I hit up JEEPDRAW and bought the prints! here's what I came up with I made faux electrical components and stuck a junction block in it and am pretty happy with the results! wires will go in and come back out and it will look correct!

[YLG80]

Nobody could see that this is a fake filterette. Marvelous.
You should post a picture of your workshop.
I'm sure you have professional equipment for each task.
Yves

[Radmonster]

Nobody could see that this is a fake filterette. Marvelous.
You should post a picture of your workshop.
I'm sure you have professional equipment for each task.
Yves

lol nope its just a garage with a tig and mig... Im a welder/fabricator for profession since high school (about 15 years now) and I use the tools here at work when I can and then bring stuff home to finish it.

[Radmonster]

ok so here is the latest on where im at on my jeep! I have a real hard time paying for anything that I can make myself... That one of the reasons I got into the profession that Im in... A few years ago I was lucky enough to pick up a 1919a4 from a friend that had spent the time machining and converting it to semi-auto (cal legal). Right after buying the filterette drawings I ordered up the M31c prints from JEEPDRAW and am currently building the mount. lol its interesting to try and make mig welds look like stick welds. Im using a drag process instead of welding nice dimes because they would stick out like a sore thumb for that time period. I also ordered the socket and fork today from ima-usa.com since they are cast pieces and I don't have the ability to make that

here are a few pics so far I can get more detailed ones after work today.