Myself and a friend just picked up this 1957 cj5 basket case. Come with one complete motor and one in a box. On the way home I got to thinking about how I know to work on this stuff, and the majority seems to have come from all you great guys on this sight, guys have even given me tools and such! What a great resource it's been.

Anyway, any other old Willy's guys on here? Since we got it dirt cheap the idea is to make a doodle bug/farm mobile kinda just for fun. Or take it to tractor shows to ride around on? Lol
a256784.jpg
 
I restored a M38a1 willys about 15 years ago. Very similar to what you have. Your body appears to be a CJ5, the hood is Military M38a1. Looks like a sort of Franken-Jeep. I've had a lot of fun with mine and put 20,000 miles on it over the years.
 
I owned one years ago, think it was a '47.
Had a 350 Chevy in it with a 3 speed manual trans from who knows where.
I didn't build it, I got it that way. Worked well other than the brakes.
If I ever get another one, I'd like to restore it if possible. If not, I'd
try to put a big block Ford in it. Just because I've never grown up.
 
Does it have a 4.1 engine?
I've got a 4 barrel holly 500 on a offey manifold and a set of headers I'm looking to get rid of.
 
Had a WW2 Willys on the farm in the early 1950s. I do not know if it had seen combat, but it had had a very hard life and was totally worn out at that stage. We used sump oil in the engine as it burned as much oil as gas. It was always visible in a haze of blue smoke.

When the clutch was let out, there was a series of clunks as each worn out universal joint took up, then it lurched off. For all that it could climb steep rocky hills that, at the time, no other vehicle could. Don't know what finally happened to it after I went off to College, probably scrapped.
 
I have a 1957 CJ5 with original paint with under 15K on a working clock. Was used just for snow plowing since 1971 and stored In their warehouse when not in use.
Will be selling soon.

Vito
 
I own a willys 1948 2 wheel drive station wagon that I must of put alot of miles on learning to drive around the farm as a kid amazing how much snow you can go over with tire chains on. It's in tough shape now but hope to get going again for the grand daughter to have fun with
 
I've got a 1966 CJ5 on my "someday" list.
Bought it when I was twenty yrs old. Drove it till the body was
ready to fall off. Rust never sleeps.
The poor thing's been sitting thirty some years now.
That Jeep was the most fun on four wheels I've ever driven.

Steve A W
 
I"ve owned a few (20+), the trick is to have a few of the same color, so the wife can"t track them 😀

The last CJ-5 I had of your vintage needed an engine rebuild after a few years. I chose to install a NOS cosmolene caked suplus engine, very cool trip into the past.
 
(quoted from post at 00:39:44 02/13/18) I owned one years ago, think it was a '47.
Had a 350 Chevy in it with a 3 speed manual trans from who knows where.
I didn't build it, I got it that way. Worked well other than the brakes.
If I ever get another one, I'd like to restore it if possible. If not, [b:cf03b03cb1]I'd
try to put a big block Ford in it. [/b:cf03b03cb1]Just because I've never grown up.

I once had a 1973 CJ5.
Removed all the 4x4 stuff and lowered it.
Then dropped in a 1970 Cadillac 500 with turbo 400 tranny.
The driveshaft was about 10" long.
It was both fun and scary to drive.
Burned quite a few sets of tires with it too.
 
Welcome to the Willys community. I have an original 1953 CJ3B flat fender Willys. It was an original Oregon forest service vehicle. Then ended up on a ranch in Lander Wyoming. I brought it back to Iowa in 2013. It is all original and great for "slow fun"......just like an old tractor. I am close to having all the right parts for a rear PTO with a belt pulley.

A great resource is www.ewillys.com. Dave who runs the sight is a great guy.

Have fun
Allan
 
Parts for a pre-1976 is going to difficult to find. I have a 75 CJ-5 which I've had for 20 years. Even some of the parts I was able to easily get then are hard to find now. The best supplier I've found it 4wd Hardware. They may have the tailgate and windshield frame. The other two places I use is Quadratec and Walck's 4 wheel drive.
 
(quoted from post at 17:50:22 02/13/18) [u:594c60f65f][b:594c60f65f]Parts for a pre-1976 is going to difficult to find[/b:594c60f65f][/u:594c60f65f]. I have a 75 CJ-5 which I've had for 20 years. Even some of the parts I was able to easily get then are hard to find now. The best supplier I've found it 4wd Hardware. They may have the tailgate and windshield frame. The other two places I use is Quadratec and Walck's 4 wheel drive.

What????
A CJ5 can pretty much be built from scratch with aftermarket parts. Same for a CJ2A.
 
Butler PA is the home of the Jeep
We now celebrate Jeep week every year with all things Jeep
If you can make it, it's a great source of ideas and parts
 
(quoted from post at 21:21:52 02/13/18)
(quoted from post at 17:50:22 02/13/18) [u:1a97fada5b][b:1a97fada5b]Parts for a pre-1976 is going to difficult to find[/b:1a97fada5b][/u:1a97fada5b]. I have a 75 CJ-5 which I've had for 20 years. Even some of the parts I was able to easily get then are hard to find now. The best supplier I've found it 4wd Hardware. They may have the tailgate and windshield frame. The other two places I use is Quadratec and Walck's 4 wheel drive.

What????
A CJ5 can pretty much be built from scratch with aftermarket parts. Same for a CJ2A.

I was going to say the same thing. Can't find parts? Try this outfit, you CAN build a CJ from scratch if you have the $$$$$.

https://www.kaiserwillys.com/
 
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