Engine block was cracked
Our only recourse was to remove the engine. Finally, some work for me! With wrenches in hand, I started taking everything apart in the engine compartment I could find. I removed the grill, radiator, oil bath air cleaner, carburetor and manifold. I lost bolts and I mixed bolts. I took things off that weren't necessarry (such as the carb and manifold). But I was working on MY Jeep!
To remove the engine, another friend showed up to help out. His name is Red Theobald. He's familiar with Jeeps having owned a CJ-2A at one point and still has a few spare parts lying around. He's an ace mechanic having much experience with Allis-Chalmers farm equipment. He came over with his cherry-picker to take the engine out, and he had a process that he figured could save my engine block.
Cracked block repair. JB Weld is still holding up, though it may need another coat soon.
I don't know if this repair process is widely used or is a local trade secret. Red learned it from an old timer who was an expert Model T Ford repairman. The first step was to run a chain around the block and a bottle jack positioned on the head. Using the jack to tighten against the chain forced the cracks to close.
The next step was to drill a number of small holes into each crack spaced about 1/8" apart. These holes were then threaded. Next, threads were made on brass welding rod which was then screwed into the holes and broken off flush with the block surface. Finally, a layer of JB Weld was applied over the repair. This method has held up on my block for over 8 years now.
The big day! She's finally running. Not much to look at, but runs great!
Once the block was repaired, it was ready to reinstall. That process went smoothly and it didn't take much effort to put all the parts back on the engine I had taken off. I did have some minor problem with the manifold studs, but it turned out all right.
Next, we turned our attention to the radiator. The local shop apparently made the reccomendation that it wasn't worth repairing. Dad made an arangement with Red to buy a radiator of his, and the shop flushed and checked this one out. That was installed, and now I had all the parts ready to attempt to start it up.
After returning from my first drive. As you can see, it was all off-road.
Really, there wasn't much else in our way to getting her started...except that someone had removed the plug wires. And the part of the distributor that locked it in position was also missing. Now, that shouldn't be a big deal,but for a couple of guys with little mechanical know-how, Dad and I were stumped. All we really needed was a little help from friends to solve the problems. Red provided a make-shift lock for the distributor off of a later model vaccum advance distributor from his Jeep parts stash.
Before the paint job. Cutting firewood for the upcoming winter.
Red set up the distributor and guessed at the timing. Turned out we were 180 degrees off after a backfire flamed out the carburetor. That fixed, it didn't take much to get her running. That was a sweet sound to hear, although it was LOUD! No exhaust pipe on this puppy. (I have since installed a makeshift exhaust pipe and muffler.) Dad and I took her out for a drive that night and, at fifteen, I drove my first stickshift.
To complete the package, I redid the brakes: new brake lines, new master cylinder, rebuilt wheel cylinders, and new brake shoes. the final touch was a new custom paint job of forest greem provided by my dad at his expense. For the time being she's done.
Hauling a load of firewood. This is the Jeep's primary chore.
For the time being, other than regular repairs, she's done. My plans for future restoration include a frame-up. How that turns out, I can't say. Due to the amount of water this Jeep was submerged in during its trips up and down the Jeep trail, the front floor boards are mostly rotted out. The body is otherwise sound save a few cracks that will require welding. The egine could use an overhaul or at minimum, a valve job.
Originality is important to me. By that I mean the original condition Gramps used it at the cabin. The cab may look ugly to some, but I plan to keep it. The "roll bar" is pretty much useless except as a brush guard. The Mustang seats will stay, and my personal favorite little item is the "gas cap." Somewhere along the trail, the original cap was lost and an aluminum Lipton Iced Tea can was substituted. Nobody ever bought a new cap, and the Lipton can will remain as long as I own the Jeep.
Back to tinkering.
