Restoration of my 1942 Ford GPW Jeep

[zepher11]

Okay, its been awhile since I postedlike a day! Actually, I did all this last weekend. After I installed the tub, I had to align all of the mounting holes that I had to drill in the new tub floor with the chassis mounting holes. Working by myself it was a little tougher than it looks. I ended up using my hydraulic porta-power to move the tub around the frame and then insert one bolt at a time. I also had to insert the tub/chassis mounting pads. I took quite a bit of effort:

 

 

The holes for the clutch and brake pedals that I had to move over to the right about an inch or so appear to match up pretty good. I moved these over and this is the first time I set the tub to see where they ended up. I was a little worried:

 

 

 

 

I have a picture of Gracie in the Jeep just before I started taking it apart, so it was only fitting that she be first into the Jeep:

 

 

Installed the spare tire holder. Couldnt put this on while the Jeep was mounted in the rotisserie:

 

 

The early GPWs had two mounting bolts that have strings mounted on the body mounting bolts. Im not sure why, but maybe they were an attempt to keep the body from flexing on the chassis?

 

 

 

 

The original factory produced GPWs had what they call pal nuts that screwed on behind the mounting nut and basically acts like a lock nut:

 

[zepher11]

Mounting pads on the rear tail panel mounting brackets:

 

 

One thing I need to correct are the four reflectors. The bezel are correct, but the reflectors are not the type used during the war era:

 

 

 

Front gusset mounting to frame:

 

 

 

Inside tub mounting bolt heads. I wasnt sure what kind of washer or washers to use here. Very hard to find a good photo of this area when you just gotta have it in a hurry:

 

 

Thankfully, one can install the steering column after the tub is mounted to the chassis. A lot of times I see people mounting the tub with the steering column already installed. This would have caused me a lot of grief if I would have had to deal with that. The only issue was that I had to remove it again and shave out a little chunk out of the gusset because as I tightened the box to the frame the column hit the gusset:

 

 

All fixed:

 

 

Steering column ring installed:

 

 

Pedal and master cylinder cover:

 

[zepher11]

Sheller steering wheel that came with the early GPWs:

 

 

It took me a couple of hours to get the trans hump and rings etc installed. They were original, the floor was reproduction. I had to shave some metal here and there to make everything fit here:

 

 

 

 

Routed and hooked up the speedo cable and hand brake cable:

 

 

 

Found and cleaned up what I believe is an original Auto-lite distributor that may have been in the GPW engine that came with my Jeep. I pulled it from the CJ engine I removed:

 

 

 

Now it is engine time. I did find it unusual to work on the project and not get my hands dirty for a change:

 

 

[zepher11]

 

I couldnt stand it, so I painted the distributor satin black. Early GPWs came with a brown distributor not black. So:

 

 

 

Cant wait to get some more time to get out to the garage!

 

Zeph

[cutiger83]

Zeph,

 

Great updates! This is really starting to look like a jeep. Once you are finished, I want to start at the beginning and look thru all of these pages again.

 

I have a question. I noticed that everything is painted OD. I was wondering about all of the nuts and bolts you just installed while putting together all of the pieces of the body. Do you get everything bolted down then hit it with the spray paint? It looks like you painted everything after getting it attached.

 

Thanks, Kat

[zepher11]

Zeph,

 

Great updates! This is really starting to look like a jeep. Once you are finished, I want to start at the beginning and look thru all of these pages again.

 

I have a question. I noticed that everything is painted OD. I was wondering about all of the nuts and bolts you just installed while putting together all of the pieces of the body. Do you get everything bolted down then hit it with the spray paint? It looks like you painted everything after getting it attached.

 

Thanks, Kat

Hi Kat, I do paint a lot of items after I install them. I was trying to be careful and paint everything ahead of time, but it takes forever. After I saw this awesome video, I haven't worried about it too much. Check out the careful application of paint by the worker wearing the full array of safety equipment at about the 18 second mark in this video :

 

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675057632_Mass-Production-of-Jeeps_assembly-line_completed-vehicles-parked-in-yard_workers

[The Meatcan]

spectacular work, sir! your labor of love is really something to see.

I hope Gracie can hang on just a bit longer to feel that breeze in her face

thanks for all the updates,

Terry

[zepher11]

spectacular work, sir! your labor of love is really something to see.

I hope Gracie can hang on just a bit longer to feel that breeze in her face

thanks for all the updates,

Terry

Thanks Terry!

[zepher11]

Worked on more detail items today. Next project I am going to do as what a guy that recently completed his GPW project. He restored each part as it was removed. Then once the project vehicle was completely disassembled, it can then be put back together with all of the parts already completed and restored. That would have come in handy right about now.

 

It is slowing me down cleaning and painting parts as I need them. Just when I think I finally have everything painted, I find more parts that need to be worked over. Case in point:

 

 

Next, I need to figure out what to do for a carb. I found these today. One is from the CJ engine that came with my GPW and the other three I found in a box. One looks like it almost new or freshly restored. I tried looking through the forum to figure out what is correct for my GPW. It appears that only one of these may possible be war era. Evidently, the ones with the circle C on the upper throat are post war? It’s all so confusing. 9 patents vs. 12 patents and so on and so on. Here are the four:

 

 

This is the one that was on the CJ engine that came with my GPW. This may be war era:

 

 

This one looks really nice inside and out, but likely post war era:

 

 

These are likely worthless:

 

 

I continued to install some more of the engine components today:

 

 

I also installed the elusive fuel line clip and oil line clip that I had a heck of a time locating photos for. This is the fuel line clip installed on the back side nut for the generator swing arm. It’s to the left in the photo. This was not easy to get to by any measure:

 

 

Here’s a couple of the oil line clip installed on the front cover. I only use my iPhone nowadays for photos, so they aren’t the best when a close up is required:

 

 

[zepher11]

I also found another hole in the firewall that I evidently welded closed. It was for the oil line clip holding the tubing coming from the oil pressure gauge:

 

 

 

I went to all the trouble to make the generator bracket as original as possible, but I think it didn’t quite work out like I thought. The dipstick tube won’t allow the generator to fold inward to remove the fan belt after I installed the tube. I have notice that some tubes have an indent. Now I know what the indent is for, but my tube doesn’t have the PCV tube connector at the top which I believe is correct for this engine configuration. I’m not sure what to do here now:

 

 

 

Hmmm…I guess I will ponder that issue for a bit. Getting really close to getting the fenders on, but I keep running into little issues like above. Once I get the fenders on, I can finish the wiring and see if this thing will start!

[cjohns]

What are we all going to do when he finishes the Ford?????????

[zepher11]

What are we all going to do when he finishes the Ford?????????

If anyone is into WWII Dodges, I will likely start a thread on my WC63 rebuild. I don't think I will get caught up in making everything look perfect like I'm getting carried away with on this GPW...at least I hope not!

[zepher11]

Had a few extra hours over the past few days to knock out a few items on the project. I worked over the exhaust manifold hear riser:

 

 

 

I was cleaning my original intake manifold when I saw what appeared to be a crack. As soon as I touched it…catastrophic failure! Bummed! I ended up cleaning the reproduction intake and painting, but then decided to take it to a machine shop to have it welded. Slowed me down, but picked it up a little while ago. Looks ugly, but should be usable. The reproduction one has four threaded holes that would have had to have plugs inserted. The original intake manifold has no holes. No PCV valve on the early engines:

 

 

Fitted the air cleaner. I just wanted to make sure it would fit:

 

 

Continued with the wiring. Here is the starter wires now attached:

 

 

Not too many wires left to figure out where they go:

 

 

It seems there is no end to the grounding straps on this guy. I still have quite a few to go. Here are a couple of the engine to frame straps:

 

 

Starter to generator:

 

 

I guess I have dawdled enough now and it’s time to fit the fenders. I feel like I’m forgetting something, but onward:

 

 

 

Hopefully, I will be back at it tomorrow!

 

[zepher11]

I thought I would pass this on as well. I had quite a treat yesterday that I thought I would share. I had breakfast with a Kelly and a couple of other WWII pilots along with Ed Mautner who recently retired from the Smithsonian. Ed was a restoration specialist and worked on the restoration of the Enola Gay as well as a number of other aircraft. Ed’s father flew in My Baby, the plane Kelly was piloting when he was shot down over France, with a friend of his fathers that knew the pilot while in England during the war. Ed’s father was not in the Army Air Force. He just happened to get that one flight in as a treat on a stand down day. Just another day in the war so to speak. As Ed researched that day in his father’s life, he ran across Kelly. It was another pilot that flew his father that day, but Ed thought it was Kelly form his research. That pilot and his crew that flew Ed’s father that day were lost when their B-17 exploded over the target (Ludwigshafen) from a direct hit three days after Kelly was shot down. September 8, 1944.

 

Also at breakfast was also a P-38 pilot, Sam Thurber that flew photo reconnaissance for the 25^th Photo Squadron as part of the 5th AAF. He was flying the day that the Enola Gay dropped the big one. His buddy took one of the famous shots and didn’t know what it was at the time according to Sam. They had no idea what happened, but snapped the shots. I need to learn more on this. My head was spinning.

 

In addition, I sat next to 5 O’clock Charlie. Those that know MASH will know what I mean. He actually lives in my little cow town. How about that! Also there was a B-17 pilot that lives in my town here as well. He flew 35 missions with the Bloody Hundredth (100th BG) and made it! He’s 93 now, and still going strong. His name is Pete Lambert.

 

Here’s a photo that I found of Pete Lambert and I had him sign it yesterday. He is standing in the middle in this crew photo:

 

 

This is Pete and me today:

 

 

This is, from left to right, me, Sam Thurber, Pete Lambert and Kelly:

 

 

Dang, I'm only 50 something and they all look great at 90 plus! A lot of great history standing there...

 

I found this and I believe it is Sam Thurber. I need to verify this:

 

 

 

Well worth the time to meet everyone and with plans to get together again soon. I need to go look at Don’s Ryan PT-22…5 O’clock Charlie plane. I think he sold the original, but has another now.

[zepher11]

Back at it today. I figured I better get the pedals installed before I installed the fenders etc…, so worked that a little. I also had to install that little leather seal for the gas pedal rod. That little guy put up quite a fight. I don’t know if I like it as it is a bit stiff. Maybe it will loosen up as time goes on:

I used the felt seal for the pedals:

Slipped the radiator in today and there were more ground/bonding straps here. I have ground off a lot of good paint and primer and used a ton of dielectric grease:

Boy, I hope this thing runs and I don’t have to pull it all apart again. I don’t have my spark plug wires yet, but they should be here soon. I am installing everything loosely just in case. Plus, I may need to align everything once I get the hood on there. I’m trying to figure out how to mount the hood by myself without fumbling it. May give that an attempt tomorrow:

Lots of confusion on how to mount the two domed washers where they hold both the intake and exhaust manifold. Should the dome go in, or shold the dome go toward the nut. Evidently, these were created due the the different heat expansion of the two manifolds. Oh well, I put them on. Only my dogs will be able to say which way they ended up. Dome in, or dome out, and they aren’t talking. They know I am the only one that knows where the pubsnacks are hidden :

I’m not holding out too much hope that the repaired intake manifold well last. I torqued everything up evenly in increments up to the desired torque setting. From the inside out:

I installed the grill welting. And more ground straps. Very cool little teeny tiny ones that fold from the tinned area below the welting to the top. Now I know why the hood is tinned in the front. I had to take a little break during this project as I hit my limit in bad words. Those little hold down rivets are a real workout. I guess if I wasn’t worried about scratching them it may not have been such a big deal. I came back later and knocked this project out:

Well, need to rest my head for the hood mounting tomorrow. It’s a little heavier than the fenders.

[Johan Willaert]

Great job, Zeph!!

 

The radiator top seems odd to me... Is it a GPW model???

 

 

As for mounting the hood, you might want to install the windshield first as it will allow you to rest the hood against it as you mount the bolts...

Make sure you protect the cowl from scratches...

[zepher11]

Great job, Zeph!!

 

The radiator top seems odd to me... Is it a GPW model???

 

 

As for mounting the hood, you might want to install the windshield first as it will allow you to rest the hood against it as you mount the bolts...

Make sure you protect the cowl from scratches...

Good eye Johan, No, the radiator is a new reproduction that came with some other parts I picked up. The original that came with my GPW wasn't a Ford production either. If an opportunity comes up where I can get a deal on a GPW radiator, I can switch it out fairly easily in the future..

 

On the hood, I don't have my windshield frame(s) complete yet. Still deciding what to do with my inner frame. I don't think I can save the original so I'm trying to see if I can find a replacement. The reproduction inner frames range from inexpensive to very expensive. I;m sure there is a reason for that. Therefore, I likely will go with the best available if possible. Probably an area i shouldn't ingnore or skimp on quality.

 

I just need to mount the hood for final check on front end fender alignment. Then I can remove it and set it aside as I finish other tasks.

 

Regards,

 

Zeph

[David D]

I thought I would pass this on as well. I had quite a treat yesterday that I thought I would share. I had breakfast with a Kelly and a couple of other WWII pilots along with Ed Mautner who recently retired from the Smithsonian. Ed was a restoration specialist and worked on the restoration of the Enola Gay as well as a number of other aircraft. Ed’s father flew in My Baby, the plane Kelly was piloting when he was shot down over France, with a friend of his fathers that knew the pilot while in England during the war. Ed’s father was not in the Army Air Force. He just happened to get that one flight in as a treat on a stand down day. Just another day in the war so to speak. As Ed researched that day in his father’s life, he ran across Kelly. It was another pilot that flew his father that day, but Ed thought it was Kelly form his research. That pilot and his crew that flew Ed’s father that day were lost when their B-17 exploded over the target (Ludwigshafen) from a direct hit three days after Kelly was shot down. September 8, 1944.

 

Also at breakfast was also a P-38 pilot, Sam Thurber that flew photo reconnaissance for the 25^th Photo Squadron as part of the 5th AAF. He was flying the day that the Enola Gay dropped the big one. His buddy took one of the famous shots and didn’t know what it was at the time according to Sam. They had no idea what happened, but snapped the shots. I need to learn more on this. My head was spinning.

 

In addition, I sat next to 5 O’clock Charlie. Those that know MASH will know what I mean. He actually lives in my little cow town. How about that! Also there was a B-17 pilot that lives in my town here as well. He flew 35 missions with the Bloody Hundredth (100th BG) and made it! He’s 93 now, and still going strong. His name is Pete Lambert.

 

Here’s a photo that I found of Pete Lambert and I had him sign it yesterday. He is standing in the middle in this crew photo:

 

 

This is Pete and me today:

 

 

This is, from left to right, me, Sam Thurber, Pete Lambert and Kelly:

 

 

Dang, I'm only 50 something and they all look great at 90 plus! A lot of great history standing there...

 

I found this and I believe it is Sam Thurber. I need to verify this:

 

 

 

Well worth the time to meet everyone and with plans to get together again soon. I need to go look at Don’s Ryan PT-22…5 O’clock Charlie plane. I think he sold the original, but has another now.

 

They seem like a great group of guys.

 

-Dave

 

[cjohns]

Isn't it great to meet these heros and even share the same space on a floor with them!What a treat!!

[svt40]

It looks like you may have the same problem I had with the oil pressure line. On my jeep when the brake pedal was depressed it hit the line and almost ripped it out of the block before I found it. I ended up modifying it with a 90º elbow and re-routed it to the inboard side of the pedal.

 

The carb you posted as the one being possibly wartime has the wrong linkage for your throttle cable connection. It should have the 90º turn with a hole in it like your other carbs have.

[zepher11]

Isn't it great to meet these heros and even share the same space on a floor with them!What a treat!!

Believe me, I was in awe during the few hours we spent together. I can't express my admiration for what this generation has meant to me and our country. The thought of having a world without them brings tears to my eyes.

 

Zeph

[zepher11]

 

It looks like you may have the same problem I had with the oil pressure line. On my jeep when the brake pedal was depressed it hit the line and almost ripped it out of the block before I found it. I ended up modifying it with a 90º elbow and re-routed it to the inboard side of the pedal.

 

The carb you posted as the one being possibly wartime has the wrong linkage for your throttle cable connection. It should have the 90º turn with a hole in it like your other carbs have.

 

I was working over my brake light system and thought the pedal was rubbing on the floor opening. Maybe not. I'll have to check that out. Thanks!

 

I don't know too much about the carbs, but I will check that out.

 

Thank you,

 

Zeph

[zepher11]

I installed my original grill clips that hold the passenger side marker light cable at the lower portion of the grill and cleaned and installed those yesterday:

 

 

 

I worked on the headlight wiring as well. Have a bit of a rat’s nest in the corner here. I couldn’t stuff anymore into the headlight buckets and I hate to cut them. If I knew where this wiring harness came from, I would whole heatedly NOT recommend it. I have had nothing but problems with it fitting.

 

Plus, I keep needing to drill out the connectors. They never seem to fit the bolts:

 

 

I also finished off the fuel line installation up to the fuel pump:

 

 

 

And the generator wiring. The connectors were too small and had to drill them as well to enlarge them. The ground strap connector hole was too small also. Almost destroyed the ground strap, and one of the regulator wires when the drill bit caught an edge. Finished them up without destroying them:

 

 

I finally decided to hook up the battery. The lights didn't seem to work as intended. Especially the headlights. The passenger side was a bit dim. I tried the high beam switch and the driver’s side worked and the passenger side glowed just a bit brighter:

 

 

I then remembered that I didn’t connect the headlight ground wires since the connectors were too small. I destroyed one trying to fix it, so I just shoved it under the bolt. No difference. The passenger side marker and headlight still don’t work.

 

 

The taillight worked nice and bright, but the brake light was a little duller. Opposite of what one would expect. The panel lights do not work, and the blackout drive light doesn’t work. So much for new wiring! Looks like a little work is in order.

 

The fuel gauge showed a little movement when the key was turned on. That was encouraging, however the amp gauge moves to the positive side when I turn the lights on. Rather disappointing. Not sure where to start troubleshooting. Doesn’t look easy to get under the dash now. Hmmm...unless I can put the whole thing back on the rotisserie....

[svt40]

Your amp gauge is most likely hooked up backwards. I'd start there so that when you turn the key on with your lights on it goes to the discharge side.

 

Next drop your main light switch from the dash and re-check all your connections. Try the switch in all positions and see exactly what works and what does not work and go from there.

 

Can also try swapping your headlights to make sure the bulbs are good.

 

The trouble I had with my wiring was the main switch, headlights and no brake light. The main switch had a contact slider come loose and was stuck in one place. So all types of things were screwy. A friend and I metered out all the contacts and ended up taking the switch apart to fix it once we figured out what was going on. The headlights meanwhile were opposite of each other on my jeep. If I hit high beam one headlight would go high and the other went low and vise versa. It seems that the 6v bulbs that came with the jeep while visually identical were different internally. I ended up just swapping the leads on one headlight at the fender junction block. The tail light was a simple pressure switch.

 

My panel lights are still iffy sometimes. I attribute this to a not that great of a ground on the housing and poor contacts within the switch itself. I pulled the housing and coated the fingers with solder and cleaned up the holes in the dash which helped a lot but the switch I just have not gotten around to taking apart to clean yet. Besides at night it only lights up the floor of the jeep and not much else.

 

I also have no filterette so I had to modify my wiring to match.

 

Here are the schematics I used.

[cutiger83]

Zeph,

 

Between having a wonderful time talking to vets (nothing like it ) and making such great progress on your jeep, you have been a busy young man!!! Thanks so much for all of the updates. Even though I can't help with anything, I love seeing your progress.

 

...Kat