JEEPS THEN-JEEPS NOW

Create a thread to track the progress of you MB/GPW restoration progress. Previously a General Discussion board.
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Joe Gopan
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JEEPS THEN-JEEPS NOW

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Feb 26, 2018 3:26 pm

The WWII GI's didn't have nearly the problems with their Jeeps as WWII Jeep owners appear to be having today.
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


Destructo6
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Re: JEEPS THEN-JEEPS NOW

Post by Destructo6 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:28 am

Not sure, do you mean modem owners with 75 year old vehicles or modern owners with new Wranglers JK/JL?
God gave you a soul.
Your parents, a body.
Your country, a rifle.

Keep all of them clean.

Joe Gopan
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Re: JEEPS THEN-JEEPS NOW

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:32 am

:wink: No modern Jeeps, just the WWII and post war military/civ thru 60's. Note that I have edited my original post. :wink:
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

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Chuck Lutz
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Re: JEEPS THEN-JEEPS NOW

Post by Chuck Lutz » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:31 am

In WWII, brand new jeeps were issued to the troops and as evidenced by all the changes over the course of the war from the factory, not to mention those Army Motors articles...they DID have some issues with them fairly soon.

Fast forward to the modern age...we are working on 75 year old vehicles that do not have all their parts within the same tolerances as they were 25,000 or 35,000 miles ago...in fact, even up into the 1960s and 1970s, Detroit made vehicles that would last only 35,000 to 50,000 miles and the driveline by then was in urgent need of an overhaul...or replacement.

All these jeeps we see being restored are not "barn finds" that were parked in Farmer John's barn away from the weather and needing only some clean gas to get started and air in the tires to drive away. They are found with "F" head engines, T-90s, Buick V-6s, Volvo engines, Bubba wiring and lighting and all kinds of "modifications" that may have been very hard on not only the driveline components but the suspension, braking and steering systems.

I don't believe that every restorer takes apart every single item the original jeep had and replaces "worn" or used components. Many, if not a large percentage simply address the problems that keep them from just putting in fresh gas and driving away as they are revealed.

Depending on factors like this for the new jeep guy:
1) are a qualified WWII jeep mechanic
2) have a complete machine shop in your garage
3) have an unlimited budget to restore, repair or replace any and all components in question
4) have unlimited time on your hands to do this

Reminiscing about the "good old days" when a jeep was brand new compared to some poor guy trying to restore some rust-bucket with all systems failing is not exactly the same. Of course he's going to have more "problems" than WWII GIs. Add to that any problems a WWII GI might have with his vehicle were not really his problem; they were the problem of the Motorpool/higher echelon repair services who did not repair things, they just replaced them and sent the defective carb or genny or T-84 to someone who specialized in the repairs of each individual item.

Front line combat units did not require the vehicle drivers to deal with the "problems" all of us have to sort out these days at all...they had guys in the rear who did that sort of thing so in that regard I would agree to some extent with you Joel...front line combat units did not have nearly the problems that WWII jeep owners do today....they turning in or abandoned a broken down vehicle and obtained another one and pushed on ahead.
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

Joe Gopan
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Re: JEEPS THEN-JEEPS NOW

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:44 am

Am a firm believer of returning all systems back to new tolerances and returned my MB to new operating condition using NOS "then" rather than "now" components. It helped to have grown up in the Jeep and MV business and being trained in our own shop by WWII Ordnance mechanics who were also some of the first authorized local Civilian Jeep mechanics. Years later it was great to to discover that our own WWII Army trained mechanics who taught me did everything exactly the same the Army was training their 1960 students.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Destructo6
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Re: JEEPS THEN-JEEPS NOW

Post by Destructo6 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:48 am

When I was in the military, I never had a problem with a HMMWV. I just took whatever the motor transport SGT. gave me and I drove the wheels off.

Now, had I been married to the same HMMWV throughout, having to perform maintenance to that in addition to work at my regular duties, things would probably be different. Add 75 years and God only knows what type of use/abuse and I guarantee things would be different.

Discussion boards like this one also tend to attract folks that are having problems and are seeking answers. This is why I'm here and you two, among others, have yielded answers to question I haven't needed to ask because they've been asked before.
God gave you a soul.
Your parents, a body.
Your country, a rifle.

Keep all of them clean.


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