Iowa Willys MB Project

If you have an unrestored WWII jeep, we would like to see pictures, and hear your comments. NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES.
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Mark Jesic
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by Mark Jesic » Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:07 pm

Great pictures Madcolars, looking at things you may find a few more surprises, but as many jeep owner on here will tell you, it will be well worth it. Please keep us updated.


70th Division
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by 70th Division » Sun Aug 13, 2017 2:52 pm

Hello,

Great progress !!
Keep us updated, those cylinders look really good, no water in them :D

Coming right along there !!!!!!

Ray

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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by MadCoLars » Tue Aug 22, 2017 7:47 am

Worked on the Willys this past weekend. Got the radiator and motor accessories pulled and the motor removed. Found broken flanges on both the intake and exhaust manifold, so I tracked down some good used replacements from a fellow in Minnesota. Laying in one of the intake ports was a small washer or hole saw slug. Not sure what it is or how long it has been in there. You can see the impression in the port where it was sitting. Strange.

Need to finish pulling the motor apart and get it to the machine shop this week and start cleaning and painting the engine accessories. Pulled the valve cover and everything there looks clean and in good shape.

There is a small aluminum tag wired to the brass fitting in the block which serves the oil pressure gauge. Looks to have "C603" stamped on it. Anyone know what this is for?

After the motor was out I noticed numbers stamped on the top of driver's frame rail: 297619. This matches the number on the title! Nice to get confirmation the serial number is correct since the frame tag and data plates are missing.
Attachments
Motor Out.JPG
Pulling the motor
Motor Out.JPG (227.88 KiB) Viewed 3001 times
Frame Stamp.JPG
Serial number stamped into the top of the driver side frame rail in the engine compartment
Frame Stamp.JPG (232.2 KiB) Viewed 3001 times
Motor Intake Port.JPG
Looks like a slug from a hole saw in the intake port??
Motor Intake Port.JPG (220.69 KiB) Viewed 3001 times
Motor Intake.JPG
Broken intake flange
Motor Intake.JPG (207.61 KiB) Viewed 3001 times
Motor Exhaust.JPG
Broken exhaust flange
Motor Exhaust.JPG (176.76 KiB) Viewed 3001 times
Motor Tag.JPG
Tag on oil pressure gauge fitting
Motor Tag.JPG (213.51 KiB) Viewed 3001 times

70th Division
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by 70th Division » Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:09 am

Hello,

Nice photos there, the frame number could have been stamped by the British.
Since your engine is out and on the way to recovery, you can look on your steering gear box.
It may have some REME rebuild stampings and dates on it.
The British jeep I have has markings stamped from rebuilding of the gear box.

The tag on the oil line is interesting and maybe a Brit can chime in on it ?

That washer thing may have been just a "plug" someone put in the exhaust leak where the gasket deteriorated.
You can see it had exhaust leaks along the manifold/gasket seal area.

Keep up your progress !!

Best Regards,

Ray

MadCoLars
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by MadCoLars » Wed Sep 06, 2017 2:32 pm

Got back to the Willys this weekend. Took the motor apart so in preparation for the trip to the machine shop. Overall things looked good. Cam, crank, and pistons looked OK. Bearings had some wear, may order a new set once the machine shop checks it out. Discovered a few more things about the engine. This is a Willys block, but the connecting rods are GPW. Another British mix and match, consistent with the overall rig. The rods numbers didn't match the cylinder numbers, I'm guessing they used what they had around and didn't bother to match them up. Had a broken valve spring, glad I ordered a new set. The block has a date of 12-17-43 stamped on the bottom.

The most interesting thing I found was thin brass shims between the main bearing caps and the block. Will need to see what the machine shop thinks of these. Anyone else find these during a motor tear down?

It looks like the cylinders have been sleeved. I did a quick measurement with a dial caliper (not the right tool, but it is what I have) and it was roughly 3.120", so very close the bore spec of 3.125". Will have the machine shop check it as well while they have it.

Crank pulley key is being stubborn along with a few studs. Figured the machine shop could deal with those items as well. Time to start cleaning and prepping parts for when the motor comes back!
Attachments
IMG_7646.JPG
Broken valve spring
IMG_7646.JPG (215.66 KiB) Viewed 2912 times
IMG_7650.JPG
GPW connecting rods in a Willys block
IMG_7650.JPG (170.55 KiB) Viewed 2912 times
IMG_7652.JPG
Block date stamp
IMG_7652.JPG (200.02 KiB) Viewed 2912 times
IMG_7653.JPG
Brass shims under main bearing caps
IMG_7653.JPG (220.12 KiB) Viewed 2912 times
IMG_7656.JPG
Pile of motor parts
IMG_7656.JPG (232.48 KiB) Viewed 2912 times

gpwmke
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by gpwmke » Wed Sep 13, 2017 11:55 am

btt

MadCoLars
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by MadCoLars » Mon Oct 23, 2017 4:33 pm

Finally getting back to work on the MB. Purchased a blasting cabinet to prep parts and pieces for paint. In the process of pulling the transmission and transfer case. Will post more pictures once that is out. Also pulled the grill and some other stuff to facilitate the process. Need to remove the brake pedal arm as it is not operating freely from the clutch shaft. Tried to remove the cap nut for the transmission shifter, no go. Pondering the use of bigger tools/more persuasion or just pull the whole top cover off. I was tempted at times to pull the body off and fix some of the corroded braces and body sections, but I think I will save that for next winter. Hope to drive this thing before the snow flies!! Still waiting for the motor to come back from the machine shop.

MadCoLars
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by MadCoLars » Mon Dec 04, 2017 2:32 pm

Took advantage of the nice weather in Iowa this weekend (60+ degrees) and got the engine bay cleaned up and painted. Also dropped the tranny and transfer case. POR-15 used on the battery tray and fuel tank sump. Both will need replaced at some point, but this will get me by until the body comes off for repairs. Several parts degreased in preparation for a trip into the blast cabinet. Saw that the tranny is a GPW (at least the shifter cover is). So much for having a Willys chassis and GPW body! Picked up a used inner and outer windshield frame with glass from a friend. Will use this whenever I remove the hard top. It needs some repairs, but at least it is complete which is better than the one I have. Will be a wall-hanger until the body repairs happen.
Attachments
GPW Shifter.JPG
GPW shifter cover
GPW Shifter.JPG (235.3 KiB) Viewed 2629 times
Engine Bay Before.JPG
Engine bay getting ready for paint
Engine Bay Before.JPG (217.25 KiB) Viewed 2629 times
Engine Bay After.JPG
Engine bay after paint, POR-15 on battery tray
Engine Bay After.JPG (226.02 KiB) Viewed 2629 times
Blasting Cabinet.JPG
Sand blast cabinet
Blasting Cabinet.JPG (250.68 KiB) Viewed 2629 times

CharlieGPW
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by CharlieGPW » Thu Dec 07, 2017 12:38 pm

Hi,

What colour green is that in the engine bay? Are you going to keep the British Bronze Green as this Jeep would never have been painted standard OD. Obviously the parts were once but shame to lose it's military history.

Entirely up to you but the British Green is much rarer!

Charlie

Mark Jesic
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by Mark Jesic » Fri Dec 08, 2017 4:46 am

A very tidy job on the engine bay Madcolars, when the rest of the jeep matches that you will have a gem on your hands. :D

MadCoLars
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by MadCoLars » Fri Dec 08, 2017 6:54 am

The green I used was OD319 from Rapco Parts with the red oxide phosphate primer (111). Just painting the engine bay and associated components for now. At some point the whole thing will get blown apart for a true rebuild and I will decide on the British vs. USA colors at that time. Leaning toward British as I that was its last military duty. Thanks for the comments and suggestions. It is fun to continually find more out about this Jeep as I get further into it. Wish Dad was still around to ask him questions about it.

Mark Jesic
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by Mark Jesic » Fri Dec 08, 2017 11:51 am

Madcolars, it was interesting to see your shade of olive drab. On mine i have used Fosco RAL 2014, so how many different shades of Olive Drab are there ? A dealer here in the U.K. stocks six different shades. What about you guys over in the States ?

MadCoLars
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by MadCoLars » Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:10 am

Charlie, this Jeep was OD green from original production, but certainly was painted in British colors after the post-war transfer. I will research the British colors to see where it is available in the US.

Yes, multiple shades of OD available here as well depending on the year and use of the vehicle.

CharlieGPW
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by CharlieGPW » Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:00 pm

Oh I completely agree, but yours like mine would have been completely dismantled and built from new and reconditioned parts. If you look at 81YH05 no OD exists, it's effectively a new Jeep built by the British and painted the brozen green that you find. As you say the parts would have been OD at some point but on different Jeeps.

They all have a different story to tell and many layers of history...I'm just biased as I think your Jeep is probably a close relative of mine!

MadCoLars
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Re: Iowa Willys MB Project

Post by MadCoLars » Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:47 am

I appreciate your passion and welcome the input. I'm certain it will wear British colors and markings when it gets the full treatment. I don't want it to lose that piece of history either.

I'm definitely learning as I go on this. Going to push hard to get it together over the holiday vacation in hopes of taking a drive while it is still 2017!


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