starting to restore have two m38a1's

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 11:50 pm

being a relative new comer to this endeavor, have to ask the basic question. purchased two m38A1 as is, one missing transmission and transfer, but have two boddies and two engines, both ran recently.
Now where in the $&% do you start. Get back to basic frame and start adding rebuild and restored body parts?? have no idea where to start

Saberr · Post by **Saberr** » Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:28 am

Frame off if the body or frame is damaged, or want to tear all down for perfect restore (depends on your goal). Rust repair, once body good blast or paint as needed, electrical, put engine/transfer close to last, that way can clean/paint engine bay. Electrical tword end, because engine needed for full check. If body off, put engine/transmission in before body on. Or just take the whole one, get it ruining and electrical going, fix rust, and drive. Paint and do little things after its driving. Just my opinion. IF you have one derivable, its more encouraging to work on the rest, than two in pieces all around your house

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Post by **wesk** » Wed Mar 02, 2016 1:07 am

Since you are new to restoring I would suggest getting the complete jeep running and start enjoying driving it. This will keep you interested in the 2nd jeep during the long restoration. If you choose to use the first jeep while restoring the 2nd jeep then open a separate page / thread for the 1st driver jeep.

The best way to start the 2nd project jeep is to take a good set of detailed photos. While you photograph and inspect keep a good set of notes. Try to organize your notes in a binder. Keep a section on what you found, what you want to fix, what you need for parts. From the parts need list you can start shopping for deals and good prices at car shows and meets.

Download all the applicable manuals from our download page and print each page you find yourself needing and place the pages in a binder. Or buy paper copies of each manual. As a minimum you want the parts manual (ORD 9 SNL G-758), the operators maintenance manual (TM 9-8014), The engine & clutch manual (TM 9-8015-1), the Chassis and running gear manual (TM 9-8015-2). Then if you are a hands on rebuilder of accessories and fuel system parts you'll want a copy of the Electrical components manuals (TM 9-1825B Autolite & TM 9-8627 Delco Remy), the fuel pump manual (TM 9-1828A) and the carb manual (TM 9-1826A). These accessory manuals you will want with a late enough publishing date to ensure the 1950 - 1968 jeep accessories are covered in them.

Next prepare a place to do the work. Good lighting, hard floor, work bench, compressor, vice, wire wheel & grinder, adequate hand tools. If you don't already own some decent air tools, now is the time to start shopping for them at sales and etc. Jacks, jack stands, a cherry picker, and chain hoist. Storage containers for all the small parts. Shelves for the parts. Engine stand.

Now while still taking photos along the way, start with disassembly of the body. Just follow the applicable manual. Take good, detailed photos before you disassemble each sub-assembly. Make good detailed notes. Once you have the body completely dis-assembled organize your plan to restore the body and start the restoration of the body.

Now remove the running gear (engine, springs, axles & etc. from the frame. Take good notes and photos. Organize your restoration plan for each set IE front axle, rear axle, all drive shafts, steering, all springs, engine, tranny, and transfer each become individual projects with their own plan.

Finally the frame is treated as a separate restoration with it's own plan.

Then comes the nice part. Re-assembly of the jeep. Start with the restored frame. Attach all the restored running gear projects. I prefer to run the engine in the chassis before installing the body. The radiator can be installed without the fenders and grill. I also prefer to complete brake system restoration and installation and bleeding before installing the body.

Now install the restored tub. Then install the wiring harness except for the front lighting harness attachment. Install the dash & instruments then the front seats. This is also a good point to do the engine run checks if you hadn't done them above during chassis assembly. Once engine runs well and all accessories are installed then install the fenders and grill and the remaining wiring connections.

If you followed the directions in your manuals then you will not have to ask many questions here on our technical board.

Good luck and enjoy.

Brinken · Post by **Brinken** » Wed Mar 02, 2016 1:39 am

Wes, thank you for all this advice, I will also need this when I soon start my restoration.
//Jan-Olof

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Wed Mar 02, 2016 6:52 am

We like photos!

I would keep one jeep running and it will be inspirational for working on the other when you drive it around.

Like Wes said, get the manuals and they will help a great deal. Does take time to look through them but in the end you will learn a lot.

Also look through the downloads section at the PM magazine stuff as the Army ran into many of the same problems we do today and they had small fixes over the years.

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Wed Mar 02, 2016 11:50 pm

WOW, LIKED THE POST REFERRING TO ALL THE tm'S, WENT AND GOT A 16GB FLASH DRIVE AND UNLOADED THEM ONTO THE FLASH DRIVE. CONSIDRED PRINTING THEM UP BUT ONE MANUAL ALONE 437 PAGES. THINK WILL BE FINDING THEM ONINTERNET AND BUYING. ANYONE RECOMMEND A GENERAL PURPOSE TIRE. THE ONES ON THE JEEP ARE PRETTY MUCH WORTHLESS. RIGHT REAR HAS A SPLIT AND THE INNER TUBE STICKS OUT LIKE A SOFTBALL

Post by **wesk** » Thu Mar 03, 2016 1:36 am

You'll need to decide what type of restoration you are doing and what you will be doing with the jeeps. For the stock look use the 7.00x16 NDCC.

NDCC stock tire for jeep

STA Super Traxion for good off & on road traction.

For the sake of keeping your projects from becoming confusing try to open a second project thread for your driver. Leave the long term resto on this thread.

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:20 pm

Have the front end of the one that in my opionion has the best frame, it is a willys jeep. right front fender has some damage, but is repairable and quite abit cheaper than the ccost of anew one
grill off both jeeps, the one that i thought was better has some thru and thru rust, small but still thru and the other one has about 100lbs of pain on it from olive drab to blue to red to yellow, but the grill area is quite good and solid.
one hood is pristine and that is both structural and dent wise, none.
still dis assembly of body going on and will be removing engine and radiator soon. battery box bottom removed, took two days to get it out, that is one hour of working and one hour yelling at it. but it is out and although has rust it is serviceable and so are both battery trays. disassembled all four light assemblies and will sand blast all four and sell the other ones along with radiator grill.

hood, two fenders, two rims, some other parts (small like hinges) all sandblasted and sandblast guy seems to know his stuff, like keeping nozzle away from flat surfaces so the surface does not get hot and wrinkle.

all pieces and parts at small body shop they are painting them with primer and i will store in garage until re assembly.

leaf stprings one jeep has problems with rear springs, one leaf broken and that is the top big one. may have to get new ones the two jeeps have different model springs??? may have to pick some brains on that

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:29 pm

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/ ... awfvbh.jpg

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:30 pm

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:35 pm

leaf springs are the actual springs that same on most m38a1's?? may have to come up with a good set out of two jeeps???

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Wed May 11, 2016 5:46 pm

kaiser willy offers rear leaf spring with 9 leafs currently there are way more leafs on the springs on the m38A1 am working on??

Post by **wesk** » Wed May 11, 2016 10:21 pm

In your quest to learn more about your jeep and learn more about what other jeep parts will work in your jeep it is a good idea to acquire as many other model jeep manuals as you can find. When working on the M38A1 you should at least secure copies of the appropriate manuals for the same year group of CJ5's / CJ6's. 1952-1971 M38A1 vs 1955-1971 CJ5 / CJ6.

The correct spring leaf counts are in your TM 9-8014 for the M38A1 Par 239 starting on page 290.For the CJ5 SM-1003 or SM-1046.

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 12:24 pm

THE JEEP THAT IN MY OPINION THAT HAS THE BEST FRAME HAS THE ENGINE REMOVED, AND IT HAS BEEN CLEANED AND IS SITTING ON A HOME MADE DOLLY

THESE THINGS ARE HEAVY!!!

AM DOWN TO PROBABLY 8 MORE HOURS OF REMOVING ORIGINAL WIRE HARNESS WITH GOORPING IT UP.. SURE GOT LOTS OF DEAD RUSTY BOLTS THAT TAKE FOREVER TO BREAK LOOSE

IRA · Post by **IRA** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 11:20 am

almost down to frame only,,, then sand blast