My First Flatty questions

I just picked up my first flatty 1948 CJ2A last Yesterday (Sunday) and it seems as though the Title for it has the VIN or serial number matching an engine serial format? is that a common occurrence or has anyone heard of this? my front frame horn tag is missing and my firewall tag is still there and legible but the serial number listed on the title looks more like an engine serial number but does not match my engine serial number?

From old paint I can see underneath it suggests it was originally Normandy Blue, Entire passenger floor has rotted away but overall everything else is mostly rust free and still has the tailgate number matched to the body. Engine runs but transmission is full of rusty muddy watery goo. Hopefully transfer case is in usable condition but who knows yet.

 

Nice 2A, from what I can see, it looks fairly straight.
My brothers M38 is titled off of the engine number, there were 2 plates on the body that gave it another number( the origionals).
The PO or the State Patrol officer chose to use the motor number for the title.
It won't matter unless you change the motor.
I don't know how easy it is to change title data in WA.

 

My 3B is titled off the engine.

 

The title that came with my 48 cj2a has a vin that is obviously referring to an engine serial number but it does not match my engine. so I am thinking maybe my motor has been switched in the past or maybe a previous owner had 2 1948 cj2a and simply gave previous owner the title that didn't belong to the one he was selling

Currently I am trying to figure out how I should go about changing the title over for this jeep. #1 tell the full truth about the situation. I was given this title for this jeep and tell them its the right title but I was told the motor was changed in the past and that's why its not matching. #2 just tell them I bought my jeep no title and go through state patrol inspection process to get an entirely new title (would probably be a probational title saying jeep is mine unless in the next 3 years someone reports it as stolen. but I don't know

 

In some states vehicles are titled by the engine number for certain years. In TX yours would be titled by the engine number. If you change the engine you would apply for a corrected title.

Check with your local DMV. They can tell you for sure for your state.

 

I am making some pretty good progress on my jeep already since I have only had it just over a week. body is removed, I discovered my tranny transfercase is full of water and rusted up pretty good. could probably be rebuilt with new internals but for now I will just drop in my spare tranny tcase I have laying around out of a 52 m38a1. since the shift lever has a different bend I removed both shift levers from both trannys and exchanged the pivot ball in them to install my correct bend lever for the cj2a into the screw on cap style military tower. I am waiting on new engine and tranny mounts to arrive.

Motor is getting a complete tune-up, I pulled out what looked like original Champion J8 spark plugs that might be the same installed from new. and removed a really cool orange painted Fram oil filter. I don't know when the last time the filters were painted (but then again I am too young to have seen these filters before aside from my jeeps) my points and condenser were pretty old too. the condenser was marked Echlin 50th anniversary which means the company started in 1924 50 year later would make my points about 1974 was likely its last tune-up.

Story is my jeep was used on a farm for hauling pipe then parked in the 80's. Plan is to have frame and motor painted this weekend and new brakes next week or two.

 

If you haven't already, take a look at the 2A forum www.thecj2apage.com Lots of help.

 

does anyone know if this heater that is already in my cj2a is a good heater for my 48 cj2a in the winter months I have a Koenig hard half cab for it

From what I read on this website http://www.cj-2a.com/oldsite/OEMparts/heaters/index.html it appears the heater is a correct original for my year. and If I should switch it out about how much is my heater worth if I chose to sell it?

 

its located on the driver side and I do not know if it works or leaks since I have not yet tried it

 

Order a blank tag and stamp to match your title.