CJ5 to M38A1 conversion

For various reasons I am thinking about using an M38a1 boday and frame instead of my '66 body and frame. I am concerned, however, that not everything will be exchangeable. I was wondering what all can be taken from a cj5 and used on a m38a1. I have an excellent Meyer hard top (full) and would like to use it in addition t0 my seats, axles, 225V6, t86AA, d18, and overdrive. I am not sure what else will crossover. Any advice? I tried searching previous threads but have came up with nothing.
Thanks,
:v6:
benF

 

Pretty sure you can swap everything, except battery location.

 

The grille mounting on a M38A1 is different than a CJ-5. The CJ-5 has a mount at the center bottom and the M38A-1's pivots down with hinges at the lower ends. Not a big obstacle, though. If memory serves my right, isn't the M38A1's frame fully boxed?

 

I also see one obstacle being the rear hatch on the full top. Currently, it jogs out to clear the tailgate. Any ideas there? I am thinking I might have to buy another hatch and modify for fitment.

 

Not all M38a1 grills are like that, i have one that mounts in the center.
Don't think the frame is a full box on the M38a1 etheir.

 

My grill has a mount in the center. The two lower hing mounts were found on the early model M38a1s.

 

There are numerous small differences when you look carefully, but in general things can probably be made to work out.

 

to use the v6 rad you would have to change shrouds, drill spot welds off M38A1 grill and 5 and switch them out.this gives you the 5 middle mount too and gets away from the frame mount style.thats what I did. check it out.

 

i have been slowly going the other direction as you, a1 to cj5, so far i havent ran into anything other than the battery box, it will have to be trimmed down because the cj5 dash is shorter, the hatch on the hard top will work, but there is a gap, you cant see it from the outside though, tierods are bigger, the later seats dont fit well either, the hand brake is in the way of the driver seat mount, thats not a big deal either, i am gonna use the cj hand brake, so it will be moved under the dash, as stated with the grille my 51 had the hindged style, the 55 had the single bolt thru the middle, frames will interchange, thinking duke already did that, the boxed part of the frame is just in the front from the radiator to the spring mount, and from what i have seen this is a common area to break on a cj5 so it had to have helped, springs are heavier, and the a1 has the shackle reversal on the front, thats about all i got at this point, need to know anything else just pm me and i will do my best to get you a awnser

 

... machine gun mount on frame :twisted:

 

Machine gun? Hell, mine has a 106mm anti-tank gun mount on the dash... Some of them came with nuclear missiles.

 

http://www.m38a1.com/Models/models_nuclear.htm

Atomic power option.
This was not on the dealers option list for your CJ5.

 

Thats where the term FUBAR comes from.
Also SNAFU.