1945 Cj2a

I just picked up another flattie and I'm not sure what I have. (I know pics are the bomb) Pics can come later as I figure this all out (I'm old and old school).

It's registered as a 46' and has a m38 tub, but the frame has an MB rear floater and the front has the D25 with the steering idler hole in the middle of the axle. The front horn of the frame is cut at a 45 deg and it has a machine gun frame mount, but the rear shock top mount isn't straight up and down but slanted forward and I see no old weld/bolt holes/ or indication that the shocks have been relocated. Last thing I noticed is that the rear frame by the shock mounts isn't boxed, but I thought the MB was partially boxed and the GPW had even more frame boxing. Did the 45' CJ2a ever use an MB frame, or just random left over parts.

Curiosity (and an education) has more to do with asking than anything. I plan to remove my drive train from my early 42' script GPW (231/t18/D18 Warn OD, PS and D44 F&R) and take the axles and whatever is original from the 46' over to the GPW. I'm not finding any "F" for ford on the axle ends, so for the purest it won't be absolute original.

Clear as mud....right?

Thanks,
Roger

 

Why not just swap the body parts from chassis to chassis? Easier by far and easier sell the custom drivetrain to a buyer ( like maybe me ).

 

I had a 45 2A as a kid (first car). I can't recall all the nuances of it, but here's what I recall:
1. 23-2 rear axle (full floater)
2. Dana 25 front axle with regular civvy bellcrank mount on the frame/crossmember
3. tool indents on the drivers side
4. 3 brass ID plates on dash- similar to the WW2 style- stampings and all
5 SN around 11500, meaning it was around the 1500th one made, I figure Nov 1945. registered as a '46- very common to see that

There was a lot of overlap of military parts (including frames) on the 2As till they worked through the left over inventory from the war. But any number of parts could have been swapped over the years. Not sure if my 2A had a machine gun mount or MB style front horns, but I think it did

Is the current tub an original M38 or a repro?

 

The tub is an original M38 and in really good condition. I bought it with the cj2a frame which it is mounted too and suspect it has been for the last 30 or 40 years. The DMV tells me that the VIN/serial# was regenerated by them and that it says 46, but that the title says manufacturer unknown.

The rear axle is a 23-2 and the bell crank is mounted to the frame, but the D25 axle has a location on the rear of the housing to mount the bellcrank there also. I also forgot to mention that the body mounts are on the outside of the frame and they look stock as can. Again, this is more of my curiosity because I'm fairly new to flat fenders.

Wheelie, I bought the GPW solely for it's running gear. It came with the rear full floater and also disc brakes on all four corners. It been a Rubicon runner for the past several decades and beat to hell. When I got it home I realized it was a early GPW with matching frame numbers and a title that also matched and hated to butcher it more.

The intentions are to build a very nice flat towing vehicle to take to eastern Oregon and possible Northern Nevada behind my truck and camper. I love exploring back country, but I'm no rock crawler and don't intend to be.

Roger

 

The 2a page has a really good breakdown of the parts that were used on the early 2As. The very first CJs were mostly left over MB parts.

 

Thanks Daryl, I found a great youtube video put out by the CJ2a page that talks specifically about the MB and CJ2a early frames differences. It is what I suspected a left over frame. It has no value except to me for my project, but it is cool history.

Roger