From one generation to the next. In the fall of 1992 I found an ad in the trader for a 1948 Willys CJ-2A. So early Saturday morning myself and my 2 sons 11 and 10 along with my father in law hooked up our gooseneck stock trailer and made the 100 mile trip to Tipton, Indiana. When we arrived I was pleased to see a very original Willys complete with full soft top. The wheels had been replaced with some aftermarket white 5 spoke wheels. Still sporting its original black paint it was rust free inside and out, the underbody and frame were very good. The only damage was from hauling firewood, the rear fender wells and tailgate was banged up. The original go devil flathead did smoke a little and the seals in the drivetrain were a little leaky.
I gladly paid the gentleman, loaded it in the stock trailer and headed back to our farm in Unionville, Indiana. My sons couldn’t wait to get it unloaded and take it to the hayfield with dad along. The boys learned to drive in the Willys on the farm and the sleepy county roads near our home. The first winter we had a fresh 12″ snow one friday night and it was Willys time after breakfast on Saturday mornings. About 15 minutes into their playing in the snow I looked out the window from the house and there they sat in the garden with the Willys hung up. Here they come ”hey dad guess what” I told them you got it stuck you get it out. So in a few minutes the 1755 Oliver Tractor rolls out of the barn, I stayed in and watched out the window. The Oliver had the 2A out in a Jiffy. We drove it for a year or so and decided to pull the go devil out and have it rebuilt in Indianapolis by D & B Machine. Up and going again with a new clutch and pressure plate. My son, Josh took Auto body his junior and senior year at Hoosier Hills Career Center in Bloomington, Indiana, so he decided to redo the paint on the Willys as his class project. We had a set of original wheels we put back on with a fresh set of NDT Tires the only body work was a new aftermarket tailgate which Josh cut out the Willys Stamp from a donor gate and welded onto the new gate with a fresh new paint job next we had the front and rear seats reupholstered. I now have 5 grandchildren and hope they can all learn to drive on Nan & Paps farm in the Willys Jeep.
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very nice family and jeep.
kenny
Dear sir,
My first car was a CJ-2A and i have never had so much enjoyment with even my CJ-7. Thye were real jeeps not imitations.
Sincerely,
Dave
great addition to your jeep family, teaching the basics of driving on the farm is way ahead of learning the operation of a machine and trying to dodge traffic and learn rules of the road out on the road. that little problem solving getting unstuck helps become more independent . they’re the go to people of tomorrow. it looks like you also have a Dodge weapons carrier M37 . great tough machines also. good times to be had for all .