This is my 1946 CJ-2A. My “Jeep® Life” started about 40 years ago, when I, at the age of 12, had my first driving lessons in my grandpa’s green CJ-2A.
That was in Namibia. I remember that I had a little accident, driving the Jeep too close to a tree and bending the windscreen frame, breaking the windscreen. When my grandpa stopped farming in 1980, he handed his Jeep to his brother to use as spares. His brother kept a Jeep® going till he passed on and his last Jeep® spent 10 years under a canvas. I am living now in Australia and about 3 years ago, on my visit to Namibia, I found that Jeep® on my brother-in-law’s farm. I promptly bought it and shipped it to Australia.
Upon a closer look at my Jeep®, I noticed a slight different colour of the windscreen and some welding on the frame. Yip, this is my “trophy” from the accident 40 years ago. Over an 18 month period I did a frame-off restoration. I replaced the horns on the frame, cut out, made up and welded in body parts. Most of my free time I spent grinding, welding and painting the frame and body, driving my neighbours hot and the wife cold. I replaced all bearings, bushes and oils seals. I rebuilt the differentials, gearbox, transfer case and steering box. I only farmed out the rebuilding of the engine.
I tried to keep the Jeep® as close as possible to its original form, except a few minor changes. It is now licensed, insured and on the road. I took it on a few trails and did some interesting 4WDriving with it. The old girl is very potent off-road and creates lots of interest everywhere she goes. Everywhere I stop, there is someone coming to me and talking about Jeeps®. I am very proud to keep history going.
~ Willys Jeep Life story submitted by Gideon Kirsten
Great job! It’s a beautiful old girl. Your grandpa would be (is) very proud of your project for sure. And what a great hierloom, preserving not only Jeep history, but your family history as well. I bet your wife is not so “cool” anymore, once she got took a ride or drove your restoration, haha.
Thanks for sharing the pics and the story!
Hi, awesome looking Cj2a.
I am part way thru a resto on my own Cj2a and wondering if you would share the paint details with me.
Brand, paint code ?
Thanks
You can email me at dam27@hotmail.com
Dear Sir,
I have a Jeep Mahindra F134 Hurricane CJ3B 2.2 Engine and i need a complete engine overhaul kit.
please advise how i can purchase the kit.
Regard.
Nicky
From Namibia
Gideon,
Next time you visit Namibia, come visit us in Windhoek and we can talk jeeps. Have two Cj2a’s, once a early column shift and the other a 48. The 3rd is a 44 MB I am busy restoring.
Your jeep looks great and great story!
Claus
Excelente trabajo,me gusta la convinacion de colores y el estado general…Muy bien Felicitaciones!!!
Nice Job. I recently go an old CJ2A, 1946 and am restoring it. I mixed paint that I had ,different colors and came up with the same color as yours. I hope mine comes close to yours.
MIke
I bought a ’46 CJ2A last August for restoration with the same original Pasture Green body color. Hope mine turns out as well. Great job!
Love this Jeep and your stroy behind it. Great job it is a real beauty!
nice job, I have a cj2 1947, cj3 1951, cj3B1953. I love those toys and histories. CIGI
Awesome job! My 46 CJ2A has the early (and rare) 3spd on the colume shift. It will be a long term restoration but it IS complete so all I need is time and money for replacement parts for the worn out stuff. All in good time. Yours is an inspiration. Congrats.
Great job!
I note that you are in Western Australia. So am I.
I have a CJ3B (1957) and live in Bunbury. I regularly drive mine into town and on the beaches around here.
My son & I restored a ’62 CJ5, so we know how much loveing care it takes. Great job. Now, I’m looking for a CJ2A, or 3, or 3a. (wife doesn’t know yet).
Gideon, beautiful jeep. Would like to get you to do a presentation on it and its restoration at one of the upcoming club meetings.
Brian Thomson
Military Section, VCC of WA
Wow super nice I like it a lot your very lucky to have it I also like the color combination super super
Awesome restortion! That is what I call 110% T.L.C. with your master piece
Willys.Good Luck and keep it on the road and off the road too!
Viva La family heirloom…
Great job!!! It is a satisifying feeling when people look at your completed jeep and you can tell them. “I did this”.
It is good to see another old jeep restored to such a perfect condition, even better when it is a family heirloom.
Wow! Great work! Damn proud of you and your efforts as you certainly light a fire under those of us who have been ignoring our Jeep. My Dad was a country doctor and at the end of WWII was able to purchase of of the first Jeeps available to the public and he needed one on those muddy south Missouri roads and I still have that 1946 CJ-2A and thanks to your enthusiasm I’ll get mine back together. Again, great joe!
Nice job on the restoration! What a little cream puff of a jeep, pass it on to the next generation when the time comes and keep these master pieces forever on the road and off the road too!
Fantastic restoration! That is a great color scheme think I’ll use it for my CJ-5 when I find it. But still need to finish my 1960 Willys Wagon. I’m realy looking for a M 38 A1 but not meny left…that only partcial restoration.