Our story begins in Chicago, where Steve and I went to pick up a 1972 Grand Prix. It happened to need a battery, so we stopped in Bloomington, IL at a service station. The owner had this CJ-2A sitting in his garage, and it was for sale… I had ALWAYS wanted one, so to make a long story short, my husband bought it for me! It’s a 1947 CJ-2A, but I had always said that if I was ever gonna have one, I wanted to turn it into a Surrey, like Elvis Presley had in the movie Blue Hawaii.
And there you have it! Yes, I know some purists might take issue with this restoration, as Surreys were 1959-1964 DJ’s, weren’t 4×4 and the seats weren’t bucket-style, but it’s my belief that you should build what you enjoy. We are the owners of Center Line Auto Body, a body shop in House Springs Mo. For our personal cars, we usually build “drivers”, that is to say we personally like to drive our cars all over, not just to shows, and the only time they are “trailer queens” is when we go to the Emerald Coast Cruizin show in Panama City, FL in November.
We had to buy a new tub for ours (because the one on it was just too far gone), new gauges (for asthetics), new e brake, shocks, front end parts along with the normal things that a Willys of this age would need. I’m happy to say that when we bought it, it ran and drove, and I’ve pretty much left it like that, with the exception of a thermostat. I plan on tearing into the tranny and drivetrain this winter, because, lets just say, she’s tired!! Our motto is “Run it may, Shine it Must!!” so out she went, tired, but shining all the way!!!! Mechanics can wait till wintertime when she wouldn’t be out anyway!! Luckily, 2 of my 3 boys are mechanics!!! The other works here with us at the body shop.
The hardest part was probably the surrey top, (terrible time getting the right material), but we have the most awesome upholstery guy, named Bill Berger, that I just gave pics to, and he went at it and made it perfect!!! Of course all of the body and paint work was done by us, and we’re very happy with the results. We take pride in our work, and we build ‘em how people want ‘em, it just happened to be mine this time!
Kaiser Willys Jeep Blog Story – Debbie Pilgram
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Hi Debbie Pilgrim.
How much did it cost to have the ‘all’ upholstery done?
ThkU
We are restoring my dad’s ’46 Cj2a. I joked for years I wanted one just like the one Elvis had in Blue Hawaii. I had a Barbie Jeep just like it. Flash from the past or what. What a nice job you have done.
Thank you to everyone for all the nice comments. I am so glad that you all seem to enjoy it as much as we do!!! It has been a true labor of love,,,,,, thank you again for all the comments, and if we could help any of you with anything, please contact us, we would be happy to help.
great combination four wheel drive and fringe. great job. an idea that is long overdue.
surrey with fringe and four wheel drive, great combination , an idea that is long overdue.
Very nice I dare not show this to my wife for fear she’ll make me build one for her. We have a 67 cj5 complete off frame rebuild all original, so I know that you guys went through again Very Nice
Wow my God what a beautiful restoration and excellent detailing specially the shades of pink, the pink Engine block and spark plug cables, the striped seats and canopy, the pink polka dot pillows, the whitewall and pink tires and the chrome wheel caps.
Well done
Nasir Lotia
Great job! My daughter wants me to build one for her now.
I like your attitude, ” but it’s my belief that you should build what you enjoy”. I am slowly restoring a 1968 Jeepster Continental Convertible. Of course it is 4 x 4, has the Dauntless V-6, TH400 Hydramatic. I plan to use it year round, even off-road, and I don’t want to please anybody but myself. I live in far northern California, we get lots of snow, and I will not put it up on blocks for the winter, and I might even have to chain it up at times. My wife and I have four other 4 x 4s, one with a snowplow, another a dump truck. We live at the end of a 1/2 mile, 12% grade, paved and plowed county road, and even at that, on occasion I have to chain up to get home.
Beautiful!! Well done! My CJ3A is spaghetti, but like you, it is how I like it.
Wow now that’s what I call “Pretty in Pink” you did a spectatular job, well done. I feel the same way as you do, I have a lot of Muscle cars to play with and a little old cj2a that I never touched and it was just sitting under a carport when I finally painted my cj2a in olive drab and added few stars here and there ,now I can’t wait to start it and play with it and add new military stuff to it ( even though its not a MB) You need to make it yours and be proud of what you have done to it!!! Nice work. Way to go Pilgrams…
I really like your Jeep. I remember seeing them in Hawaii in the late 50’s and always liked them. You have given your Jeep a new and happy life!
Great looking CJ, very nice work!!!!!!