~ Sent by Larry Ketelsen
I live in a small town in Iowa and for a while I had been envious of those older folks who have these golf carts and side by sides putting around town running errands etc. So when I first saw this ratty looking old Jeep I said to myself, “There’s my golf cart.”
Well yes it is a 1948 CJ-2A but it has had many donor parts over the last seventy-four years. The most noticeable of which is the round cornered ‘one piece glass’ windshield from a late 49 – 53 donor. I have tried to keep as much period correct as I can.
Over the last 2 ½ years it has had many other old parts and many new parts including bearings, seals, u-joints, springs, back half of the frame, and yes I had to give in and purchase a new tub. The old one had no place to attach it to the frame, the hat channels were rusted away on what little floor was still present. This old Jeep had been ‘rode hard’ and ‘put away wet’ (literally) too many times.
It is a daily driver to get mail, run errands, goes for evening drives to cool off and is going to start visiting local car gatherings where they say bring ‘what you drive’ ‘what you are proud of’ in other words, pretty much bring what you like. This summer it proudly carried the Colors and our Legion Post Flag in the parade for our town celebration.
It always draws interest wherever it goes. You get thumbs up, smiles and one guy pulled in beside me at the post office to look it over and just hob knob. It is fun hearing everyone’s stories about these Jeeps and what they have done, where they have been and the war stories these machines conjure up.
I think what I like the best is the fact that many vehicle manufactures have spent large amounts of money trying to improve this old ’Flat Fender.’ Yes, they can make it more comfortable, they can make it go faster and give it more power, but as of yet they haven’t made theirs go somewhere this old flat fender can’t go. They got it right the first time, Bantam and Willys Overland.
- Larry Ketelsen Kaiser Willys Jeep Blog Story – If you would like to share your Willys Jeep Story please send us a line. We’d love to meet your Jeep.
Like Us. Facebook
Looking for, Willys Jeep Parts, Willys Jeep replacement parts, Willys Jeep body parts and much more for your 1941-1971 Willys vehicle, you have come to the right place!