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| Various DJ Parts Restorations ; intertwined with Off Topic | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 19 2014, 01:23 AM (16,069 Views) | |
| PapaC | Jan 19 2014, 01:23 AM Post #1 |
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Papac
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| PapaC | Jan 31 2014, 04:03 AM Post #2 |
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Papac
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Hand sanding my frame is tough!! |
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| F Bill | Jan 31 2014, 10:34 AM Post #3 |
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Jeep discovery and aquisition specialist
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Sounds like you may need coarser grit to sand it with.. at least you know it is hard stuff and it won't shrink back into the scratches later. Hopefully you are using something like 120 /180 to knock it down. Even as low as 36 if you are going strip it and start over. I recently did a bike frame with white acrylic 3m spot putty, stuff sands great but I doubt it is too durable. It is almost like sheetrock mud to sand. Welcome to the fun world of perfectionism. I must say, nothing looks better than a nice fresh frame that has been professionally restored to remove pitting. I look at restorations with pitted frame rails they just don't look right. To me they look like cheap spray can jobs. It Is my inner body man coming back out, as much as I try to repress it. |
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59 convertible 15933 needs drivetrain 60 convertible 17052 has a V6 and 4WD 60 Surrey 17509 went thru Katrina and looks it. 60 Surrey 17918 started it all...Toyota axle, BW Wrecked Surrey Tub with fenders and grille 56 tub, from 11826 And a couple parts DJ's with no ID left. All my jeeps are projects....only runner is my DJ with doors.. | |
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| F Bill | Jan 31 2014, 03:19 PM Post #4 |
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Jeep discovery and aquisition specialist
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Where you have the most to remove, use 120 or even old 80 grit. One question I used to ask the guys in my Auto body class was "what's the finest grit needed when painting with synthetic enamel?? Normally they would try to impress me with how finely they thought they could finish, and say things like 400, 800, or even 2000 grit....but, all those do is waste time and energy. The answer I accepted back then, and this is not for show work, of course, but completely applicable to a frame, 180 grit. With what you are doing, you will still be priming over top of your glaze, I would consider going coarser as the primer will take care of the sanding scratches. High build primer is great stuff. It was just getting popular when I got out of the trade. Back to work. Gotta go to the post office with a care package for some dude in MS.... (It's been a rough week , been playing bike repairman and crime fighter this week and things got a bit behind. Good news, we caught two more scrap thieves IN THE ACT!!
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59 convertible 15933 needs drivetrain 60 convertible 17052 has a V6 and 4WD 60 Surrey 17509 went thru Katrina and looks it. 60 Surrey 17918 started it all...Toyota axle, BW Wrecked Surrey Tub with fenders and grille 56 tub, from 11826 And a couple parts DJ's with no ID left. All my jeeps are projects....only runner is my DJ with doors.. | |
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| F Bill | Feb 1 2014, 01:31 AM Post #5 |
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Jeep discovery and aquisition specialist
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If it is clear coated it isn't original clear.. Clear was not in common use until the late 70s on common production vehicles. I don't think Willys ever used clear. |
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59 convertible 15933 needs drivetrain 60 convertible 17052 has a V6 and 4WD 60 Surrey 17509 went thru Katrina and looks it. 60 Surrey 17918 started it all...Toyota axle, BW Wrecked Surrey Tub with fenders and grille 56 tub, from 11826 And a couple parts DJ's with no ID left. All my jeeps are projects....only runner is my DJ with doors.. | |
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| PapaC | Feb 11 2014, 02:26 AM Post #6 |
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Papac
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Rebuilding (refreshing) a Spartan Turn Signal Switch for a DJ3A Dispatcher. And this is how many parts that are in a Sparton turn signal switch. The pin was loose that is attached to the slide in the lower right of the picture and there 'should' be two of the tiny springs like the one beside the slide. One of them was toast . ![]() I've got the slide re-soldered and fixed. Hoping to smooth over the cracks in the rubber wheel with some Vulkem polyurethane sealant, replace the toasted spring, paint the thing, get a new light bulb somewhere, and put it all back together. I've got another turn switch, a signal stat 900, that only needs a bulb and refinishing but I like the look of the Sparton better. |
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| F Bill | Feb 11 2014, 10:49 AM Post #7 |
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Jeep discovery and aquisition specialist
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I can see a nice step by step Sparton switch repair guide coming out of that picture...Or are we too later for that already? |
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59 convertible 15933 needs drivetrain 60 convertible 17052 has a V6 and 4WD 60 Surrey 17509 went thru Katrina and looks it. 60 Surrey 17918 started it all...Toyota axle, BW Wrecked Surrey Tub with fenders and grille 56 tub, from 11826 And a couple parts DJ's with no ID left. All my jeeps are projects....only runner is my DJ with doors.. | |
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| PapaC | Feb 11 2014, 04:38 PM Post #8 |
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Papac
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I'll let the turn switch hang out here just in case something goes wrong and I can't finish. Here's the main working parts. ![]() On pin in the slide of number 2 the solder had broken loose where it goes through a slot. I cleaned this extremely good with vinegar and a wire brush and a sewing needle. Then making sure it was in place I soldered it back using a very thin piece of 50 50 rosen core soldier. I also slightly dipped the Rosen core in a bit of acid based soldering flux before heating and re melting everything back together. I made sure that it was just hot enough that the solder melted and filled the gap in the slot like it was originally done and deposited all the way through. Then I filed down the excess soldier with part of a fingernail file of my wife's. Finally I made absolutely sure to clean and remove any residue of the rosin and acid flux.
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| PapaC | Feb 11 2014, 04:56 PM Post #9 |
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Papac
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![]() The second problem to replicate the two small tension springs in #3. One was completely toast and the tip end of the other was rusted off. I can tell you that a spring out of a fountain pin, a bic lighter, a old zippo type lighter, a really old Vulcan lighter, and a couple of more types of disposable lighters, and a old pack of springs I had in the shop will not work. FINALLY I found a spring in a switch in a old remote control toy that was perfect. I had to cut to length, flatten the end loops with some tweezers, and just barely scrape the inside of the holes in the two plastic pieces to get a perfect fit. The longer spring between the two pieces has more of a 'brassy' look and was still in good shape. ![]() |
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| PapaC | Feb 12 2014, 03:29 AM Post #10 |
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Papac
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All parts cleaned, repaired, and coated or painted. Almost ready for reassembly. The black is lacquer because it goes on thin and is easily repaired if scratched, (thicker paint such as enamel might coat over and obscure some of the detail, especially on the letters) The silver is a satin coating sprayed on wet and then wiped down and burnished with a paper towel....while still wet. It took several coats to cover that way but I still wound up with the thin protective coating that I was looking for. All painted parts were heated over a gas stove eye to help harden the paint quickly. I used tweezers to hold them. Also the threads on the screws were individually wire brushed both before and after coating.
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| PapaC | Feb 12 2014, 08:19 PM Post #11 |
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Papac
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Earlier today I began to proceed. First I fed the wire back through its hole in the housing. ![]() This is the order to put the parts back in the switch housing. ![]() First I dropped in the slide ![]() This was a little more tricky ![]() |
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| PapaC | Feb 12 2014, 08:32 PM Post #12 |
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Papac
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These are a little more difficult still because these contacts balance on top of the tiny springs. I used petroleum jelly, (vaseline) to help hold in place![]() And here's where it gets even harder. You have to line up and hold this ![]() And this ![]() Together and slip it over the tabs in the housing without anything getting out of place. |
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| PapaC | Feb 12 2014, 08:53 PM Post #13 |
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Papac
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Warning. Before putting together make sure each piece is free and will slide easily. I had to take mine back apart and square up the housing. Once together carefully bend down the tabs. ![]() Finally it looks like a switch again. ![]() 1. There should be continuity through the correct circuits when put back together 2. When the slide is moved to its far right or far left it should catch and hold itself in position. 3. When the pin on the slide is caught in either on position.....a tiny bump or jar should release it so that it will spring back to the center position. This should help assure that when the steering wheel turns the canceling wheel the pointed cam on it will make sure that the signal lights turn off without having to do it manually. |
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| PapaC | Feb 12 2014, 10:56 PM Post #14 |
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Papac
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The position of the switch when reattached to the housing. Notice to which side the bulb wire is routed.![]() And the bracket to fasten the wire to the back goes over the steering column bracket. EDIT: the steering column bracket is adjustable for set rim the correct pressure on the rubber wheel when attached. ![]() I made sure both the switch and the bracket were pushed tight against the housing before I tightened the screws. I didn't want to break another tab or warp anything by pulling it tight with the screws themselves . |
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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| PapaC | Feb 12 2014, 11:57 PM Post #15 |
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Papac
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Remember that rough looking rubber on the wheel? The polyurethane filler I used isn't near cured yet but at the same time it was dry enough to work a little bit. I took 100 grit sandpaper and worked it over pretty good. I kept keeping it wiped off as I sanded and cleaned it. At the end I worked it over with my fingers and the black residue from the rubber dyed what grey caulking that was peeping out almost perfectly. The cracks have all but disappeared even when I twist the rubber back and forth so I'm now confident this repair will be durable, especially after the caulk is completely cured. Before ![]() After ![]() I've also used methods similar to this on old rubber wiring harnesses and connectors. |
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Charles Tate....North Mississippi 1956 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible Doing ground up nuts and bolt restoration by almost entirely reconditioning original used or a few NOS DJ3A parts. 1962 WILLYS DJ3A Convertible. (For research and parts only) | |
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(It's been a rough week , been playing bike repairman and crime fighter this week and things got a bit behind. Good news, we caught two more scrap thieves IN THE ACT!!


















3:52 AM Jul 11