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Surrey floor details....wood?; not the sam as every other CJ. ??
Topic Started: Feb 7 2014, 10:53 PM (685 Views)
F Bill
Jeep discovery and aquisition specialist
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Today I learned yet another thing about my Surrey..I've had a tub that I got in a package deal that had been bolted down since I got it. Today while cleaning the yard up, I decided to remove the tub from the Cj2A frame it was sitting on, and put in in safe inside storage. Got a good look at the untouched underneath side of this tub, and discovered that it is NOT like a 2A. Check out this picture and see if you can find the differences from a 3a or 2A tub:

Posted Image

First, there are two wooden blocks reinforcing the floor ahead of the inside rear body mounts. I've never seen these on a 3A or 2A.. Gas tank mounting blocks perhaps?

Second.. those inner body mounts have no bolt holes in the riveted on rubber pads. IE, they are not used to bolt the tub down and only rest on the rear frame. Did Willys decide too many mounts made the tub crack?

Here is a closeup of the mount pad. They are attached differently on each pad..but both are nailed in place.

Posted Image

Third, check out the hat channels.. They are NOT flat. They appear to be the flat hats that have been squished by pressing the centers of the hats inward.. Whether this is done for strength or to clear the tank, I do not know....??

Here's a better shot.
Posted Image

What is the mystery spot welded on plate in this picture for? It is between the hat channel and the floor riser panel. I didn't see anything on the other side that needed the extra metal, but maybe it is a seat leg area?

Here's an overall shot from the bottom:

Posted Image

And a 2A to compare with. :
Posted Image

So... does the rest of the DJ3A line have these same features or is it a Surrey thing?

This tub was obtained with my original Surrey as a parts tub, it was in an accident and some of the left front and the cowl top has been replaced, poorly.

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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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SteveK
Member
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Hey FBil, I'm no expert or historian, but can see what my '62 Dispatcher has or had.

The wood blocks are spacer/insulators to keep the gas tank away from the metal floor to protect the fuel outlet and sender connections. I have also found wood used inside the front fender supports, and at the transmission cross member mounting location on the frame as a spacer, and on the hood as rests for the windshield when folded down. It is all some kind of hard wood and seems to resist rotting.

The hat rack floor stiffener is the same on mine, and where you have a welded metal piece on the floor, I have a spot-welded nut holder (I'm sure someone knows the technical name for it) for a bolt thru the floor for some potential.

What I find interesting is that the Surrey tub does not have the body support piece in front of the filler pipe in the passenger side wheel well, but the Cj2A does. I used to think it was to protect my filler pipe from a bad tire situation, but now I'm guessing it is just for support of the spare mounted to the Cj/Dispatcher tub's side panel. The Surrey spare would be mounted in the back and not need it, right?

I don't have the rear filler section from under the tailgate anymore, but it seems to me that mine was bolted down when I did have it. Mine probably was needed as extra support for the tailgate hinge frame ... or... Maybe someone was snoozing when that part of the Surrey build came by on the assembly line...lol

It is cool that you have the means to check out all the original pieces like you do, and share it for us all to learn from. Thanks!
SteveK
62 Dispatcher
South Florida
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PapaC
Papac
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1. I've still got the two wooden blocks that were spacers or rests on the bottom of the tub for the gas tank. I 'believe' mine were attached with Phillips head screws but don't remember for sure at this time

2. My 56 does not have the steel plate like on Bill's or captive nut Steve described.

3. The two rear crossmember mounts that are left on my 56 have rubber grommets with a hole in the middle instead of the stapled on pads.

4. The two rear crossmember mounts that were on Steve's filler panel are the same but...they have the stapled on rubber pads..and these pads do completely cover the hole in the bracket that they are attached to as described by Bill

5. My hat channels are the same with the squished down centers

6. My choices for replacing the wood will be either heart pine, heart Cyprus or a piece of walnut that I've got. I'm guessing the original was not oak because oak likes to absorb water through the end grain and doesn't hold up well in wet conditions

7. I also had two wood blocks as spacers between the frame and the transmission cross member support



Rubber gromet in 56 convertible rear crossmember tub bracket

Posted Image




Later model rear crossmember tub bracket (from Steve's filler panel). 1962

Posted Image

Posted Image


I do have a hole near the front riser but at this time I do not think it belongs

Posted Image
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
Papac
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Quote:
 
What I find interesting is that the Surrey tub does not have the body support piece in front of the filler pipe in the passenger side wheel well, but the Cj2A does. I used to think it was to protect my filler pipe from a bad tire situation, but now I'm guessing it is just for support of the spare mounted to the Cj/Dispatcher tub's side panel. The Surrey spare would be mounted in the back and not need it, right?


I also want to note that your dispatcher had a special license bracket complete with its own little light to illuminate the tag. More proof that this was CORRECT for your DJ was the two original HALL 701 taillights, neither of which had the cut out to illuminate the tag.
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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SteveK
Member
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I was thinking the wood was probably Ash, as that was a very popular wood for furniture and cabinets back then (my 1953 house still has the cabinets). Hardly took a stain or even clear it is so dense in grain.

That tag light/bracket intrigued me, as it swung down when the tailgate was open, making the tag illumination and visibility possible and legal at any position, open or closed. Very practical.
SteveK
62 Dispatcher
South Florida
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PapaC
Papac
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SteveK,Feb 9 2014
09:02 AM
I was thinking the wood was probably Ash, as that was a very popular wood for furniture and cabinets back then (my 1953 house still has the cabinets).  Hardly took a stain or even clear it is so dense in grain.


You may be right on the wood being Ash and it IS a excellent wood and now you've got me wondering. However like oak I don't 'think' it holds up well to wet conditions. Whether this would have been a consideration underneath a frame I don't know. Maybe that's why so much wood rotted out underneath these jeeps???

As a note it's a SHAME that we have lost so many of these ash trees to that beetle, which snuck into our northern forests in 2002 that destroyed millions of these trees. Up until now it's been quite a few years since I checked but it seems that quarantine and eradication efforts are finally beginning to pay off.

I also mention that even this could not compare to the almost entire nationwide loss of our american chestnut trees to a blight that still hasn't after over 100 years of research been gotten under control.
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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