"Short Round" 53 DJ3A to MB Clone

[Deleted]

D-Day +70 years so to speak, what a tribute!

[zooke581]

"On D-Day The 321st Field Artillery Battalion were split in to two groups, the first aboard the Liberty ship, John S Mosby, landed on Utah Beach. The second group was aboard the Susan B Anthony which struck a mine and sank off Omaha Beach. The artillery troopers managed to get ashore without loss of life but minus their guns and vehicles, which did not arrive until the 9th of June. Between the 6th and 9th of June, part of the battalion served as forward observers for the 506th PIR directing naval and self-propelled 105mm fire. Once fully equipped the 321st advanced as suuport for the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment until it was relieved from action on 10 July 1944 and set sail for England aboard an LST on 13 July 1944."

[Deleted]

An outstanding job on the fender, very nice job!

Lee

[Haines Garage]

May 22, 2014 21:13:17 GMT -5 @lee said:

An outstanding job on the fender, very nice job!

Lee

Yes Sir..... Love it!

[Deleted]

Great job on the fender! And a history lesson to boot!

[zooke581]

Thanks all! And I love history.

Tomorrow took the day off.  Hope to get a lot accomplished.  Saturday is a day with the Wife on a Poker Run.  Then to DC on Sunday and Monday for Memorial Day.  Arlington Cemetery and Parade.  Will post up pics.

[zooke581]

Prepped, primed and painted the fenders. They are by no means perfect. They are servicable. Part of the Jeep are really good and other parts and servicable. These can be done at a later date as will other things. I need it done quickly. So servicable will be the order of the day every day till June 6th. Then little touchups and changes can be done while I restore the real GPW/MB.

[zooke581]

Before I fell over for the night,(Got the 73 Suzuki GT750 ready for a poker run tomorrow, been in mothballs for the winter) I worked on the hood. Ground away all the paint and rust on the top. Cleaned the underside and welded up some wrong holes, rips, rust spots and broken supports. Hammered flat some bad dents, primed and painted the underside. This is a real MB hood. Got to get my uniforms and such ready tomorrow for the ceremonies in DC Sunday and Monday.

[Haines Garage]

Awesome! And I love your Painting Rack! Hope you have a safe trip!

[zooke581]

Now that I am back from DC and very wore out. Keep forgetting I am not 18 anymore. Did some work on the Jeep.

I looked at all the Jeeps in the DC parade and they did not pay the attention I did while doing mine. So with that enlightenment I am going to go a simpler route and skip a few things.

I filled the ball peen hammer dents in the back panel but left the waves. I want this to look like a motorpool restoration. Light repairs and repaint with some dents still intact. Like a combat repaint. I painted the top of the engine hood as well. I mounted the tire rack and gerry can holder with the support piece I made. The recessed light holes are looking good.

[Haines Garage]

Looking Great Sir Eric !!

The conversation of how perfect the panels need to be is two sided.
There are guys out there that do it perfect , and that's Great.

There are guys out there who love the rolls and imperfections ... That's Great!

All about personal preference !

I like both... So. I am screwed!

[zooke581]

I like both as well but this one has to be done before the 6th. The real one I am working on after this will be done better. This is my test mule.

[Haines Garage]

Pretty nice for a test mule.
Can't wait to see the next!

[zooke581]

Just did work in the garage today. No painting. It was raining. So I attached some items like the axe holders, welded on the axe sheath, gerry can strap and mounted the fenders as well.

[Deleted]

This jeep is looking better and better with each post! In the end, the jeep police will end up going crazy (which is A-OK with me) when trying to figure out exactly what your jeep is. I'm really sorry that I'm not going to be at Bedford...I would really like to see Maynard. You've got a truly one of a kind jeep, yet looks like the 600k others made during the war. Kind of like a sea of zebras with black stripes and yours is the zebra with white stripes! Lol!

[Deleted]

Wow!!!

[Deleted]

Great job and looking good! I read the whole post and cracked up when you mentioned the welding up of holes you found. More than the national debt in number-------- John

[zooke581]

Started out at 9AM like this.





Went and worked on the seams of my welds in the floor so they looked half way decent. Cleans off loose rust and sanded for primer. It is not a perfect job. The jeep is not supposed to be but it is supposed to be rust free and structurally solid. Primer is on.




Lusterless Olive Drab is on.

[zooke581]

Got the hood on, the hood catches, windshield catches, the blackout light and few assorted items.




Bumperetts installed and lights set in place for installation tomorrow.

[Haines Garage]

Looks Great!
I am pulling for you for the finish!
Outstanding!!

[Deleted]

Outstanding work . What color is the paint?

Lee

[Haines Garage]

Amen....I like it too.

[zooke581]

Today was an interesting day. Put the flip up light housing in. Bolted in the rear taillights. Installed and hooked up the speedo, oil pressure gauge, temp gauge and just set the others in. Permanently installed the steering column cover after paint. Painted the windshield frame and installed it. It fits like crap. It touches the body metal to metal and is bowed so the seal does not seal. The clasps for the windshield were way off but worked. It's on and functional. Painted the inner windshield and installed it along with the kickout brackets. Set the rear seat in. Then I worked on the tank. Had to make adjustments for a military fill under the seat. Removed the side fill and put a patch on it. Then welded the filler on the top. Checked for leaks and all was good on the second pass. Then I went to clean it up for painting and under the paint were about 50 rust holes. Three hours shot. Tomorrow will repair the tank. It looked good.

[zooke581]

Have this waiting on me from my good friend Britt Taylor Collins. A very rare Airborne Dump Trailer. Completely original with all the correct data plates. What an awesome friend.

[Haines Garage]

Now that there is Awesome!!!