A look at the dashboard and floor after I had sandblasted. There were several little pin holes on the driver's side which required filling before final priming and paint.
A rear view shot showing some dings and dents. The original tailgate had been modified due to rust damage. You can see the extra piece of metal that was added to reinforce the hinge portion at the bottom.
The left rear corner had to be straightened, due to an accident that Mom had on one of her excursions with all five grandchildren. Seems she got hit going through an intersection and it spun her in a 360. Luckily, no one was hurt. She always said it wasn't her fault!
The firewall was in surprisingly good condition, and after removing years of dirt and grease the original green paint was visible.
Another oddity about this jeep is that its serial number plate (removed from the firewall here) is in a group of about 2500 from early 1954 that have an unusual serial number, split with an "OB" in the middle: 454GB2 OB 12211. The "OB" is of a different style of lettering and is recessed into the plate as though it were stamped. No one has yet been able to explain to me the significance of this serial number.
All new original-issue tires were mounted and the rims were painted. The rear drawbar and front axle and hubs were ready for paint, new seals and felt.
The original grille required no body work, only painting.
The hood (with tape measure to show height) was in excellent condition. The original hood blocks were missing and have been replaced with oak wood blocks and sealed with a black rubberized paint.
The windshield had some serious rust and extra holes drilled for the mounting of the metal cab. The original strip that held the canvas top had come apart due to rusting and had to be replaced. The original glass had several yellow streaks in the lamination. As luck would have it, I broke the old one in the removal attempt, and had a new one cut.
The original seats were in a bad state of deterioration. Mice from the farm along with extended time in the elements had made the original covering unusable, but the horsehair interior and springs were not harmed. When I took the seats to get them reupholstered, the man told me that it was better material than we have today, so I kept the old springs and horse hair padding.
The left fender required some minor body work.
Thanks to Jack for this 1999 look at his restoration project. As of 2018 the Jeep has been sold. -- Derek Redmond
Continue to Part 3: The Engine and the Final Touches.
Return to Part 1 of Restoration of a 1954 CJ-3B
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