This seller has posted this convertible DJ-3A in several places on Facebook, asking questions about what it is, etc. My answers too the question of ‘what it is’ resulted in at least one commenter referring to me as an “idiot” (or something similar; I can’t remember the exact word) for not knowing what I was talking about ….. Ah, yes, the cesspool the FB can be. To the commenters credit, after politely calling out the author of that witticism, he did take the time to apologize. But, still …
With that in mind, I am surprised the seller is claiming this is an “all original” DJ-3A, instead of labeling it, as I explained several times to him, a DJ-3A convertible that’s been modified with four wheel drive.
“All original Willy’s dj3a solid frame passenger floor pan has some rust. Engine turns over and has spark and compression. Very rare jeep. Only 2,510 of them made in 1956”
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/atq/d/lebanon-1956-willys-dj3a-jeep/7433789092.html
I’m the owner of the Jeep. It runs and has some new parts to go with it.
You got an issue shoot me a message.
Thanks for the update Dean. I’ll bump this to the front page for later this morning.
– Dave
Dave et al,
I went and looked at this jeep this morning in person. It is a 1956 DJ3A frame and body, fenders, grill, hood and windshield, steering column, and radiator. Serial # 10509 puts it as the 509th one built so it is an very early DJ3A (1956 was first year of production) and the windshield, center top bow, and lack of it ever having a back seat strongly suggests it was a Fastback. But that is where it ends. The complete drive train from the water pump back to the rear differential, including the front differential appears to be early to mid-1948 CJ2A. It has a CJ engine, including all CJ manifolds and carb., it has CJ T-90 tranny and D18 transfer case and CJ drive shafts, CJ differentials, springs, and wheels (5 lug). The engine boss behind the waterpump has a serial number stamped into it but there is no prefix on it so can’t really tell if its a CJ, R, or MC engine. It does have some M38 things on it like lifting hooks and by-pass tube from head to water pump but that is where that ends.
So in my humble opinion (41 restorations under my belt) , this jeep started out as 1956 DJ3A Fastback and at some point in its life, the entire drive train was replaced with a 4×4 CJ drivetrain.
Definitely not a quick fix yard jeep, but a good restoration candidate for an example of a DJ3A 4X4 conversion. $5K probably a little ambitious as a sale price, but good starting point for negotiation.