Originally published in 2008:
The Transcontinental Flatfender Tour website follows the refurbishment of a CJ-2A and CJ-3A and an ensuing trip across the US (they started July 15th and ended August 19th, 2007).
There are many pictures, stories of adventure, meet-ups with other jeepers, and a video history. Here is Paul and Evan’s story:
“Back in December of 2007, we (Paul and Evan) came up with the hairbrained idea of trying to do 2 complete frame-off restoration/builds on two 1948 Willys CJ-2A Jeeps with the intent of driving them from coast to coast on July 15th of 2008–just over 6 months later. Not really knowing how much work was really going to be involved, we started tearing them apart.
Well, just over 6 months later we’ve almost got them completed after many a long night of turning wrenches, and we’re readying to embark on the coast to coast trip.
This website documents the restorations of both these Jeeps, and the day-by-day account of the trip–beginning on July 15.”
VARIOUS STATS:
- 26 days-total road time
- 5,038 miles-total distance covered
- 14mpg-average fuel economy
- 45mph-average speed
- over $2000 in donations
- 5 days of mechanical breakdowns
- longest time broken down: 22hours in Georgetown, Kentucky (NOT 24!!)
list of parts replaced or broken while on tour:
- 2 omixada sideview mirrors
- 1 overdrive
- 1 second gear and synchro keyset
- 1 cruddy nat’s hat (health hazard)
- 1 16″ tube
- 1 134 headgasket
- 1 rear D44 pinon seal
- 1 speedomenter cable + housing
- 4lbs of grade 8 nuts and bolts/ other hardware
- 3 body mounts lost
- 1 battery box (fixed while on the trip is that broken?)
- 2 cooshy top bow cusions due to wind
number of times ran out of gas: 2 (Durango, Co & Moab, Ut both evan haha) (i ran out once in gordania, WV the first day and somehow coasted into the gas station)
number of other roadtrips like it: 0
THE ROUTE:
VIDEOS:
(I haven’t watched all of these, but one has a good look at a ’45 column CJ-2A in the process of being built)
DAY 1 Video:
DAY 2 Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVePFa5bQbQ&feature=related
DAY 3 Video: (Some video of a column shift partly restored)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDznPZJWuWA&feature=related
DAY 4 Video: (Transfer case on the ground)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYaPkCXUw1g&feature=channel
DAY 5 Video: 1 of 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljjNrS5rSTY&feature=channel
Day 5 Video: 2 of 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNF7aF18vXk&feature=channel
Day 5 Video: 3 of 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVqJRBDkKYo&feature=channel
There’s more videos as the two head west.
Day 3 video the eng. in that 51 3a has SPECIAL casted into the block on the left rear lower side just above the oil pan. Anyone know why this is ? On the right side just above the coil mount WO is stamped into the pad just below the head gasket. This eng. came out of a 47 2a.
That’s a good question. I have not heard of that. Here’s a link a CJ-2A website which has a bunch of casting information (http://dcent.net/cj2ainfo/45-49cj2a_numbers.htm). You might ask the question there or at the http://www.thecj2apage.com/ site.
I’d love to hear what you find out.
– Dave
The 45 2a on page three will be on display at the Midwest Willys Reunion May15th-17th at King Island Inn Resort, Mason Ohio. This is one of the nicest restorasions you’ll ever see. The chassic is complete and is what you would have seen at the assembly line just before body would have been set on.
I laughed when I saw on that list of replaced/broken parts “3 body mounts lost”.
I believe it was on day three or four of their trip that I had the pleasure of a visit from Paul and Evan while they were in the Toledo area. They stopped by to see my 1944 Military Parade Jeep and chatted about their nicely done restorations. Their 1948 Willys were extremely roadworthy as evidenced by the incredible journey they made across the US.