Here’s a column shift chassis.  I suspect it may have been a ’46 rather than a ’48.

“1948 willis J2A, This was a 3 speed column shift, With power take off to the rear. It has a Hyd. pump and front lift. Its a 3 speed 4 wheel drive with Hi and Low drive. The unit was running when the body was removed and built into a Roadster drag car,? The chassis is complete, it all turns, rolls, levers shift. I do have a new willis service manual to go with it. The guy I bought it from assured me it was running and working when His son and friends decided to build a hot rod out of the body. I have bought from Lenny before and never had a problem. This is a very rare piece. They were built to farm with after the war. Just got too many projects”

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/grd/3030994300.html