thefoxhat Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 After 20 months of restoring a 1943 Willys MB (which has been very interesting and rewarding) the moment finally came today when it moved under its own power for the first time... What a momentus occasion - well it was for me and my son ! The jeep was bought as a non-runner so the condition of the engine was unknown, but it checked out OK, was cleaned up and put back together. Gearbox was rebuilt by Jeffrey Engineering but other than that everything else had been done by myself and eldest son working one day a week on the project on average. The restoration pictures are being slowly posted over on here http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?35878-1943-Willys-MB-Jeep-so-far After we finally got the engine running last weekend it had no oil pressure (eeek!!) but you guys on here helped point us on priming the oil galleries, etc and yesterday it fired up and we had 30 lbs on tickover when hot so fingers crossed the engine has survived, however we couldn't disengage the clutch no matter what we did. We were pretty sure the clutch had stuck to the pressue plate as you could see it flexing back and forth through the inspection cover... So today we removed the engine (for the 3rd time!) and I found that I had put the clutch plate in the wrong way round ! :red: I wish I had found and checked this forum a long time ago! We also did a final adjustment of the tappets and it sounds a lot better now. So it was clutch down, select gear and away we go. Now I dont know how many on here are 'Facebookers' but the video of this occasion is posted here (hopefully the link works!) https://www.facebook.com/colin.fox.359#!/photo.php?v=455341437858424¬if_t=like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Oh the joys of restoration! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Good for you, seeing that took me back 39 years to my first jeep with my dear old Dad at the controls for the first time since he left the army in 1946. I can still remember the excitement and sense of achievement on that cold damp day in November 1973. Well done chaps looking good you'll be finished and ready for the 2013 season regards Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boblester40 Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 Looks superb , still fancy a jeep one day need to get a bigger place to keep all the junk thou bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Excellent, I'm hoping my version of this day will be in the coming months. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MICHAEL01 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Enjoy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willysmb Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Yup its a great feeling ...that first startup and drive .. Done it twice with jeep...this being the last one ..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4goQqoLS5VM and just finishing a MG A... Now onto the Jimmy ...:red: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Yup its a great feeling ...that first startup and drive .. Done it twice with jeep...this being the last one ..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4goQqoLS5VM and just finishing a MG A... Now onto the Jimmy ...:red: I love that video, watched it many times! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Yup its a great feeling ...that first startup and drive ..Done it twice with jeep...this being the last one ..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4goQqoLS5VMand just finishing a MG A...Now onto the Jimmy ...:red:Ahhhhh, so the real work starts now then ! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glcaines Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Great job on the jeep! It looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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