Hey TJers,
SO apparently having both a TJ RHD and a YJ Islander isn't enough for me! Again thank you @Chris for letting me post this build here, as I already have two other builds . . . yeah.
Here is Peggy, my 1947 CJ-2A that I got back in March of 2016.
This was the Jeep that got me into the idea of a Kubota Diesel Engine Swap! As most of you know, on an old CJ-2A the driver's seat is bolted to the gas tank which makes me nervous! Also I'm not a fan of carburetors, I don't have the ear/touch to tune them at all. Don't get me wrong I respect the heck out of the Go Devil engine, it's fantastic, but I'm just not a fan of carburetors!!!
So between being bolted to gasoline and not being able to tune carburetor's, I started looking for a way to swap in a diesel engine into my CJ-2A which lead to learning about the Kubota 03 series engines! I actually found a Kubota V1903 1.9l about 45 minutes away and went a bought that Kubota diesel engine in April 2016. The plan at the time was to bolt the V1903 to my T-90/Dana 18 combo and just drive the CJ-2A like that.
Well after taking the Go Devil engine out of the CJ-2A all the problems with the 75 year old CJ-2A became real obvious. Bent frame, horrible steering, questionable "upgraded" brakes, flat leafs, the list just keeps going!
So the project was put on the back burner until about a month ago when I started finding all the parts I wanted for the build in less than a month! Here is the video previewing what I'm going to be running in my CJ-2A!
As I mentioned in my video above, driving my TJ Wrangler changed how I wanted to build my CJ-2A. Wheeling with an automatic really changed my life! However the short 80" wheelbase is killing me for wanting an automatic so out with the V1903 4 cylinder diesel engine and in with the D1503 3 cylinder diesel engine!
Here is the currently build plan for the CJ-2A:
Engine: Kubota D1503 1.5l 3-Cylinder Turbo Diesel (Stock 45HP!)
Transmission: GM TH350 Automatic being upgraded with a Reverse Manual Valve Body with Engine Braking from TCI
Transfer Case: Toyota RF1A being upgraded to 4.70 to 1 Low Range
Frame: Custom Built by Me
Axles: Dana 44s Front and Rear
Gearing: 3.92 gears in the front and rear
Lockers: Ox Manual Lockers Front and Rear
Suspension: 2.5 ~ 4" OME Front Leaf Springs from a YJ Wrangler. Subject to change
Grill: 9-Slot Willy's MB Grill
Body: My 1947 CJ-2A Body
Windshield: CJ-3A Rounded Corner Windshield
Tires: 900-16 NDT (35" tall about 10" inches wide classic military look)
Brakes: GM 3/4 Disc Brakes in the Front and Rear. It's almost a bolt on mod for my Dana 44 axles I have
Gauges: New Vintage USA Aviator Gauges for a classic look but modern instrumentation
Lightening: LED Headlights and Taillights
Winch: Warn M8274 with Synthetic Rope
Steering: TBD but possible XJ Cherokee Power Steering or might just go with a Saginaw manual steering box
This is the Jeep that I have always wanted and have dreamt about building. I plan on using this Jeep to tackle everything from the Rubicon Trail to Moab and anything on either coast of the United States. I will most likely be towing this rig to trails, because with a 3-Cylinder Diesel engine and a TH350 automatic, my max speed is only going to be around 65mph if I'm pushing the D1503 really hard. So I'd rather tow the CJ-2A to places and then wheel the crap out of it!!!
Like I said in my video I don't know if this is going to work. It very well might not and if it doesn't I do have a backup plan!
Let me know what you think! I realize this makes 3 builds for me at the moment, and I really need to finish My Orange TJ Wrangler RHD first, but finally finding the correct engine/transmission/transfer case combination just jump started getting this CJ-2A build off the ground and in front of my YJ Wrangler Swap honestly as well!
-Grant
SO apparently having both a TJ RHD and a YJ Islander isn't enough for me! Again thank you @Chris for letting me post this build here, as I already have two other builds . . . yeah.
Here is Peggy, my 1947 CJ-2A that I got back in March of 2016.
This was the Jeep that got me into the idea of a Kubota Diesel Engine Swap! As most of you know, on an old CJ-2A the driver's seat is bolted to the gas tank which makes me nervous! Also I'm not a fan of carburetors, I don't have the ear/touch to tune them at all. Don't get me wrong I respect the heck out of the Go Devil engine, it's fantastic, but I'm just not a fan of carburetors!!!
So between being bolted to gasoline and not being able to tune carburetor's, I started looking for a way to swap in a diesel engine into my CJ-2A which lead to learning about the Kubota 03 series engines! I actually found a Kubota V1903 1.9l about 45 minutes away and went a bought that Kubota diesel engine in April 2016. The plan at the time was to bolt the V1903 to my T-90/Dana 18 combo and just drive the CJ-2A like that.
Well after taking the Go Devil engine out of the CJ-2A all the problems with the 75 year old CJ-2A became real obvious. Bent frame, horrible steering, questionable "upgraded" brakes, flat leafs, the list just keeps going!
So the project was put on the back burner until about a month ago when I started finding all the parts I wanted for the build in less than a month! Here is the video previewing what I'm going to be running in my CJ-2A!
As I mentioned in my video above, driving my TJ Wrangler changed how I wanted to build my CJ-2A. Wheeling with an automatic really changed my life! However the short 80" wheelbase is killing me for wanting an automatic so out with the V1903 4 cylinder diesel engine and in with the D1503 3 cylinder diesel engine!
Here is the currently build plan for the CJ-2A:
Engine: Kubota D1503 1.5l 3-Cylinder Turbo Diesel (Stock 45HP!)
Transmission: GM TH350 Automatic being upgraded with a Reverse Manual Valve Body with Engine Braking from TCI
Transfer Case: Toyota RF1A being upgraded to 4.70 to 1 Low Range
Frame: Custom Built by Me
Axles: Dana 44s Front and Rear
Gearing: 3.92 gears in the front and rear
Lockers: Ox Manual Lockers Front and Rear
Suspension: 2.5 ~ 4" OME Front Leaf Springs from a YJ Wrangler. Subject to change
Grill: 9-Slot Willy's MB Grill
Body: My 1947 CJ-2A Body
Windshield: CJ-3A Rounded Corner Windshield
Tires: 900-16 NDT (35" tall about 10" inches wide classic military look)
Brakes: GM 3/4 Disc Brakes in the Front and Rear. It's almost a bolt on mod for my Dana 44 axles I have
Gauges: New Vintage USA Aviator Gauges for a classic look but modern instrumentation
Lightening: LED Headlights and Taillights
Winch: Warn M8274 with Synthetic Rope
Steering: TBD but possible XJ Cherokee Power Steering or might just go with a Saginaw manual steering box
This is the Jeep that I have always wanted and have dreamt about building. I plan on using this Jeep to tackle everything from the Rubicon Trail to Moab and anything on either coast of the United States. I will most likely be towing this rig to trails, because with a 3-Cylinder Diesel engine and a TH350 automatic, my max speed is only going to be around 65mph if I'm pushing the D1503 really hard. So I'd rather tow the CJ-2A to places and then wheel the crap out of it!!!
Like I said in my video I don't know if this is going to work. It very well might not and if it doesn't I do have a backup plan!
Let me know what you think! I realize this makes 3 builds for me at the moment, and I really need to finish My Orange TJ Wrangler RHD first, but finally finding the correct engine/transmission/transfer case combination just jump started getting this CJ-2A build off the ground and in front of my YJ Wrangler Swap honestly as well!
-Grant
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