'48 Windshield Repair

The '48 windshield that I purchased recently because it had the footman loop was taken in for repair. The pivot leg which had been broken and the vertical portion of the frame on the left side will be straightened and aligned and smoothed appropriately. All of the after-market extraneous holes will be filled and the whole apparatus, including the frame holding the glass will be sandblasted. In addition I took all the small pieces (hinges, brackets, vacuum line, stiffening rods, etc.) to another shop for sandblasting. After that I'll take them to a paint shop where they will paint them Normandy Blue, the original color.

Gator Grip Ramps

Thanks to our youngest grandson David I now have Gator Grips (otherwise known as really, really low grit sandpaper) on the trailer ramps. We went up to visit our kids and grandkids on Christmas day and David wanted to show me his new long board along with this stuff he was going to attach to it called Gator Grip. I think it is supposed to keep you from slipping off the long board. Anyway it comes in 11" by 4' long strips. David helped me find a website to order this stuff. I did immediately upon returning home. It arrived Thursday and I just finished adhering it to the ramps. Now Blue Goose will have no excuse, she will NOT slip going up and down the ramps onto and off of the trailer.

Jeep On Car Hauler Trailer

I made the ramps from two 5' lengths of 2x12 lumber reinforced with 2x8 lumber and used two aluminum ramp ends that are designed for pickup truck tailgates. Blue Goose weighs one ton and the aluminum pieces are rated at 700# each! Oh, oh!

I attached the trailer to Snowflk and then for the very first time put BG into 4-wheel drive and low. It was interesting; if I took my foot off the gas BG would stop, didn't need brakes. I crept up the ramp and got BG on the trailer. Neither the ramps nor the aluminum attacments broke. Yeah! After figuring out where to position BG I used the axle straps and tie-downs to secure BG front and rear.

Even though the tie-down straps are only 7' long (shortest I could find at JEGS) they are still way too long. So I plan to not use the axle straps and see how that works. In the end I will probably have to shorten the tie-down straps and reheat the cut end to eliminate fraying.

I took BG and the trailer and weighed them. Big disappointment! The combined weight was 3,625#, a little too heavy. The tongue weight was 374# which is perfect (10% of total weight). The spare tire weighs 50#, the ramps each weigh 30# so if worse comes to worse I can throw those in the back of Snowflk. The trailer tires are supposed to be inflated to 44# but were only 22# so that is my next project.

Jeep Hauler Trailer

About a month ago I bought a car-hauler trailer for Blue Goose. I bought it from a local trailer dealership that had this used trailer on his lot on consignment. I is just right for what I want. It has a single axle with electric brakes. It is classified as "home-built" from California. I had my friend remove his 1937 Packard from the garage which he was storing there and replaced it with the trailer. The title says it weighs 1540 lbs. With BG weighing 2100 lbs. fully loaded that puts the total weight over 3500 lbs. I removed the 2x4 stake sides and the plywood center floor. The wood weighed 225 lbs. The spare tire was loose so I mounted it as you see in the accompanying picture.

Then I checked the wheel bearings. They were OK and I repacked them. However, the left wheel was extremely difficult to remove. The lug nuts had spalled. Little chunks of metal had come off of the nuts and around the holes in the wheel. Instead of trying to make the ova-holed wheel the spare, I decided to buy a new wheel.

So this morning I washed the trailer and hooked it up to the car. And later we will drive it to a scales and see what the new weight is. It is 1315 lbs. exactly 225 less than the title weight. Yahoo!

1948 Windshield and New Steering Wheel

Last Thursday our local Giant Nickel had an add for two 1948 Jeeps without engines for $1,500 each. If you wanted engines the Jeeps were $2,000 each. So I called Les in Yakima and we talked. He mentioned he had lots of parts and something about windshields, PTOs, and an overdrive. So we went to Yakima yesterday to see what he had. I ended up buying a 1948 windshield, because it had the integral footman loop, for $100. While there I saw a new Jeep steering wheel. It wasn't until I returned home to compare what I saw to what I had that I realized that it was exactly like mine. So I called this morning and bought it for $50. Our daughter, who lives in Yakima, will pick it up this week and bring it to Richland next time she comes for a visit.

Yeah, my suspicions proved true. The footman loop is an integral part of the windshield frame, not screwed or riveted on like the rest of the footmans on the Jeep. Nobody could tell me that. I had to find an intact one to prove it one way or another.

I didn't know that Jeeps had overdrive. I wonder when they started offering that. Maybe it was an after market item. 

I Really, Really Like Flat Fenders

Flat Fender is the name given Jeeps that were made up until 1953, I think. After that the front of the fender was rolled down and stuff like running lights or directional signals were installed in the rolled down part.

One of the first things I did after buying Blue Goose (BG) was to have the steering fixed. The worm gear in the steering column box was very worn. So I took it to a mechanic to fix.While waiting for parts I dropped by the shop and discovered that the mechanic had removed the left front fender to have easier access to the steering gear box. I thought that was cool, it didn't take much to remove the fender.

Recently I have been working on some electrical parts which are also located near the left front fender. In the end I too had to remove the left front fender. I discovered that three of the bolts were missing, two on the frame and one on the tub (body). The mechanic had not put the fender on properly, probably because it took a long time to line everything up. Three bolts are used to attach the fender to the grill, five to attach it to the frame, and four to attach it to the tub. I needed to use a die to chase the threads on the frame. I got new bolts to replace the missing ones and also to replace several that were too worn to use anymore. As I write this I think I will replace one more worn bolt and chase one more thread in the frame. Then everything will be hunky-dory.

Oh yes, and when I straightened the bent part stuff flaked off and I discovered the real Normandy blue color BG was originally painted. It is much darker than the blue it has now. I always suspected that but was never able to prove it.

Dimmer Switch - How Could Something So Easy Turn Out To Be So Difficult

When I bought BG, although I didn't know it at the time, the dimmer switch that controls the high/low headlight beams didn't work. One set of beams did work, the other was nothing. So I bought a replacement dimmer switch. It came with three small (and I mean really small) bolts that connect the wires to the terminals. In the process of putting the wires on the switch I dropped a bolt into the bowels of the engine compartment. One hour later I found it. Two hours later I recovered it. In the process of putting the wires on the switch I dropped a bolt again into the bowels of the engine compartment. One hour later I hadn't found it. Two hours later I hadn't found it. By that time I had removed the left front fender assembly. I finally came to the conclusion that it had dropped in a little hole on top of the steering column tube down near where the steering column enters the steering gear box.

To slide the steering column tube up I had to remove the steering wheel. Whee, what a chore! After a couple of false steps I rented a axle puller from our local rental store. It took two hours and several abortive attempts to get it off. When I finally got the steering column tube slid up the bolt did indeed fall out on the floor. Up until that point I had only circumstantial evidence that the bolt was there. I have the steering column tube back in place but haven't put the steering wheel back on. The new dimmer switch is now in place and operational. I have high and low beam and the Tell-Tale lamp on the dashboard that indicates when the high beams are on now also works. It needed a new lamp and to be wired properly to the dimmer switch.

I still have more electrical work to do. It has to wait until the parts arrive. They include installing a new terminal block, a new dashboard toggle switch which turns on the dashboard light and installing the new dashboard light with its clam shell hood.

Blue Goose Got Heat - Almost

When I bought BG the heater didn't work. So I took it out. The radiator core looked good and it doesn't leak. The fan blade, however, had come off the motor shaft. Luckily, Mom found the set screw which holds the fan blade to the shaft. I tested the motor and it didn't turn. I took it apart and saw nothing amiss. So I buffed up the commutator, put it back together again and found that it now worked. I mounted it back in its cage and attached the fan blade. I then found that I needed to adjust the blades so that they didn't bump into anything. I put the heater assembly back in BG and tested the rheostat/switch. Although it worked it only seemed to be off or full on, nothing in between. That explains the "almost."

I found the exact switch on e-Bay and have the only bid of $8.99. In a few more hours I will find out if I win; I fully expect to. After it arrives I''ll install it and everything should work fine.

The Blue Goose Pedigree - Such As It Is Today

I bought the Blue Goose (BG) from Marty Fazzari (Walla Walla, WA) on Saturday January 22, 2011.

Marty Fazzari moved from Clarkston, WA to Walla Walla, WA sometime between 1998 and 2011.

Marty Fazzari bought BG from Steve Perialas on Christmas Eve 1998. Steve Perialas shipped BG by truck (trailer) from Big Rapids, MI to Spokane, WA. The battery froze in the cold weather on the trip across. Marty Fazzari bought a new battery and drove BG from Spokane to Clarkston.

Steve Perialas bought five Jeeps (including BG) from George Byam in 1998. He bought them all because he wanted the red Jeep (CJ3B) shown in the picture which was taken in late 1998.

George Byam restored BG in the period from 1991-1998. Hearsay evidence indicates that he entered BG in several shows and won awards. George Byam had David W. Uhrig (Grand Rapids, MI) appraise BG according to a letter dated October 26, 1996.

George Byam bought BG from E.L.D. Motors (Holley, NY) on June 7, 1991 and had North American movers ship BG from Holley to Grand Rapids.

E.L.D. Motors (Holley, NY) purchased BG from Duryea Motors (Brockport, NY) on December 27, 1988.

Duryea Motors (Brockport, NY) purchased BG from Richard Waller on January 13, 1987

A November 12, 1986 Statement of Facts stated that BG had not been registered by Anthony Gatz since 1955. Richard Waller (Brockport, NY) purchased BG from Anthony Gatz on that date.

The Wiper Wipes; The Jerry Can Is On

My rebuilt TRICO windshield wiper motor (vacuum driven) arrived today. I installed it and checked it out. It works beautifully. Of course the hand-operated wiper on the passenger side works also.

Recently I received several canvas straps, one set was for the Jerry can bracket. Those come with open ends and rivets to uses to wrap them around the slots in the bracket. They are all installed.

It's All In The Springs!

When I purchased BG she tilted a little to the left, like there was a 500 pound driver in the driver's seat even though she was empty.

Like the Model T and Model A Fords, BG has leaf springs. However, unlike the Fords which have two transverse springs (one over each axle), GB has four longitudinal springs (two on each side, or two in the front and two in back).

After first checking to see that the front bumper and the rear bumper were parallel with the body parts, I measured the distance from the garage floor to the bumpers. The left rear was 1/8 inch lower than the right rear. The left front was 1/2 inch lower than the right front. So I jacked up the left front until the bumper was level. The back was level too. So the problem is the left front spring.

Now, how do you solve the problem? Maybe that depends on how the problem occurred in the first place. Did the spring weaken with time or was it battered somehow (pothole, curb, etc.)? Do I buy one new spring or do I have the original bent back into shape?

The Windshield Wiper

I took the Blue Goose out of the garage today because a friend was going to bring his visiting grandson over to get a ride. He did. We did.

Afterward while she was out in the sun I thought I would check the windshield wiper. Sure enough no vacuum was coming out of the rubber hose that fed from the engine to the metal tubing that runs up the side of the windshield. I took the fitting off of the intake manifold and checked it. It was fine. I checked the rubber hose. It was plugged. You know what it was plugged with: a ball bearing. I put everything back together and still no vacuum at the wiper motor. Then I thought the metal tube was plugged. I reamed it out with machine wire: vacuum at the end of the metal tube but not at wiper motor. I checked the rubber hose between the metal tubing and the wiper motor. You know what? It had a ball bearing in it too. Go figure! Everything worked. Well, not quite. A loud hiss emanated from the on/off switch when it was on and the wiper didn't move. If I moved it manually one way, it moved back under vacuum. The wiper motor needs rebuilding. A rebuilt one cost $125 with the core sent in before hand. I think I will do a little snooping before buying a rebuilt one.

Some New Parts

Thanks to all of your suggestions I have decided to name her the Blue Goose.

I received some parts which I am working on installing. First I installed a wing nut which helps to support the air filter. One was missing. Unfortunately it did not come with a soft, rubberish washer which the others had.

The other parts were rubber seals which go between the windshield frame and the cowling, and between the windshield and the windshield frame. I am working on the first one now. The frame needs to be cleaned up a bit.

Seat Belts Are Installed & Summer (Parade) Top Is On

I installed the seat belts yesterday, as well as removing the vinyl top that had plastic windows and doors. It was too confining and the plastic was too difficult to see through clearly. I replaced the vinyl top with a Summer or Parade top. It is made of cloth and open on the sides. I don't like the tubing that holds it up but it will do for now.

I fixed the left front directional signal lamp. It wasn't working but just needed fiddling with because I didn't do anything to fix it; just took it apart and put it back together.

I discovered why the hood sags in the middle. Someone may have stepped on it and broke the supports back by the hinge.

He/She Is Home

Well I brought He/She home yesterday. The parts (steering box bearings) came and the mechanic put the steering box, column and wheel back together. The only problem was that the horn mechanism (consisting of a lead ring and a plastic ring which were somehow attached to the inside of the steering column were broken and irreplaceable. So he (the mechanic) jury-rigged up a way for the long horn button wire to be able to flex when the steering wheel was turned. He (the mechanic) said he didn't know how long that rube goldberg would last.

I'm thinking of naming Her "Blue Goose" or Him "Wander Gander." What do you think? Any suggestions?

Not Enough Parts!

The parts to fix the steering box arrived, two weeks later; unfortunately not all of the parts that were needed and one that wasn't needed. So I have to wait another week before the rest of the parts (steering box bearings) arrive. In the meantime the Jeep sits out in the rain.

Seat Belts

While waiting for the Steering Box parts to arrive I ordered a set of seat belts from MAC (a Model T Ford supplier). I wanted four sets, two for the front seats and two for the back seat. They only had two sets and so, since I don't have a back seat yet, I just ordered the two. That was on January 29. On February 4 I received an e-mail stating that my order was shipped. It arrived last night. In tracking the shipment I found that the seat belts were shipped from Chicago to New York (where MAC is located) before shipping west. They must not have had them in stock.

Sloppy Steering Repair (In Process)

When I first test-drove the Jeep it wander all over the road, really sloppy steering. Someone had installed a stabilizer across the drag links but it didn't seem to help this problem. In negotiating the final deal with the seller, he said he had put in a new bell crank, (which helped a lot, his words). but that he noticed wear on the right socket. He ordered one and sent it to me in the mail because it arrived after I had bought the Jeep. All this activity was brought on by analysis by a friend of mine from Walla Walla who decided that problem was not in the steering gear box, but in the linkages at the front.

When the right socket arrived I found that I didn't have the tools to replace it and so took the Jeep to a local mechanic who installed the right. In the process, however, he found that the sloppy problem was in the steering gear box. He took it apart and found that the worm gear on the steering column was shot. I have ordered a horn button kit, upper and lower bearings for the steering column, a steering column, a gasket for the steering box plate, the short and long bushings and a seal for the sector sector shaft. They should arrive by the end of the week.

To Do List

The first thing I did was to make a To-Do list. So far it consists of:

     1. Transfer the Title. (complete)

     2. Register the vehicle. (complete)

     3. Install seat belts. (done)

     4. Repair sloppy steering. (done)

     5. Fix horn. (done)

     6. Modify directional signals.

     7. Get PTO parts.

     8. Get rear seat.

     9. Modify canvas top. (in process)

Purchase Day

I purchased a 1947 CJ2A Jeep on January 22, 2011. It is dark blue which may indeed be the original color, Normandy Blue. The wheels are painted black; the original colors for wheels with Normandy Blue bodies were Sunset Red and Autumn Yellow with either a Normandy Blue or an American Black pin stripe. The serial number or VIN is 100550 which if one assumes a linear production schedule for 1947 this Jeep rolled off the assembly line in early April.The mileage when I purchased it was 18,418.