The Willys-Overland CJ-2A was produced for post-war farming and industry, and designed with a new sense of American optimism in mind. It was a vehicle for work and for play, and it was a vehicle for family. If you’re thinking about getting started on restoring one of these classics, here are 10 features to update – some standard, some extra – that will make your “new” CJ-2A as coveted as it was by your grandparents.
- Headlights: Larger and flush-mounted to the seven-slot grille – a timeless classic.
- T-90 three-speed transmission: Shifting like the old days.
- L-134 Go-Devil engine: Is there a cooler name for an engine, or a more necessary feature to help you show off your newly restored Willys?
- Rear seat: Because the grandkids want to go for a ride, too.
- Front passenger seat: Shotgun for your sweetie.
- Capstan winch: With the grandkids in the back, you need a way to haul.
- Governor: Keeping you as even-keeled as a soldier in the field.
- Heater: Depending on where you live, a heater is a must-have.
- Side steps: You might have to take an old-timer for a drive down memory lane, and a side step sure would help them get in and out.
- Radiator brush guard: Because off-roading never goes out of style.
Want to see how a restoration in-progress looks? Just ask Kevin Howell; his earliest memory of his grandpa’s 1948 CJ-2A was “going up Manti Canyon to pick out a Christmas tree in his old Jeep®.” After the CJ sat in a garage for years, Howell restored it with original shine. Check out Howell’s work on the on the Kaiser Willys: Auto Supply, LLC blog, “Kevin Howell’s 1948 CJ-2A.”