Whats the worst "bubba mod" you have come across?

[linx310]

I went to look at a M38A1 off of craigs list a year ago. There were no pics but the ad mentioned that it had been modified as a hunting jeep but original parts would be included. The price was $500 so I was expecting to see an old stock jeep that wasn't running but some what complete.

When I went to take a look at it I was horrified what I saw. They had cut the rear part of the tub off and welded on the rear bed of what i think was from a ford ranger pickup and painted it camo colors.

The engine was a 302 V8, it had a lift kit, flat rotted muding tires, and a lawn chair spot welded as a passenger seat!

I ask what happened to the original parts. He took me around back and showed a pile of all the stuff they had removed. Some of the parts had bullet holes in them including the what I think was the black out light and the air cleaner. What was left of the tub was crushed by the engine that I think they had shot at also. But the saddest thing was under all this stuff was the canvas, torn to shreds.

Sad to see some thing like that happen....

So what are your horror stories.

[wesk]

The major body chopping and grafting on of foreign pieces is usually the worse. The big engines and butchered firewall/frame mounts is second, lift kits and some really weird springs and saginaw steering is third and then you always see the massive steel parts welded to the front frame rails.
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Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100

Mjeeps photo album: http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules.php?set_albumName=Wes-Knettle&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

[Deino]

I've not seen much in the way of "Bubba" mods in person, though I have read/seen them in many places on the 'net.

Fortunately my dad's '52 M38 was spared, for the most part. The only real stupid thing I discovered on it was someone used a torch to cut a hole in the driver's side rear wheelwell access panel to reach the lights instead of simply unbolting it. I bet it took them longer to cut a hole in it and wait for it to cool than it would have taken to remove the bolts. And none of the bolts were seized. They backed out like they were freshly installed.

A few months ago I went to see a CJ-2A for sale that was advertised as restored. Turned out the PO's idea for repairing the floor pans included a pop-rivet tool, a drill, and some sheetmetal. The didn't even cut out or seal the rusty metal beneath.

[jeepers52]

The worst Mod I have seen was an early Ford script GPW that the guy had cut into the rear wheel wells so he could push the seats back. I know that these Jeeps were made for skinny 18 year old GIs, but that hurt to see that Jeep cut up to fit a fat, middle aged BUBBA.
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Mario
U.S. Army

1952 M38 Jeep
1952 M38 Jeep (project)
1945 T-3 Bantam trailer

[53a1]

Some of bubba's standard options:

- Torch cut frame for Saginaw option
- Steering column out of random unknown vehicle and steering wheel off dune buggy.

Tow package option:

- Welded on trailer hitch
- Front tow bar welded onto lift ring holders

Hunting package option:

- Yellow Paint
- Flame cut hole in back to mount center tire rack (the standard spare tire location is not good enough)

AC option:

- Flame cut tub and welded in 4 flag pole holders for homemade top
- About 100 various holes to fill in the sheet metal

Leather option:

- Replaced rear seat with piece of plywood wrapped in vinyl and stuffed with hay

Rust Proofing option:

- Sheet metal riveted into floor to cover up rusted hat channels

Electronics package:

- CB antenna (that left a 2" dia hole to be filled)
- Red and green blinker set from Pep-Boys
- Pep-Boys trailer lights that fit perfectly into the rear light hole

Ask me how I know? Here's my little bastard in progress.

http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=131981

And... I've seen worse

[whydahdvr]

Jeez! It boggles the mind the things people do.

[53a1]

Here's one more to add to my list. Engine has wrong motor mount plate so PO built a custom adapter.

[53a1]

Here's a few pictures of Lil' Bastard. These are a few of the mods I listed in my above post. When I first saw her I couldn't resist the dune buggy steering wheel and the wood shifting knob. She's even got a cig lighter. To help speed up access to the ciggarettes, bubba cut an easy access hole in the map compartment door.

[skyjeep50]

The front bumper of my '48 CJ2A/M38 was welded on backward with the channel forward - the gussets were also messed up and patched up and welded solid to the bumper. Not the worse of bubba mods but I was really worried about contacting something with those two "blades" pointed forward, like someone's leg, while moving! Ground the welds off and bolted on a M38 bumper to match the repro body.
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1951 M38

[idiocrates]

Well.....let's see........a brief synopsis of what I can recall...bubba......

1. Removed the standard fuel tank from the sump and added an in-frame fuel tank between the rear bumper and the last cross member. This meant they had to flame cut off the two diagonal braces to the pintle hook mounting plate.....but obviously bubba hadn't gotten his new grinder for xmas yet cause the cuts are really really rough.

2. Added a standard pickup bumper from some year or another to the jeep by welding the bumper's mounting arms to the sides of the frame. But not to deny bubba his credit.....at least he managed to add the bumper without messing up the rear spring shackle mounts. This mod may have been installed while the jeep was on the side of a hill cause that's where one has to park it nowadays if they want the bumper to "appear" level. And naturally.....the only way he could have welded the bumper supports to the frame was by cutting off both ends of the rear crossmember......so quess what's out there to hold up the corners of the tub......that's right......nuttin, honey.

3. Rerouted the fuel line from the passenger side of the frame to where it would pass next to the engine......over the transfer case......under both rear cross members to reach to the aforementioned new gas tank.........and without a single new inch of fuel line......amazing. Oh yeah.....and support clips.....are your kidding?......when there's perfectly good rusty baling wire hanging in almost every tree?

4. And of course, if the fuel tank sump under the driver's seat is no longer needed for a fuel tank.....why not turn it into an on-board handy beer and other necessary canned goods storage facility. And we don;t want any of the goodies to fall out so what do we do......we remove the fuel tank filler inlet plate from the side of the jeep.....cut out a fashionably oval piece of sheet metal and tack weld it over the openning. Waaaa-laaa. But once again......bubba's conscience got the better of him and at least he left the threaded mounting holes for the filler plate intact for that glorious day when some goofy person would come along and want to put the gas tank back under the seat.

5. Seats......high backed.......padded out the waaazooo.....and even adjustable. Too bad they were installed so shoddily that the seat backs were straight up and down and that trying to keep yourself from sliding out the front of the seat was a never-ending battle. Bubba cleverly crafted two heavy duty 5/16" thick flat plates of steel which he welded to the raised rear deck and then supported the front on spindly thin legs of steel strap extending down to the floor. Of course, without a tape measure its totally amazing that the flat plates only tip to the front a little and not a lot. And in retrospect it might even be speculated that bubba did actual get it right and mounted the seats level......and that it was somebody eles's fat butt that pushed the front legs down through the rotten floor board long after bubba was history. And I won't even go into how bubba attached the seats to the plates such that there was no way they could ever be removed without destroying the floor of the jeep.

6. And everybody knows Jeeps and tunes have to go hand in hand. How else could bubba possibly justify cutting the two huge round opennings in the dash except for speakers? Thank god he was content with hanging the eight track player under the dash.

7. Then there was the totally weird exhaust system to accommodate the totally weird fuel tank. An exhaust system that exited the vehicle at the rear on the driver's side.

8. there's more.......but I'm out of time........
_________________
Jim

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'?? - M38A-1

[53a1]

Now that was a fun read.

[linx310]

Check out how bubba stripped the master cylinder cover....and his 300lb buddy sat in the passenger seat and bent it....

[53a1]

I bought this engine and it runs but look what bubba used for a shim to adjust crank end play. Looks like he used a piece of duck tape!!! I found the ripped off section in the pickup screen of the oil pick-up and the 'duck tape shim' shown in the picture in the correct location between the thrust washer and bearing. Believe it or not this engine runs good.

Man, I'm even guilty of using duck tape for odd things but geeze

[Sam-Helm]

Mornin' Gents and Ladies,

Let me see. . .

First there is the back end. Bubba #1 decided that he should be able to open it, so he cut it out and installed a CJ5 tailgate. At least it fit. Bubba #2 wanted to return it to its military glory, so he installed the tail piece from something. It is not a good fit, and the light holes are in the wrong place.

Someone, I think Bubba #1 again, decided that seatbelts would be a good idea. I really can't disagree, but I would think that you would like them anchored to something more substantial than the sheet metal on the wheel well. They pulled out and left some really nice splits and starred holes to be repaired.

Then there is the electrical system. OF course, it had to be converted to 12 Volts. Bubba has never heard of terminals, lugs, butt splices, or solder. He has, however, heard of cheap electrical tape -- you know, $5 for ten rolls. There were no permanent connections made. All of them were formed by twisting the wires together and MAYBE adding tape over them. There was a cigarette lighter added to the dash. I understand smoking, but why not just carry a lighter? And, if you add a lighter, why not add an ash tray? Oh, yes, the starter and generator are fried. I had not originally planned on a full restoration, but the electrical "system" sscared me so much that I felt I had no choice.

There is a steering damper -- not the worst idea ever, but it is attached to a tie rod with a bend of at least twenty degrees.

The gauges, which may or may not work, include a mechanical pressure gauge, a 24 Volt fuel level gauge, the original speedometer, an Autozone mechanical temperature gauge, and a voltmeter with a moving faceplate.

There is a back seat out of a CJ (5, I think) bolted to the floor, and the original mounting gear was removed by Bubba with what appears to have been a large pair of tin snips.

This doesn't seem like much, but this is my first resrtoration, and it is adding mightily to my work load. Thankfully, I am still having fun.
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I SWEAR it said Tab A went into Slot B!

1952 M38A1, 1951 M100

[45auto]

I have seen my share of bubba work but the worst was on a CJ2A---It didn't have brakes so when I took the front lockouts off to remove the hub----I found the axle welded to the hub!!!! The lockouts must have failed to engage so they just welded it. I manage to save the axle and hub (tossed the lockouts) only because they couldn't weld either!!!
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Harold W.
MVPA #6833
1945 GPW
1950 CJV-35/U
1951 M38 1952 M38
1962 USMC Contract M38A1
1953 Strick M100 1967 Johnson M416
1968 CJ5 4-Speed 1969 CJ5 V6