Joined: Jul 18, 2008 Posts: 645 Location: Melrose, MA and Santa Fe, NM
Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:51 am Post subject: Tub Vendors
Hi all. I'm considering getting a repro tub and want to check my thinking of the best vendor/option to go with.
I know DL Bensinger sells tubs, as does Kaiser Willys. I know that MD Juan is the only manufacturer of repro tubs - unless there's someone I don't know of.... My guess is that both DL Bensinger and Kaiser Willys are selling the same tubs and, generally, the same packages.
This question pertains to a 1942 GPW I purchased 2 years ago. The tub is from two different jeeps - '42 GPW on the front and a '44 MB rear half. It's a bit rough and while I would eventually like to get the current mongrel tub cleaned up and properly welded back together I've been thinking about getting a new tub that doesn't have those questions on how well it was cobbled together.
Who is the best to get a tub from? The jeep was running before all the work being done on it now.
Thanks!
Josh _________________ North Shore, MA
Santa Fe, NM
1942 GPW
1952 M38
1964 Apollo 5000 GT
Joined: Apr 14, 2005 Posts: 285 Location: Livermore Ca.
Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 12:31 pm Post subject:
I'm going to bet that the vendors are pretty close in price...shipping to your location would be the deciding factor...so, who's closer to you ? _________________ '51 M38 #22936,
'51 M100 Dunbar
#01164782
'53 M100 Dunbar
M416b1
2- M762
MVPA #11788
MVCC LIFER
Joined: Jul 18, 2008 Posts: 645 Location: Melrose, MA and Santa Fe, NM
Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:32 pm Post subject:
KaiserWillys is in SC and DL Bensinger is PA.....
Neither are close but.....
Bensinger does have tub kits with a bunch of added-in items. I was wondering if anyone has had a better experience with one vs. another. _________________ North Shore, MA
Santa Fe, NM
1942 GPW
1952 M38
1964 Apollo 5000 GT
Joined: Oct 31, 2019 Posts: 15 Location: Springfield,MA
Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:04 pm Post subject:
im in the same boat my my cj3a/m38 conversion and i had contacted a local jeep place that is a dealer for omix ada and asked about the repro tub kits and they told me they no longer order those tubs because of how off they can be so the guy told me they only deal with 1 person for tubs and that was jay from willys overland and yes they are more money but he does take all the bad out of the md juan tubs and puts it to the correct everything and from my local jeep place im looking at 4250 total for a whole m38 kit
Joined: Jul 18, 2008 Posts: 645 Location: Melrose, MA and Santa Fe, NM
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:39 am Post subject:
Thanks Wes, yes, I've checked it out in the past. I didn't see any recent posts on the body tubs, most everything was from 2011 or earlier.
I may have missed some though.
I also wanted to see if anyone had recent experience/advice but DL Bensinger looks like the best option, although I would have to pay for shipping - or have them mount the body on the frame. I don't have the space or time to do a lot of this myself, unfortunately. _________________ North Shore, MA
Santa Fe, NM
1942 GPW
1952 M38
1964 Apollo 5000 GT
Then it must be time to start a thread there called Vendor Tub services! _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Jul 18, 2008 Posts: 645 Location: Melrose, MA and Santa Fe, NM
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:28 pm Post subject:
I read Ryan's thread on the M38 tubs but it's from 2008 and was only his post/update.
There was anther thread from 2011 on body panels with numerous edits indicating a failed effort with an MD Juan tub.
I know that Rommel, prior to the typhoon that pummeled the Philippines, was putting a lot of time, money, and effort into improving the products they produce. But I haven't seen any recent results/comments on their efforts and the quality of their new products. _________________ North Shore, MA
Santa Fe, NM
1942 GPW
1952 M38
1964 Apollo 5000 GT
Those are Stickies Posts that stay up on page one of that board forever. They are suppose to function as discussion starters which can be added to forever and becomes a one stop place to learn what everyone thought of their tub acquisitions. As with quite a few of our features this is another one that membership has ignored and not supported.
Note Ryans next to last comment:
Quote:
Summary:
We sure could use more info from those that have purchased and installed these tubs. We want to encourage quality reproduction parts.
That is an invitation to provide your experience with a tub purchase. I would guess the vendors sold at least 100 tubs to our members since 2008 and how many have taken a moment to help their co-members with a report on their experience???? _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Yes I have bought two tubs (full kits; it is a better deal that way) in the past three years, one CJ3B last month. They have come a long way from those made ten years ago; while not perfect, they are very good and can be made into nice jeeps. Some of the studs on the GPW firewall were not in the right place but drawings are availle to make them right. They are all the same so get one closest to you. As for getting a complete "kit", I consider that a waste of money and it is more fun to get all the parts individually. Are you sure your GPW tub is from two different years?; the later Ford tubs were not like the early ones. They look more like the MB tubs because Ford stopped making them and bought them from American Central, in 1944. I have not used a repro M38 tub, but did install a front floor; worked perfectly. _________________ M38 23100 June 51
M38 34523 Sep 51
M606/CJ3B 1964 Kaiser 57348 118458
M37B1 1963
Willys MB 1944
Ford GPW 1942
Dodge WC63 1943
Dodge Power Wagon WM300 1967
Plymouth Barracuda, 1973, 340 4 barrel
All ground up restored by me.
Lots of others.
I have bought two tubs (full kits; it is a better deal that way) in the past three years
Were these from MD Juan and if so thru which US vendor?
You said:
Quote:
I have not used a repro M38 tub, but did install a front floor; worked perfectly.
Was this floor a MD Juan or Classic Enterprises floor? _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Jul 18, 2008 Posts: 645 Location: Melrose, MA and Santa Fe, NM
Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:41 am Post subject:
My tub is definitely two different vehicles. I know it was originally a 1942 GPW but the previous owner said the back-half was so shot that they cut it off (with a torch so very rough edges) and tacked on a different back half. Regardless, I'm going off of what the previous owner told me he did to the jeep.
I'm looking at the mid-series GPW kit from DL Bensinger. Runs $3000. I'll probably drive down to PA with a trailer and have it loaded up on that and bring it home. He's not getting his next shipment until February but I'll be out of the country on Army training business so will get it in March most likely. _________________ North Shore, MA
Santa Fe, NM
1942 GPW
1952 M38
1964 Apollo 5000 GT
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