willysmjeeps.com

Hello all,

I have progressed to the top part. I have already picked up a wonderful new top from Surplus City (Thanks Chuck !) I also picked up the side curtains, folding doors and now I am at the top rod and door mounting part. i have not been very sucessful with the internet and any info on the door mounting lay out, or the verticle rod mounting. I picked up what i thought to be a set of original top rods and the verticle drop rods, I tried to fit them tonight. I had to unhook my 3 interior sraps and fold the front bow forward for the rods to fit the winshield frame. I checked the measurements with Mr. Wes's prior blog and they are correct, my drop rods are 1" longer than Wes spec'ed. Well when I went to install the drop rods they are forward at the top, I noticed the canvas releif was back right above the hole in the body, my upper mount place on the rod is forward about 4" and binds the rod. I also just learned there are upper hinges that mount to the windshield frame I now have to pick up for the doors. I would also like any info on the proper storage location and tie down of the folding doors when not in use. Any help or pictures would be a great help. I am also looking into picking up a TM on the top and doors if available. I'll post new pictures of the Jeep soon, It is a real beauty sporting olive drab now !

Thanks, Eric..

OK, I found the pictures I needed inthe picture posts. Boy that installation kit looks to be a hard one to find, I'll need it all, Bummer

http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... _album.php

This is about as close to a M38A1 soft top manual as you will get.

Storage of the folding doors is just about the same as for the M38.

Thanks Wes,

Looks like any real good info is not to easily found for the often shunned poor A1 model. Now if it were a flat fender, look out... more info than most can absorb in a setting !

Your pictures are worth many hours of me typing questions

I'm off to one last older surplus place to find my missing parts, with any luck I'll make out. I am taking the parts pictures with me. but I'm not to happy to be drilling holes in my new painted body though .... But the new canvas will look great. This Jeep is so fun to drive I want to use it for transportation to work, so a top and doors will be nice for winter. I have not seen to many A1's set up wit the full top

Did you take any pics of your installation Eric? Like you said, pics are worth many hours of typing. I, personally, have not installed doors - yet. I probably will at a later time. I am buying hardware as I find it.

I made the top rods myself, but one of my vertical rods is slightly forward. I used the pics and drawings from Weebee Webbing's website (which is what Wes has here) as a guideline. I actually made them to his spec and had to adjust the length - that's why my vertical rod tabs are slightly forward.

Don't forget to share any knowledge you gain here, and also use this topic as a "How to" for the rest of us - with pics, because there will be other people searching for the same info.

Erik,

Don't feel bad, I'm doing the same thing you are. I studied Wes' pictures for hours until I understood where everything went. At least I THINK I know! The last two items in the link that Wes gave above are drawings that show where all the bits and pieces go. I had to study them thoroughly and at length! I'm also wondering where to find all those parts. There are a few on Ebay that might be correct but I'm not sure AND there are parts for that kit that I haven't found anywhere yet.

I'm still looking for door frames and I've found a few but NO ONE can tell me the difference between M38 door frames, A1 door frames and commercial frames so I'm stuck. One guy on Steel soldiers has promised me a dimensioned drawing of the A1 door frame but hasn't delivered on that yet.

Bensinger was selling NOS A1 kits for a few years.


M38A1 Door


M38 door.


M38 Door

The easiest way to tell bare frames apart is the bottom front corner. The M38 is bowed inward and the front vertical rod is straight all the way into the bottom hinge socket. The A1 is flat across the bottom, since the tub does not narrow at the front and the last couple of inches of the bottom of the front vertical rod is bent aft so it enters the lower hinge socket straight up and down instead of following the angle of the front vertical rod.

OK, I'll keep all of you posted. I am going to visit a older surplus place tomorrow and he might have the parts I am seeking. I'll post pictures here soon. As for the rod from windshield frame to top bow, The kit has a adjustable tab for the drop rod. The rods I picked up have welded tabs and look to be a home made set up with the tab incorrectly located so that was the one problem I was dealing with.

More to follow,

Eric..

BTY, I will probally have a extra set of folding doors when this is all over, I'll wait until I am satisfied with my install before I offer then up for sale so keep checking this posting

Eric..