seem to be a lot of ****** sightings on this board lately so thought I'd show y'all what's been at my house since August '08. But first a little back story...so sit down, get comfy, and learn a little about things thought gone forever, but found again.

When my boyfriend and his bast buddy were in high school back in the mid-90's their shop teacher (Mr P) brought in this old ****** for a class project. Mr P had attended military academy back in the 50's and this was the closest thing he could find to the military issue ****** Jeeps he knew and loved. He got it from another teacher who picked it up out of the newspaper some years before. It had been through a few hunting camps and generally knocked around but the body was intact for the most part and salvageable, in his opinion. It had an engine, but wasn't running at the time.

Over time the holes were all filled, new wiring installed, a few parts from other Jeeps thrown in, engine professionally rebuilt, and he had a running ******. It wasn't a perfect restoration but it ran. He painted it olive drab and designated it CMA56 (Columbia Military Academy, class of '56). It was his pride and joy, his four-wheel-drive baby. His favorite toy for he and his wife to putter around in.

Long story short, he took it home, the boys eventually graduated, and he passed away a few years later. The boys kept in touch with Mrs P for a few years until she left the state and took the Jeep with her. Over the next several years it was generally assumed that she had eventually gotten rid of the ******. She liked to travel and surely had parted with it by now.

Not so! Through a long complicated game of "phone tag" she eventually got hold of my boyfriend and his buddy in the summer of 2008. She said the Jeep had been in storage in east TN at her in-laws, but they had just passed and she had no other place to store it (she moved to VA). She didn't want to sell the ****** to a stranger, rather wanted it returned to the students who had cared for it so many years before. What she didn't know was that the other guy had moved to Nevada. She wanted it to stay here in the Memphis area, but left it to the 2 boys to work it out among themselves. Oh yeah, there's a matching trailer too, she added in at the last minute

originally we were supposed to pick up the Jeep and return it to Memphis. The buddy's dad was then going to deliver it to Nevada. Long story short and after much arguing and broken ties with a lot of old friends, the ol' ****** is still in our garage, rather than wasting away in Nevada. But you know what? Mrs P prefers it to be here and IMO she's the only one who counts. She only parted with the ****** under the presumption that it would be cared for properly and we were the ones better equipped to do so. In fact we tossed in a new batteryt and plugs, and it fired up the day after we brought it home, even though it hadn't been started in 8 years prior. Many knuckles have been busted and many dollars spent over the past few years but by God she's still runnin' strong!

Sorry for the novel, but don't you just love happy reunions?

Annyhoo, here are the pics...
Still in MrsP's garage:


loaded up for the trip home:


a little tweaking, the first day here



engine, as we got it (minor changes since then)



and a few months ago (he forgot to put the mirror up, LOL)


anyway, just thought I'd share! Sorry if I bored anyone

Full album here, including random repairs and upgrades over the years. Just did complete suspension replacement in April.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y77...p/DSCN0478.jpg

 

By the way, it does get driven around regularly, it's no garage queen.

 

Outstanding!

Great story... it's in the right hands. The CJ3A is my favorite Flatty.

Nice M100 trailer too!

 

I assume it's a civilian trailer? The data plate has been painted over but it's not as large as the military data plates I've seen. It's a Bantam if I recall, not sure who else made trailers.

 

Effing awesome!! i wants one!!!

 

No, thats a Military trailer built under contract during the Korean war. It's a model M100 identifiable by the rounded fenders and no tailgate. 24volt..

 

trailer has a functional tailgate.

24 volt? Jeep was originally a 6v, converted to 12v. Battery was relocated and other necessary electrical parts upgraded to 12v as needed.

We haven't gone all crazy with the restoration and don't plan to. Since the Jeep was given to us in Mr P's honor we're trying to keep it as close to possible to the way it was when we got it. As parts wear out or need upgrading they are being replaced with "proper" CJ3a parts, without cahnging the overall look. We still talk to Mrs P on a regular basis and she's very pleased any time we do anything with it, especially take it to cruise-in car shows or parades. Her hope was to share it with the community so we do our best to accomodate

 

Great story, and pics. Thanks for sharing.

 

Lets see some pics of the tailgate... it may be a civy model then.

The M100 was 24volt.. to go along with the M38 that it would have accompanied.

 

this is the best shot I have of the tailgate, and it's not all that great


I also have these, but they're kinda dark... and decorated, LOL
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y77...tparade001.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y77...tparade023.jpg

there is a single taillight on the lower left corner. I'm sure the light itself was replaced but hole in the sheetmetal looks like it was already there.

I think it's a Bantam T3-c, but not sure

 

Yeah, thats a civilian trailer.. and your probably right on the model designation. Nice score..