This is the restoration of a M-151A1 done by Alan Crane & Don Eaton August 2004 to June 2005

We found this beauty in August 2004 at the Webster, MA Show.  It was an M-151A1 body and running gear, with another half body, a tailgate section, two engines, and a myriad of other spare parts.  The jeep was in rough shape (someone had cut the back panel off at some point) but there was enough there to put it back together. We paid $500 for the whole mess, and most of the guys laughed at us.  We decided then and there that we would have her up and running by next years show.

We got the jeep unloaded at my home and did a quick assessment.  Besides the back panel being missing, the rear fender tops, rear floor, floor pans, and side panels were unsaveable and were removed with an air chisel and grinding wheel.  The jeep was then hauled off to the sandblaster. When it returned, we weren’t left with much.  While the main frame members were intact, most of the body from the dash back was gone.  We started the long road back by fitting and welding the tailgate section back on.  Next came a new rear floor and fender tops from Jeeppanels plus.  All welding on these panels was done by drilling a series of holes in the new panel and welding through the holes and then grinding them flat to simulate the original spot welds.

While Don was busy with the body, Alan rebuilt all of the axels, differentials, drive shafts and suspension.  All u-joints, suspension bushings, and seals were replaced.  The breaks and master cylinder were completely rebuilt as well.  Numerous small parts and all of the gauges were also stripped down and repainted. When the body was finished and primed, the re-built suspension and running gear was installed, and the vehicle painted Aervoe Shade 997-B Semi-Gloss Olive Drab. Our goal now was to drive the jeep to the COMVEC show in June 2005.  This was a scant 10 months after we had purchased the vehicle, and in all actuality amounted to about 3 months of weekend work.  With one weekend to go before the show, we got cracking.  Once the paint dried, the wiring harness and all of the small parts were put back on.  We were lucky enough to find a take out M-151 engine in great shape for a reasonable price.  This was dropped in and after some trial and error with the wiring, roared to life. 

At the end of the day on the Sunday before the event, we drove the jeep out of the barn and took a spin around the block, complete with MG mount and radio. The last missing piece was the windshield which arrived the day before the show and received a quick coat of paint which luckily dried overnight.

The jeep was driven to the 2005 COMVEC show, and many folks were aghast that this was the same pile of junk that we had bought back in August.