CJ2A Jeep-Volkswagen Frankenstein

[KollynnBlackpaw]

Howdy y'all! It's been quite a while since I've posted here, though I typically stick over in the Type 3 section.

This post marks the start of a build I've wanted to do for a while. I have a 1947 Jeep CJ2A that I need the chassis out from under for another project. The body isn't great, and half of it is plywood and angle iron (more on that later.) I figure a good use of the body, since I don't care if I have to cut parts of it up, is to do something cool with it - and what's cooler than putting a VW chassis under it?

The story with the plywood goes that back in the day, the military would cut their jeeps in half when they'd surplus them (which later turned into quartering them.) So Sears-Roebuck, supposedly anyways, sold a kit of marine grade plywood and angle iron, which would create the back half of the Jeep, and so long as you had the front half with the title and identification numbers attached to it, you had a Jeep!

Pics of said Jeep come soon, but I had some questions for the Volksrod and possibly the Offroad people. I want this Jeep to be slammed to the ground, the wheels outside of the tub and front fenders. I have a '74 Standard pan I could use for this, however I also may be coming upon a '70 Baja project, which has 3x3 trailing arms, 930 CV flanges, extended front beam (about 6-8 inches they reckon) and lots of other parts. It has also had the front beam extended outward approx 8 inches, and the arms extended another 2 inches or so.

The Jeep tub, at the rear wheel wells, measures around 57 and 1/4 inches. I'm yet to measure the front. I have a '74 Sedan transmission out of the Standard pan that would be used for the project. I haven't done a build like this before, and this is where I start. The pan will be shortened to vaguely match the shape of the Jeep, while the beam needed extended out to match the wheelbase of the Jeep. Now for some questions.


Can I still lower the car with 3x3 trailing arms? I ask because I see Volksrods with the wheels all the way outside the body, and that's exactly what I'm trying to do.
What axles (and other parts) do I need to go from the '74 trans to the 3x3s and 930 CV flanges?
Y'all reckon the 3x3s will work for this application in the first place?
What things do you suggest I need to do?

I plan to use some old Pacer / El Tigre wheels I have, both front and rear, as well as likely 1 inch spacers for clearance in the rear. However, if those wheels don't work out, the Baja does have new tires front and rear on widened 5x205 smoothies in the rear and stock 66-67 Bug wheels in the front. I've no idea offsets, ETs, tire sizes etc etc, but that can all be changed if needed. Theoretically, I should clear - the (stock) track width of a bug, with 1 inch spacers and the 3x3's should come to 61.5 inches, which with the correct ET wheel should clear the body in the rear. Front will be a lot easier to deal with thankfully, especially since if it doesn't I can just ditch the fenders!

Thanks for any and all input. I've been very excited to work on this project.
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'71 Shantung Yellow AT/FI Squareback

[joemama]

wheres the pics?

[KollynnBlackpaw]

Here's the Baja chassis I got and you can see the white jeep in this photo, the body I'll be using.

I've done some measuring and need to come up with about 6" in the rear to fit the jeep body between the wheels. The fronts are the same however I'm less worried about clearance in the front due to the wheels being forward of the grille/fenders.

The wheels are ~8-9" deep dish smoothies, the tires are 10.5s. From the inside of tire to inside of tire in the front and rear, the measurement is 52" and a little bit. I need 58" to clear the body by 1/2" on each side. I can get smaller tires with less sidewall bulge, and unfortunately I can only find 1" spacers for 5x205, where 4 lug can get up to 3" (not that I'd use those for highway driving - this will strictly be a car show car.)

The body will be getting picked up by someone today as I don't need it.

Thanks y'all.
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'71 Shantung Yellow AT/FI Squareback