DJ3A Hard top

[F Bill]

As long as you don't do any mojor chopping or welding to what you have...the idea of using the v6 setup and building it up like an early v6 CJ5 would not preclude someone retrofitting it back to stock at a later date. If you do decide to do that, and you end up removing the stock 4cylinder motor mounts in one piece, I could really use a good set of them. I think you can drill out the rivets and have the mount come out without using a cutting torch.

[82cj7401]

So Basically not much. Everything rusts out on the east coast so there are not that many flattys around, so looks like it's getting a Buick 225, some Cj axles and be done with it.

[F Bill]

Yup, sounds like a plan... and it should be a nice jeep when you are finished...Have fun with it! V6 flatties are just about PERFECT off road.

[82cj7401]

Picked up a 86 cj7 with the Dana 44 rear, 3.73"s. going with that, SM420 and Dana 300. should be interesting.

[SteveK]

Hey FBill,

What's the difference of a 'convertible' from a Dispatcher or a Surry? and can you provide pics of the convertibles? BA25 provided pics of my seats available in my intro if someone is interested in them. Excellent condition! SteveK

[F Bill]

A dispatcher is a DJ....Normally used for utility purposes, can have the delivery body or open standard 3A style tub.Can have tailgate or not, cane shift or column shift, flat floor door openings or not, depending on what was ordered. Some may have had chrome bumpers but most were plain jane affairs.

A Surrey is a special limited edition jeep with the striped upholstery, made famous by the hotels that used them to shuttle guests around and the Elvis and Jerry Lewis movies. The top is a boxy shaped thing and the back seat is very useable as there is plenty of headroom. Spendy to buy restored ones nowadays. The hard to find parts like stainless full wheel covers, correct seating, and chrome bumpers and trim here and there are $$$$. There was a special trim code sticker on the firewall that often fell off, but if you find a jeep that was originally one of the three Surrey colors you can assume it was a Surrey. I am of the opinion that the pink ones were often repainted a more "manly" color so they could be sold easier, whether while new or still a low mileage used car.....(Just a theory I have)

A Convertible is what the Willys brochures called the DJ model that had a fastback top that followed the basic shape of a jeepster top. WHile I have never actually sat in one I would think rear headroom would be limited. THe convertible used the shorter 3B style windshield frame to lower the top a bit so it looked sleeker...(if that is even possible with a jeep) I believe a Convertible would still have had a Dispatcher decal on the cowl, as the one I have does.(I don't have the top, just the snaps and attaching hardware still on the tub) The Convertible was sold as a sports car, a snappy little runabout equally at home on the greens as it was at the club.

If you click on the logo at the top left of the page here and go to the home page, there is a link to siblings fo the 3B. Derek has assembled a lot of great info on the Dj3A and it is one of the best resources available to learn its variations. There is a great pic of a convertible there..

Great question.

[SteveK]

Thanks for the excellent explanation of differences. I had visited that section before, but did not realize it was a 3B style windshield on the convertible.

I liked the look and was trying to design a similar top for mine, but couldn't get the proportions to look right with my Dj3 windshield height. Now I know why. Mine was a half top, so I only have the center hoop frame and doors to work with. I don't think I would have enough head room with a 3B winshield, and don't have one anyway.

BTW, in looking at the convertible picture again, the rear view, the placement height of the spare on what looks like a rigid tail piece might explain the red bracket in question on other topic...so top could be folded down behind tire?...maybe...maybe not. Just a guess from my end. Thanks for the info.