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Sears Roebuck Engines

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Bill Norris View Drop Down
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    Posted: 27 Sep. 2017 at 11:46am
I've been doing a lot of research for a Dispatcher Magazine article I'm doing on the Wilson Foundry- they cast the engines of our 2As. I found something I thought was kind of interesting. The foundry had 400 engines left over from war production and then bought a bunch more surplus from the government. They saw potential in making money reselling them- which they did. One of their customers was Sears Roebuck. That answered a question I had always wondered about- how did Sears get these motors.
 
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Mark W. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark W. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Sep. 2017 at 1:17pm
Sears had an extensive Jeep parts dept I have a couple of their Jeep Catalogs. Montgomery Wards also had a special Jeep parts catalog. My dad bought a few parts through them back in the day.
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1948 2A Body Customized
1949 3A W/S
1957 CJ5 Frame Modified
Late 50's 134L 9.25"clutch T90A D18 (1.25") D44/30 flanged E-Locker D25 5.38 Since 1962
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SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Sep. 2017 at 3:08pm
The engine I am currently running in Ol' Red is a Sears rebuilt engine that I bought in 1970. It replaced an engine in which the oil pump failed that year. I don't believe that the failed engine was original when I bought her in 1969. The Sears engine is bored 20 over and the rods and mains are 40 under. It came with a Kaiser Supersonic head. I would estimate it has roughly 20,000 miles on the clock, but it is only an estimate as the speedometer was never hooked up until this year. Since she had been in storage since 1995, the first 25 years I drove the wheels off her. She was a daily driver for a couple of years in all kinds of Kansas weather with no major engine problems.

Since I revived Ol' Red from 20 years of storage (indoors), I did have to pull the head to replace a burned exhaust valve, but the compression is still 100 to 110 pounds across all cylinders and it pulled a strong 20 inch vacuum.

I don't remember what I paid for the engine, but it has served well. I'm slowly building its replacement in my shop space with a new block and all new components except the crank. A new crank isn't available so it will have to be 10 under on the rods and mains. The rods are reconditioned. If my budget allows, I hope the finish the new engine project next year.
46 CJ-2A #64462 "Ol' Red" (bought April 1969)(second owner)(12 V, 11" brakes, M-38 frame, MD Juan tub)

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Willy M View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Willy M Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Sep. 2017 at 5:26pm
Will Ol' Red keep the Supersonic head?  

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SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Sep. 2017 at 6:46pm
Originally posted by Willy M Willy M wrote:

Will Ol' Red keep the Supersonic head?  
New heads are available and I'm leaning that direction but the Supersonic head is in good shape so it may go on the new block because of my finances being a little tight. Won't make that decision until closer to the finish of the engine project; probably late next year.
46 CJ-2A #64462 "Ol' Red" (bought April 1969)(second owner)(12 V, 11" brakes, M-38 frame, MD Juan tub)

U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer(ret.)
U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and damned proud of it.



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Willy M View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Willy M Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2017 at 12:44am
I was just thinking that if you're used to the higher compression of the Supersonic head, you'd probably want to stick with it.  

Besides, it's not every day you see a Supersonic Willys Jeep.  Smile

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SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2017 at 1:19am
LOL Yeah, It flies along at 45 mph speeds! I might drive faster, but 9" brakes do have their limitations.

It wouldn't make any difference in the appearance of Ol' Red anyway, as she is a resto-mod not a show restoration. To 99.9999% of the people it wouldn't make a difference and they wouldn't know the difference; however, the true enthusiast would spot the M-38 frame right off the bat without even lifting the hood. You lift the hood and ...BAM!...there is a Delco alternator. I'll probably use the Supersonic head just to save some money...the rest of the engine project cost a fortune anyway...
46 CJ-2A #64462 "Ol' Red" (bought April 1969)(second owner)(12 V, 11" brakes, M-38 frame, MD Juan tub)

U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer(ret.)
U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and damned proud of it.



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Unkamonkey View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Unkamonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2017 at 4:12am
My brother bought a M38. OK, I wandered over to look at it. So it had been converted to 12 V. Fine by me. Supersonic head, also fine. Fuel tank had been changed over to a 2A style. Errr OK. Dash plates had been removed so I showed him the plate behind the passenger seat. He slapped some new tires on it and it still pulled to one side so I knelt in front of it to do an eyeball on the frame
Ummmmmmmmmmm the front 1/3 of this frame is bent about 1" to the passenger side?
I'm not saying I am a Jeep guru but if you are buying an old Jeep you need to have it looked over before handing over the gelt.
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Ol' Unreliable View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ol' Unreliable Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2017 at 4:23am
Originally posted by SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A wrote:

You lift the hood and ...BAM!...there is a Delco alternator.


Oh, I am SO disillusioned now!  LOL
There's a reason it's called Ol' Unreliable
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minnow1193 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote minnow1193 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2017 at 11:50am
I have a Supersonic Willys! 

The L134 in my CJ2a came with that head. It does seem to have a little more get up and go than the stock L134 in my 2wd wagon. 

I have no problem running 55 mph with stock gears. 

I vote keep that head 😁
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SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2017 at 7:30pm
Well, the stock gearing in a 2WD wagon probably wasn't 5.38, probably more on the order of 4.27 gears...

That could give you a little more top end...
46 CJ-2A #64462 "Ol' Red" (bought April 1969)(second owner)(12 V, 11" brakes, M-38 frame, MD Juan tub)

U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer(ret.)
U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and damned proud of it.



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