Braden Capstan Winch - Spare Parts - Discussion

[DavidA]

What is sitting in front of the radiator is probably as desirable as what is behind it.

With the prices obtained from these items now, the jeep is superfluous.

[Gary25]

Hi Jacco,

The picture you includeed of the jeep with the Tow Bar, Winch and Surge Tank is a picture of my 45 GPW. This picture was from page 36 of David Featherston's 1995 book "Jeep, Warhorse, Workhorse & Boulevard Cruiser". I still have this jeep ands it's running great. Althought it is unlikely that during WWII the army ever install all three (winch, tandem tow bar and surge tank) items on one jeep, I can tell you they have come in handy over the years. The tow bar gets my jeep to many parades and MVPA shows, the surge kit keeps it from overheating during slow summer parades and the winch has recovered many less fortunate MB/GPW during off road trips.

The capstan winch is deffinatley the most unusual accessory on this jeep. I have been fortunate to collect enough NOS Capstan parts to build a second winch kit...I am just missing the bumper mounting plate. Anyone have leads a mounting plate...I may have some spare capstan parts to trade!

Below are pictures of my NOS Capstan parts including the rare can of Capstan Oil that came with each original kit. Most of the parts are still wrapped in cosmoline!











Regards,

Gary

[Jacco]

Wow Gary, these NOS parts are awesome. I hope you don't have an issue of posting this picture of your Jeep. I don't have the book,...only this digital picture.
All parts are nice you have fitted,...would not be my ideal outfit, but as you say, they all have great advantages!

Thanks for posting the NOS parts and enjoy your nice GPW!

Cheers, Jacco

[emmado22]

I dont have my reference materials in front of me, but I seem to remember there was a "spare parts bag" or something that came with the winch kit. I dont know what was in there.. Do you?

[Gary25]

I don't see anything listed as Spare Parts in the NOS kit that I have, but there is a small bag with nuts and bolts ect.....nothing lable as Spare Parts though.

Gary

[DavidA]

Fantastic photos of the NOS parts. I can't believe that you actually found a can of oil for the winch. I am jealous!

Anyone have any u-joints? I have everything except U-joints.

[Gary25]

Hi David,

The capstan oil can was included with all original shipments of the capstan kits from Willys. My oil can has been with these parts since it was packaged at the factory and is full.

You may notice that the label on the oil can says Willys, Newark NJ and Toledo OH.

We all know that Willys Jeep factory was in Toledo, but does anyone know what Willy's produced in Newark NJ? I live in NJ and would be curious to know what Willys produced in NJ?

Regards,
Gary

[Keith Buckley]

It appears that the oil can has a label on top of a label. Can you see through to see if they both say Willys, or did Willys just slap their label over the suppliers label?

[Gary25]

Keith,
You are very observant....I checked the capstan oil can tonight and there is indeed a Willys label applied over another label.

I didn't want to peel the Willys label off entirely, but I was able to carefully peel back a small portion of the bottom of the label (the part just over the word "Newark"). I found the word "Fiske", but that was all I could find without further damaging the Willys label.

Using Google, I searched the word Fiske and oil and found a company called Fiske Brothers Refining Company, which has HQ's in Newark NJ and also has a division in Toledo, OH. Fiske Brothers is better known now for their Lubriplate brand of oils, but they are still in business in both OH and NJ.

It is likely that during WWII when Willys was putting these winch kits together, that they purchased the one quart winch oil cans from Fiske Bros. since they were local to Toledo. Once they had the oil cans, Willys simply slapped their part number label over the Fiske label.

Thanks for pointing out the over-label.....Curiosity solved!

Regards,
Gary

[Keith Buckley]

I figured it might be the case. I'm not aware of a Willys plant in New Jersey. I've been to the Willys Overland plants in Detroit and Boston. They both closed before Jeep was invented.

[Gary25]

I have only been to the Toledo plant during the 50th anniversary event in 1991. I have a few copies of the Toledo Blade commemorating the event from 1991. I believe the plant is gone now.

Gary

[karl oliver]

When it comes to making a gasket I suck!!.....Is there anyone who has, can, would make
a gasket for me or direct me to a source!!!!....thanks!

[ElwoodJayBlues]

What's the problem with the gasket, Karl?

[karl oliver]

EJB...I don't have any trouble until I get to the area where the output shaft is, and
that's where things go crappy. I've already made two attempts to no avail . I
somehow manage to screw it up??

[ElwoodJayBlues]

I made three of them.

They're a p.i.t.a. to make and to be honest, they won't work, as the output shaft will always be leaking.

So don't worry too much about that.

EJB