She Drives!

Bob_C · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:50 pm Post subject: She Drives!

Well I didn't totally finish the vehicle this spring break like I had planned, but I got #@$%@ close!! Only the brakes and headlights remain, along with fixing a few grounds. But hey, I can get that done after school this week.

After doing some last minute checks, and fixing some last minute little things, we fired it up tonight and drove around the block. Man, that was so cool. I couldn't believe it actually worked.

I still have some homework due tommorrow and I'm so thrilled, I doubt I'll be able to do it. Oh well.

Pardon my mess in my garage. Had to move allof the stuff that was sitting in my jeep somewhere.

I made all of the lines and stuff my self. My wiper / distrib tee is a little different, but I couldn't find the proper stuff at NAPA this week, so I just used what I had. Will have to order to get it correct. But hey, it works.

Those are not the original markings. My great uncle (who is still alive) served in the Army in WWII, and I used his information to try to formulate the correct style markings. I would have never have known where my jeep originally came from. My bumperettes were off of some old CAP jeep and my bumper was a piece of C channel before I replaced it My hood number is not known too, as I couldn't find them under the layers and layers of OD.

Yes I know my oil and water temp guages are civvy type. I have the old stuff including the sending units. But when I first fired the engine this last summer, I felt it would be best to use mechanical guages of those to eliminate the possibility that the sending units could be bad. Hopefully sometime soon I'll get around to putting the original stuff in there. Gonna drive with them for a while first to make sure everything is in good working order.

Thanks for everyones help!
_________________
Bob Collins
1954 M38A1 MD79056

Bill_F · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:06 am Post subject:

Looks great. I lost track of your post about the fenders, what did you find the problem to be?

GIJOE290 · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:12 pm Post subject:

Bob, Wow, she's Looking Awesome!! Congratulations! Very Happy

_________________
David M.
08/1953 M38A1
Serial #56535
"The Green Goat"

Restoration Begins Summer 2005! ...Er Maybe 2006? 2010? 2015? 202...?

Bob_C · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:20 pm Post subject:

Thanks!

As for the fender issue --

I didn't have enough mounting pads (amazing how that can set in such a huge effect). After that was squared away, the passanger side fit real good. However, I tired to put the drivers side on and it just wouldnt fit. I finally did get it to fit with some prying, but the spacing of the hood and grill was extremely out of wack. Called the original owner, asked him to go back memory lane 25 years ago -- and he said he recalled it being a little cockeyed but couldnt figure out why.

So I measured the fenders, and the drivers side was actually longer! And it was a military fender! WTF - I know. I'm thinking someone mustve done a crappy repair job on it. So I ended up buying a new fender -- and it works like a charm.
_________________
Bob Collins
1954 M38A1 MD79056

Ryan_Miller · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:32 am Post subject:

Looks good Bob,

I bet it feels good to drive around in it!

Very Happy

_________________
Ryan Miller
MVPA # 22010

Galen · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:01 pm Post subject:

Bob, you've done an absolutely outstanding job restoring that Jeep!! You really have something to be proud of, and I bet all that sweat equity & those bloody knuckles are well worth the effort. Wish mine gets to looking that good! Salute!!
_________________
Galen
1947 CJ2
1953 M38A1

Bob_C · Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:51 pm Post subject:

Thanks all!

I was doing the math and I figured I spent about 1500hours on this thing. Basically worked on it everyday after school / work, and all day on the weekends.

A lot of that time was time spent teaching myself. Had to figure out the finer points of how engines worked, learn how to weld, how transmissions, etc worked, etc etc. I really didn't know much about cars at all besides for some general things. I definitally learned a lot over this past year and a half.

99% of the work was done by myself or my dad. I only sent out for the head to be shaven and new valve guides as well as the tub to be sand blasted. All of the smaller parts I sandblasted and rebuilt myself.

My jeep was very complete and I inherited a zillion parts from my dads old CAP sqdn that drove these around. The CAP parts can be pretty worn, but I figure over time I'll rebuild them. A lot of the parts on my jeep were pretty worn too. Nothing really major thank god, but a lot of little piddly stuff that really added up the cost. My brake pedal (the actual pedal that actuates the pushrod that goes into the master cylinder) is actually worn a fair amount -- she has some sideways play. Oh well. Thatll be a weekend project later.

I plan to take it to a show this weekend. Will clean it off real good and take some better shots then. Got the headlights in, and was working on the brake lines the other day. After some fiddling around, figured out that 2 of the wheel cylinders I have (for the front wheels) dont accept inverted flare fittings, so they wouldnt work. So I gotta wait for 2 more correct ones that are coming in either today or tommorrow from Mass. Not to forget, the guy wouldnt accept a return since I didn't have the boxes. Yeah, I was pretty darn pissed. 40$ in wheel cylinders that I will never ever use (and probably no one else -- these are 11 inch brakes instead of 9 -- kept them on there since they were already installed, still havethe old 9 inch stuff though).

She definitally has her fair share of leaks. Transmission and engine oil pan seem to like to leak (although its not that bad), even though I replaced the seals / gaskets and used gasket sealant. Oh well, guess thats just how these old jeeps are.
_________________
Bob Collins
1954 M38A1 MD79056

Galen · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:27 pm Post subject:

Nothing wrong with a few leaks, that's how those old jeeps mark their territory.

You might look at posting the wheel cylinders you can't use on another forum, like the www.earlycj5.com forum. Probably more people that might have a use for them, as they are often using a wide range of parts.

Be sure to take pictures at the show! I may have missed it on another post, but did you ever say what unit markings you're going to put on it?
_________________
Galen
1947 CJ2
1953 M38A1

Bob_C · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 9:40 pm Post subject:

Heres some from yesterday:

The markings corrospond to the unit my great uncle (still alive) served in during WWII. I never really could figure out the original ones to this jeep -- as I have no idea which bumperettes are original to the jeep (got a box of em), didnt have the original front bumper (replaced with C Channel), and I mustve blown through the markings on the hood. Wes helped me generate that number on the hood currently.
_________________
Bob Collins
1954 M38A1 MD79056

Ryan_Miller · Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 7:42 am Post subject:

Bob,

Looks great! You have made a lot of progress in the last few weeks.

Looks good! Cool

_________________
Ryan Miller
MVPA # 22010


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