Jim's M38 Pictures

1958_M274 · Post by **1958_M274** » Wed May 04, 2005 7:59 am

Here are three pictures of Jim's (Willys-51) M38 restoration project:

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Wed May 04, 2005 6:08 pm

Looking great!

I am green with envy!

GIJOE290 · Post by **GIJOE290** » Wed May 04, 2005 7:45 pm

OOO AHHHH....

Looks Good!

Willys-51 · Post by **Willys-51** » Wed May 11, 2005 10:52 am

Thanks for the compliments on my progress. I calculate that at my rate of work on this M-38 I will probably hold the record on length of time it took to restore. I'm going on six years now. Read my article in ARMY MOTORS issue #92 - A Diamond in the Rough or go to this web site http://www.flmvpa.org/articles/armymotors_gill.htm Nobody told me when I started this thing, that it helps to know what you're doing. With the help of friends and fellow MVPA members and these web sites I'm stumbling along OK.

Jim

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Wed May 11, 2005 7:54 pm

Jim!

I have that ariticle and read it several times.

I thought it was a great story.

GregS · Post by **GregS** » Thu May 12, 2005 7:31 am

Jim, don't feel bad. I have been working on my project about 5 years and I am about where you are at. It is hard though when I can only get out to the garage about 1 day on the weekend.

But, like I tell the wife, I don't want to get it done too fast because I would have to start another.

Willys-51 · Post by **Willys-51** » Thu May 12, 2005 10:33 am

Ryan, I told myself that if I ever finish the restoration I'll do a follow up article to the first one. I hope we are all still around when I get to that point.

Greg S, I guess we can start a "Take Forever to do a Restoration" club. You can be the President. Like you, I don't seem to get or make the time to work on it as much as I should. Unfortunately it seems to sit for months sometimes before I pick up a wrench or do anything, then I'll go for a while at a good pace. My wife has been very understanding. I still use the excuse that it beats hitting the bars on the weekends.

Jim

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Thu May 12, 2005 11:46 am

I tell my wife that and I remember my dad telling my mom that too!

I have been working 2 years on mine. Sometimes I spend more time taking pictures and trying to figure out how I got myself into this.

On restorations, they are never done. I have found that there is always something that needs some tinkering as they don't get driven as much as they should.

I watched a speacial on Jay Leno's collection. He has a crew of mehcanics to keep everything going so all he has to do is get in and drive.

That's the way to do it!

Post by **wesk** » Thu May 12, 2005 11:14 pm

I thought we were taking a long time on restos untill I saw a post on the early Pontiac list which said he has been at it since 1987 on a 55 Starchief convertible.