My new project: 1964 USMC M38a1

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:47 am

Well its been almost a month since I updated, so here goes. I have gotten the bellcrank rebuilt (USMC bellcranks are different from standard ones - different main shaft) and stripped the draglink and repainted.

I have stripped and repainted the frame, axles and springs.

Yesterday, I had my used NDCCs mounted on my freshly blasted and painted wheels. Looking more like a MILITARY Jeep now - with some OD on it!

Once I replace those broken front springs (I KNEW I shouldn't have sold those NOS one a couple of years ago!) the stance will be right!

Today looks like another beautiful day, so I am planning on stripping the interior and painting that.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 1:37 pm

Park a fully loaded Ma Deuce with ammo and radios in the back and the stance will be fine! Even better, a recoilless rifle! I'll help you find the overload
springs!

Quick, quality work. You should be proud.

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 4:53 pm

Good one! Wish I could afford one or the other!

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 5:32 pm

What is this marking for? It was revealed with a little paint stripper forgotten overnight!

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 5:41 pm

I don't know why I am putting off stripping and painting the interior! I started on it then moved on to the body within 15 minutes! It was a productive day any way you look at it though. I got the driver side stripped using a wire wheel on a grinder - used it up all the way down to the cup! I cleaned it up with a DA and 80 grit and a little hand sanding. I also did the right rear quarter (that's when the wire brush was done for! I used the DA to strip about a third of the hood. If I would've had 60 grit paper I might have gotten further - I have no idea what that white paint is, but it REFUSES to come off!

I found another wire wheel, so as soon as I can come up with a little time to work on it I will finish the passenger side and get it in primer. I have a feeling that I am going to get the grill blasted.

Post by **wesk** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 6:44 pm

2320-835-8319 is the federal stock number for a M38A1.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 7:18 pm

I've got some of that white paint on mine. The only way I can get it off
is a torch and paint scraper. It just balled up on my wire brush....

Hope you are going to put that yellow stencil back on!

Brent Mullins sells demilled rifles.

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 7:18 pm

Cool! That is the only marking I found on the body besides the good number - no unit crest, tire pressure or gas filler markings. It was on the top layer of OD. I might just put it back just like that - the cowl marking and hood numbers.

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 7:46 am

Man, your white paint sounds worse than mine! Yep, planning on putting the stencil and hood numbers back on like original - don't know about the gas and tire pressuressince I didn't find any traces of them.

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 6:43 pm

[quote="4x4M38"] The only way I can get it off
is a torch and paint scraper. It just balled up on my wire brush....

quoteI

Brian, I was thinking. What type of wire brush are you using? I'm using the knotted wire type - they are REAL aggressive.

On another note, I got the rest of the passenger side stripped and primed, along with the front bumper, rear crossmember and part of the rear panel. I say PART, because when I started stripping it with the grinder, I saw a little bit of stencil like on the cowl panel. I stopped there and only stripped where the gas can and spare tire carriers were. I applied a heavy coat of stripper over the rest of the rear panel to see if there is anything on it. Unfortunately, the stencil was exactly where the damage is located on the rear panel, so I don't have high hopes of recovering it.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:28 am

Hi Matt,
I have one of those wheels but have found the coarse regular wire
wheels can leave scratches in the sheet metal. With that bad boy
I'm concerned about going right through!

Certainly may work on the frame and heavier stuff.

You say you stripped the frame. Doesn't look like you
pulled the tub. She must be fairly clean.

Again, great progress but it sure must help to have found
something in such good shape.

Take care,

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 9:40 am

Actually, I didn't try to go all the way to bare metal with it. The OD slowed it down enough to keep from hitting the metal. I used a DA with 60 or 80 grit to do the rest.
The frame was pretty good - had some sand on top of it. Nope - didn't feel the need to pull the tub. I'm not wanting to do a full redo on this one. I found a little more rust in the passenger side panel than originally seen, but nothing MAJOR.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 9:45 am

Lucky dog!

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 9:15 am

Hey Matt,
What is that stripper that you are using?

Tks,

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 9:29 am

It's a citrus stripper that I bought at Walmart. It is supposed to be environmentally friendly, not bad to breath and doesn't burn you (that I saw anyway). It works well, just very slowly - which can be a good thing as you can see from me finding those markings. It also removes one or two layers at a time which is a good thing when trying to find markings. If you just want to remove paint quickly, I would use aircraft stripper instead.