It has been about a month since I updated this thread on the Gator. I have brought in a few batches of parts, and it seems you go to replace one thing and 2 other problems show up. I replaced the tires, and found the front wheel bearings have a bit of choppy drag on them (likely dry grease) so I am replacing those. I'll likely do all the rear bearings as well, since they will also be of the same vintage.
The front tires are a pair of the original P-tracker runflats that Frank Von Rosensteil picked up for me and passed to another collector to drop at my place. The rears are a readily available Chinese made tire for now. However I had superdave pick me up a very nice pair of the original P-trackers rear tires that I spotted on kijiji near him. I am now watching to fin another pair. I see some in Peterborough ON that are priced right, but they appear more worn than the ones I have. I would like it to have the original factory tires.
Got in a pair of aftermarket seats, and they are installed. I ordered the majority of the switches, some from China and some from the US, as the old ones were hard to read. I figured out that the missing switch was the 4 way switch. I have also ordered one of the fender lights, since it was broken at the back. It is coming from Latvia of all places...they had them for $20 shipped. In hindsight I should have ordered two. Then again, I am not sure if I am getting the complete lamp assembly which I need, or just the lens. I'll know this week.
I removed the hood so I could access the wiring, and also remove the "408" which was so poorly spray painted. That was the tactical-helicopter unit that had this thing. Once in there I found out that this gator had the John Deere winch kit installed at some point, although the winch and mounting plate did not make it to the auction. Winches rarely do.
So as it turns out, the 2007 Gators seem to have a few luxuries that the 2005 gators in Afghanistan did not have. There is the deluxe turn signal kit and the John Deere Warn winch kit. Evidence of these can be seen in the photos Robin showed earlier from a Gator sold by CADC about a year back.
I picked up some 383 green CARC substitute at the MVPA convention last week, so will repaint the cargo box and the brush guard/litter rack soon. I am also placing an order for all the nickle and dime items like certain washers, spacers, plastic caps, decals from a John Deere dealer in the US so I can get this project completed. Unfortunately, John Deere may have discontinued some of the M-gator specific items like the blackout switch and some of the M-gator specific decals.
There was a gator at the MVPA convention this year. The owner had a photo of him (or someone) with an M-gator in Iraq or Afghanistan. However the gator he had at the show was just a civilian trail gator, with the civilian cargo box and no blackout lighting. Perhaps, if my project turns out well, I'll bring mine down next year.
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