M216 Cdn

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

The only markings on the truck are a 6 inch white hollow square on each door under the registration # and white 17 on the top front of the hood on the left hand side, the right hand side had a Maple Leaf on a square which I see has disappeared over the years.

A white serial '17' on a blue rectangle was the vehicle unit sign for an engineer squadron within an infantry brigade group. The red rectangle with a gold maple leaf was the formation sign of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division.

For those vehicles located in Canada, the red rectangle would have been replaced by late 1966. For those in Europe, by 1970.

I have no idea what the six inch white hollow square is for.

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

It is also marked inside the doors for speed limits on the autobahn 40mph and other roads 30mph. I have asked the question a few times in various places but nobody has answered, did Canada have the autobahn speeds in all vehicles or just vehicles that served in Europe.

I don't have an answer to your autobahn speed limit question, but is the fact it has an autobahn speed limit the only reason to think the vehicle may have been in Germany?

Cheers,
Dan.

[Ed Storey]

Perhaps it is the same marking as seen on the door of this M51 5 ton Dump photographed in 1968?

M51 5 ton Dump 07124.jpg

[Ken Smith]

Good day All,
Rob are you wrecking the spares truck out the back?

John, I will PM you about that.

Dan, thankyou for that very useful information. I am basing my European/Germany assumption from the autobahn stencil. That's why I wondered did all vehicles get that stencil as a matter of course. The truck has the same marking on twice, in every position, but not done by the same stencil as the lettering is different sizes and the number on the hood is different sizes.
So where ever it was stationed it was there for a while.

Ed, yes that is the same door marking as the M216.

Thankyou all for your interest in this vehicle.
Ken

[Ken Smith]

Another thing with the old girl is, when I was looking at the rebuild tag on the back axle again yesterday I noticed that the convoy light is still in good order and tucked up in the rear cross member.
I brought the truck home last week from the wrecking yard, where I have had it for sale for 10 years without a nibble, as I was going to fit a 4 cylinder Isuzu diesel in it and use it as my yard crane. Then as discussed in my above posts I thought no just pretty it up put markings back on it and use it as a talking point and something for the grandkids to climb over.
So drawing a line in the sand I made the decision that after owning it for 20 years and never having turned the engine over, that if I could turn it over, I would keep going with it and at least get it drivable enough, so that it can go in my ANZAC Day display. I tried it, and it does turn over and even has compression on a couple of cylinders.
I guess next is to see if I starts.
Ken

[Ken Smith]

This old truck sucks you in, today I was converting it back to left hand drive, which is as easy as I thought it would be except for the usual mixture of Whitworth bolts, UNC bolts, and of course the mix of Whitworth bolts with UNC nuts and vice versa.

Anyway I thought I should see if it turns over on the starter, so a chucked a 12 volt battery in even though it is still a 24V starter. There are pitfalls with that as 24V starters will burn out on low voltage, but I didn't want it spinning over too fast until I check the oil and filters in the engine and transmission.

So after a good read of the wiring diagram and how to start a M216, as shown on Steel Soldiers forum, I pushed the lever and eventually she gave a little turn over.

Todays photos are not of a DND, CMP, or SMP Vehicle but the remains of a Ex US Navy M211 W/Winch cab, this cab with fenders and grille came as part of the deal with the M216.
The M211 cab is half way through a horrible attempt to convert to right hand drive, but it will provide seat mounts which haven't been converted, a right window winder, a left door latch, the correct UNF dash bolts and the passenger dash grab handle. All the M211 gauges have been smashed but the gauges in the M216 all look good. I am going to give them a clean with window cleaner as soon as I can.

The hood for the M211 went to the scrap man, as the fellow who threw it on the truck, told me the people doing the clean up at the yard had a discussion about what it might fit before they threw it on the load.

Interior from right side
USN Registration #
Front view showing some of the bits that are modified.
M211 US NAVY (3) big interior from right side.JPG

M211 US NAVY (5) Right door.JPG

M211 US NAVY (9) Front Left quarter view.JPG

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

This old truck sucks you in, .....

The hood for the M211 went to the scrap man, as the fellow who threw it on the truck, told me the people doing the clean up at the yard had a discussion about what it might fit before they threw it on the load.

.....

When my wife was a child, she and her siblings would go to visit their mother's brother and sister on the Saskatchewan farm. In winter there wasn't much for the children to do until snowmobiles were invented. Since then youth and brainless adults have been killing and injuring themselves driving their snow machines beyond safe speeds. But for the little kids, it was a big thrill to be pulled behind the snowmobile riding on the upturned hood of any old car or truck. For a while, there was a 1950s farm truck saved for that purpose, and it would have looked identical to your 2 1/2 ton truck's.

[Ken Smith]

Terry, That immediately brought up visions of Chevy Chase in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, doing his slide on the big dish in the snow. The only time I have ever seen snow was for a day in June 1974 when I visited some freezing cold place in Victoria Australia.
The other thing is maybe here is something civilian in the hood department that can be changed to fit the M216, it has given me something to think about.
Ken

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Good day All,
Rob are you wrecking the spares truck out the back?

Not wrecking it in any hurry, but it was bought just for spares. My favorite scrapyard also has wrecks for spare parts, along with some NOS parts hidden around. But I am nearly dead center in Canada, which is very wide. To get parts to John at the coast will be a chore. You may be better to see what he has available in his neck of the woods.



Anything for these trucks is available, but the logistics are not on your side. It is about 2100 kms from here to John's.

[Ken Smith]

Thanks Rob I haven't had a look at a map yet to see where every one is located.

I am being realistic with this truck, and I know that while I have it, the best I can hope for is something that I can put in my ANZAC Day display. This amounts to a 300 metre drive to my front paddock for the line up, and maybe a run up the back paddock with the kids.

So from overseas I would like to source a rear output shaft for the transmission and a glove box door. I have thought the cost of a hood from o/s will be the same as the panel shop will charge me to repair the original hood "lots". But if I can get all the ducks to line up and a good hood can make its way here I will be happy with that. There is no hurry for the hood or glovebox door but I want to get the transmission shaft as soon as possible.

I am going to fit a CCKW transfer case and the 3 tailshafts I can get made by a friend, I won't put one to the front axle.

There is a absolutely beautiful M211 that does ANZAC Day parades in Australia and I know I haven't a hope of reaching that level of perfection, with the M216.

So long as mine moves, and the jewellery and paint is presentable, I will be happy.

Ken