M216 Cdn

[Grant Bowker]

I believe that the original distributor has been replaced by a "will fit" unit. Originally, the whole M133, M135, M207, M211, M215, M216 M220 etc. series were fitted with waterproof electrical systems in line with the thinking of the period that MVs should be able to be driven submerged. In these systems the coil and distributor were in a single unit with waterproof enclosure. Similarly the spark plug wires had screw down connectors at each end with gaskets to keep out the water. All very nice while it worked but awkward and expensive for people using the trucks after purchase from the government so often replaced with the equivalent parts off a similar civilian motor (and a pain for restorers who seek original). Bottom line, the system on your truck isn't original but will make it easier for you to maintain in the short run.
It also looks as if the sealed voltage regulator has been removed, perhaps for similar reasons. Maybe more of the electrical system too. If they did gut the electrics, they may have substituted 12 volt civil equivalents which might make the original 24 volt gauges read wonky.

[rob love]

The installation of a civilian distributor is quite common on all the M-series vehicles such as the Dodge, the Jeeps, and the 2-1/2 ton. Not so much for the points or rotors, which are relatively common, but more-so for things like the 24 volt internal coils, the military distributor caps, and those expensive shielded spark plugs. Remember that before the days of the internet, you did not simply hit a buy it now button and your obscure parts were there a few days later....you had to send letters, or stay up until 2 in the morning to call some foreign country.

Easy enough to make right, once you find out if the motor is still good. There is plenty of the M135 stuff around...nobody really wants it anymore.

[Ken Smith]

Grant and rob, the electrics are a mess, but I am not to worried, I am reasonably confident I can do my temporary work around successfully.

I do remember not being able to press a button and summon parts.
When I first got the truck I searched books for ages to find what it was, and eventually found a picture in one of Bart Vanderveen's books. Finding out it was a M216 not a M215 really was a tremendous surprise.

I put an add in Wheels and Tracks for any manuals, and the Belgian Tank Museum offered to photocopy a operator manual for me, for a small fee. I keep the copied manual in the original envelope that it arrived in, from Belgium.
You are correct, how things change!
Ken

[Ken Smith]

Dropped the sump oil today, first out came 20 litres of water then 10 litres of oil. I think the crease in the hood which has some small rust holes has leaked water into the distributor or oil filler, as both were missing their caps. The distributor is really rusty in the top around the points. The dipstick was also out about an inch so that is another possibility.
The oil filter oil is clean and shows no signs of having been run with water in the oil.
I added 30 litres of diesel and oil mixture so that it is above where the water level would have been.

When I drain that out I will pull the little sump off and give everything a good clean.

While I was underneath or getting out from underneath, I should say, I noticed that the little bolt in filler plates in the ends of the bumper are still in place and in fair condition.
This truck continues to amaze me.

I have been searching the internet for something on the name on the door, but it is almost as if they never existed. I am going to phone the local historical society and see if they can give me some leads.

I was checking some things in the M211 cab today and found the previous owner had made battery boxes set up under the right hand seat. They had cut the under bonnet left hand battery box off, I think that shows in the photo of the cab.
Ken

[Ken Smith]

Today I took out the brake and accelerator cross shafts and thanks to a wonderful tool called 4 inch cordless cutting disc, I had most of it out in no time at all. One bolt couldn't be reached by the disc so I decided to do the correct thing and got out the vice grips and 1/2" socket and ratchet but after a half hour getting in the cab, out of the cab, and under the truck a dozen times I ended up cutting the cross shaft and that's when the battery went flat on the 4" grinder.
I started on the seat removal and there will be a couple of bolts to cut off there tomorrow as well.
M216 Cdn shifting seats back to original (3).JPG

M216 Cdn shifting seats back to original (4).JPG

M216 Cdn Left to right brake pedal conversion.JPG

[ATTACH]103452[/ATTACH

These photos should be the right hand seat on the left.
The drivers seat hold down clamp.
Brake pedal cross shaft .
Accelerator cross shaft.

[Ken Smith]

A few more photos.

A stencil about batteries.
Not sure what it says as the middle bit is covered up by a second badly put on stencil.

The huge annoying crease in the hood, I now have a cover over the engine.

The civilian number plate holder removed today with thanks again to the 4 inch.

M216 Cdn battery stencil under hood.JPG

M216 Cdn Crease in hood with rust spots.JPG

M216 Cdn civilian number plate holder.jpg

[Ken Smith]

Good day,
After work, I cut the accelerator modification plate off the pedal, the 1/4" plate had been welded to the little pivot point ears at the bottom of the pedal and about half way along the pedal, I have no idea how the fellow welded the plate to the ears without destroying them, but he should get a medal. I cleaned the remains of the weld off and then bead blasted the bottom of the pedal, I also gave the hard rubber a very light touch and it came up very nice.
I made a pivot pin out of a 5/16" bolt that I had brought from home. It is interesting how GMC solved the problem of making the pivot pin a fixture in the pedal, and pivoting in the bush located on the floor. They simply ground off the sides of the pin at one end, and it fits into a hole with 2 flat sides so that it pivots with the pedal movement.

I gave the dipstick tube a very light blast, and a then a blow off with a lot of air. I have pushed a piece of rag through the tube a lot of times, I freed up the nut at the bottom so that I could put the tube back in the engine without having to turn the whole tube.The pedal and the dipstick then got a coat of red oxide.

When I got home I gave the 2 pieces a covering of olive drab. This was very rough as I have had the spray cans for a fair while and they block the little directional fan nozzle very easily. Because I don't like wasting money I pulled the little fan nozzle out and just used the main bigger nozzle which then dribbles a little bit, I didn't mind a lot of paint under the pedal. The dipstick tube faired a little better as the drips fell on the gravel.

Next was getting the remaining 4 seat mounting bolts out which took a little bit longer than planned, it was a nice surprise to find that when the drivers seat was shifted from left to right they had managed to use one of the floor plate captured nuts, so it undid nicely, the other bolt got the 4" cutting disc.

A photo of the rough underside pedal paint job, and the dipstick tube.

M216 Cdn Accelerator pedal with pivot pin.JPG

M216 Cdn dipstick cleaned & painted.JPG