Proliferation of M-series vehs on the market

[chris vickery]

Totally agree with you, Rob.
I finally dug back into my 1970 M38A1 CDN3 project. I’m happy that I have most of what I require and plenty of NOS parts in stock to complete it.
Today I needed some primer and a handful of new hardware. I hate using old hardware, it’s messy and time consuming to clean up.
$50 later, one spray bomb and literally a little paper bag of NF bolts and nuts…
I was surveying the project last night and I still need to dump several thousands on the jeep…
As much as I like to save money, there is the right way, the wrong way and something in between. Personal time is valuable too and sometimes one has to simply bite the bullet, other wise the old “I can do it myself” ends up taking eons to complete. Then there’s always the route of justifying the purchase of more equipment so i can do it myself. Do I need a $10k sandblasting setup???
The major items on my list are a wiring harness, a set of front fenders and to repair the tub.
I’m tempted to send the tub out and have it done but I am picky and don’t always like the results of others work. If I do it myself, it will take forever to do.
Any way I slice it, the repair of the tub is going to cost me a few grand between sandblasting, fab, paint and body work. It’s an original tub in great shape for a 1970 Canadian jeep, so I’d rather save an original than go for a repro. The price of reproduction tubs do make that route appealing though….
As for my fenders, once again sandblasting, body work and paint to only end up with old fenders that are still old fenders. For the price of repros, that seems to be the route I might go.
Wire harness. Well, I’m not sure on that one. Might make an attempt at building my own as I know NOS M-series Deuce harnesses and the like are quite inexpensive to rob for components.
Decisions, decisions…