M151A2 in its new home

[rob love]

Seatbelts were mandatory in all vehicles after 1970/71. The seatbelts on the Cdn M151A2 rollcage are from a Dodge van of the 1978 era, and the rear belts are the simple non-rewind type. They are available from many places....vintage auto stores, and I think even boats have the same seat belts.

Punch in a google search for universal seat belts, or check on ebay. The seatbelts normally have to be backed by a fairly substatial washer...about 3 or 4" round if I recall.

[Scott Bentley]

We're multiplying....

After a morning of making some adjustments, we've got Steve's back on the road:

[maple_leaf_eh]

And you didn't call me?

(Actually I would have had to beg off a road move on Monday. My son asked to go to the range and shoot a little. He had better luck on paper with the 10/22 than the Zombie rifle. And, we had some father son puberty talks. A bunch of rusty old trucks just wouldn't measure up to these moments of family investment.)

[Scott Bentley]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

And you didn't call me?

(Actually I would have had to beg off a road move on Monday. My son asked to go to the range and shoot a little. He had better luck on paper with the 10/22 than the Zombie rifle. And, we had some father son puberty talks. A bunch of rusty old trucks just wouldn't measure up to these moments of family investment.)

This was a case of getting Steve's from storage to his house for some further maintenance. Still a little bit yet before a full scale convoy is in order.

Did you get a clean bill of health on yours?

[maple_leaf_eh]

YES! Plated with a veteran's plate too.

Eric left a binder of CFTOs which includes one on licence plate holders. Time to start bending sheet metal.

[maple_leaf_eh]

The titles of the jpegs are the stages. The shots are all at the discovery and destruction stages.

The inner battery box bottom has a big diagonal repair through it from the re-militarization. The outer battery box bottom is half eaten away by rust. This is where the safety inspection poked into rubber matting.

The tray itself is loose, and in really good condition. However, it has 2 dimples to drain the expected spilled battery acid. These dimples get in the way of any repair panel I was prepared to build in a week's time with my limited welding skills.

[maple_leaf_eh]

So the first sequence took the loyal MLU viewer from discovery to 'now what have I gotten myself into?'.

The next sequence doesn't quite capture the thought processes. Should I replicate the good battery box? Could I make origami with sheet metal? What gauge of steel, the 22 gauge panel I bought or the salvaged pieces of 12-ish gauge from some long-forgotten trailer?

In the end I decided I had neither the time or inclination to make a fancy cake pan-like piece. Time was pressing to get the vehicle back in for inspection before the long weekend. Make it flat. Make it simple.

I convinced my brother to come over and weld for me. The heavy gauge steel was free and strong enough to support the batteries without reinforcements. The resulting welding had a fair amount of spatter, but there are no voids of pinholes. The bumps and zigzags were ground off, and looked nice and shiney.

I painted the fresh ground metal with Rust Killer spray paint. Which is not Rustoleam spray paint. The outer layer on the bottom is asphalt rustproofing spray.

The inner battery box depression, the intact one, is now concealed under a loose piece of heavy gauge steel.

[maple_leaf_eh]

If the battery box was heavy construction, repairing the two front floors was a casual jog around the block.

A previous owner had invested in diamond plate for each floor, bent to conform with the existing panels and firmly secured with self-tapping screws. No arguments from me on methodology. After he-man cutting, grinding and welding, I was ready for 'fast and loose'.

I unfastened the diamond plate and had a look. Hmm? He must have been thinking the same way I was. It is aluminum diamond plate not steel. Measure twice, cut once. Hand operated tin snips are slow, but effective. I had to unbolt some of the Roll Over Protection System base bolts to slide the fresh panel into place over an emerging rust hole. Who knew old bolts could be so ornery? But I realized the logic of working on a small vehicle when I had one hand on a wrench underneath and the other hand on a wrench inside. You Carrier owners have my sympathies.

At some point in the story 3 other local M151A2 owners appeared in the driveway, led by Eric driving a nice company car. Scott and Steve actually lent a hand to change tires after the hard work was done. Scott had his "MUTT" on the street, which made my wife question my judgement as she drove up. "What the hell has he done now?"

Reverse the steps to put the 22 gauge panels under the diamond plate with the same screws. Spritz on the Rust Killer spray and a top coat of Rustoleum. Then off to the inspection station.

The original document was dated Sunday by mistake. The owner apologized for the mistake, but agreed the M+S tires looked better than the Non Directional Cross Countries. But on the bright side, I have enough accumulated NOS 17" tires, that I think I can put the M151A2 on decent but old rubber when the occassion demands.

[Scott Bentley]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Scott and Steve actually lent a hand to change tires after the hard work was done.

Photographic evidence of two Commissioned Officers doing vehicle maintenance. True story folks

[maple_leaf_eh]

A former Reserve comrade and his two sons came over today, and we took the hard top off. It was definately a four-man job. Thirty-year old habits kicked in as Tim and I fitted the soft top. I gave the boys simpler jobs and it was a chance to remind them (and us) that there is the Right Way, the Wrong Way and the Army Way to solve problems.

[Samuel Mcgregor]

Nice 74 pat Terry enjoy .

[Samuel Mcgregor]

Heads up anyone needing a replacement battery floor get your orders in to Willy's Acres before its to late for this shipment.

[maple_leaf_eh]

I propped up the M151A2 and wriggled underneath.

Some of the grease nipples were easy to grease, but others were not. Either the grease gun tip was too big to fit between the nipple and the web of the universal joint, or the grease just squirted out the side.

Questions - are there different types of automotive grease gun tip? And, over time do grease nipples fail? And, is there an easy way to access the transfer case and transmission fluid check holes?

[Scott Bentley]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

I propped up the M151A2 and wriggled underneath.

Some of the grease nipples were easy to grease, but others were not. Either the grease gun tip was too big to fit between the nipple and the web of the universal joint, or the grease just squirted out the side.

Questions - are there different types of automotive grease gun tip? And, over time do grease nipples fail? And, is there an easy way to access the transfer case and transmission fluid check holes?

Terry, you'll need a Needle Adaptor for your grease gun in order to get the Driveshaft grease fittings. Canadian Tire has them. They just plug onto the end of your existing grease gun. Just press the tip of it on the little ball bearing in the end of the grease fitting and take your time.

Trans and Transfer both share the same Fill/Check plug. No real easy way to get to it except for laying underneath or popping off the Tunnel Cover. It should be the only Hex Head Plug on the side of the case semi-recessed. The plug that requires an Allen Key is NOT the check/fill plug

[rob love]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lincoln-Indu...item416eef223d

Not only will this adapter reach those hard to reach places, but it will also let you put more pressure onto the end of a grease fitting where the normal end of the grease gun just ends up leaking around the fitting.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Over the last three weeks I built an extension to the snow shelter to make room for the M151A2. I made two more lumber arches, slid a flimsy poly' tarp in between the room layers and laced in another modular tent centre section. Braced and levelled, it looked pretty good. If you have been keeping count, that is four 8' sections. The house lot is too narrow for a permanent garage with bylaw specific edge set-back and electrical right of way clearance, so I forced to use temporary shelters.

The neighbours generously helped hold the door high enough to clear the square cornered windshield, and I drove the M151A2 in. I'd lashed a tire to the bumper to push the M38A1 CDN2 further back. We stopped in line with the rear door, with about a foot between bumpers. The M38A1 is now up off the floor on jackstands. The M151A2 will get lifted when I put it to bed for the winter.

Knowing that moisture will migrate up from the gravel, I repurpose Corplast election signs and ripped poly tarps as flooring. The new and used Jeep parts were restacked along the outside wall in various sized plastic containers and sitting on plastic shipping pallets. There is a freight yard nearby and I can prowl for broken ones.

The batteries need to come out. The gas tank will probably come out to be inspected, descaled and the interior coated with anti-rust compound. I have a pair of 1950's metal jerry cans to be coated. I rediscovered my 'other' M38A1 gas tank and think I'll get it coated so that when I manage to get the old one out of its fibreglass "patch job", it will be good to go. The guys at the Cold War Collection recommend a particular radiator shop in town; I'll see if I can negotiate some kind of a two and two package deal.

[maple_leaf_eh]

After the excitement of the first season in 2013, I settled into a happy routine with the Jeep of getting it on the road in springtime, driving in Gunner Mike's Dominion Day parades where I was sometimes the roadmaster, and other trips and displays until the fall when she'd go back into the shelter. Even my RSM incorporated the Jeep in a unit Change of Command parade, where I emerged from concealment in a woodline to take the out-going CO and family off the parade square!

In November 2018 I was enroute to a veteran's parade and the Jeep developed a tremendous clatter and knock. After some non-mechanical intervention, including oil sludge treatment and thinner replacement oil, the noise went away. It came back in 2019 when I was doing some driver training teaching standard. Thinking through the problem and consulting The Brain Trust, I resigned myself that the engine had to come out for inspection and repairs.

Then other things seized my focus:

• the hospitalization and death of my father;
• his estate administration (Canadians will recognize that Quebec cannot do anything like the rest of the country, so I have become good professional friends with the town notary);
• I had to find a way to extend my military service for bitterly selfish (ie pension income) reasons;
• I changed offices;
• the pandemic struck;
• those who could were sent home to work;
• I needed minor surgery;
• the pandemic was still with us;
• I needed a 6-month administration extension;
• the household was keen to get our shots; and,
• my father's house is 298kms distant and I'm still the Executor.

Since then the borders have been reopened, Her Majesty and I have said our last goodbyes, the pension cheques are on direct deposit, and I emptied his 1200-sq ft bungalow. Five days after listing I accepted an offer to purchase. The real estate agent and I are pressing ahead with the paperwork to keep momentum on the sale.

So, now back to priorities - 48-hrs ago the Jeep was flatbedded to the country workshop of my friend Dave. He'd previously agreed to take on the mechanical diagnosis and fix, and to remove all the rot and patch panels. It is exciting to see progress, even if that consists of parts coming off the Jeep. More to follow!

[maple_leaf_eh]

The 74 Pattern has been with Dave for two weeks now. He's removed just about all the mechanicals, and we're now giving the sheet metal work the 12" inspection. As expected it has rotten panels covered with patch panels, self-tapping screws, and Walmart's best olive green Krylon paint. I have about 10-lbs of aluminum diamond plate which will go to the recyclers. I'm responsible for some of those repairs when the road safety inspection was pressing. And, I always knew the underlying damage had to be addressed.

Dave and his helper swore new words after unbolting, more accurately breaking all the bolts, that hold the roll cage on. By a quirk of geometry, the light switch had to be removed for clearance on one leg. But the rot and rust under all six the mounting plates shouted its ugliness when exposed to bright sunlight, and now it cannot be ignored.

Dave has previous experience with fabricating another M151A2, so as pieces came off and components were moved, he's remembering all the labour he put into the other one. Fortunately, despite its problems, mine is in much better condition that what he started on. We've already decided which panels to buy new reproduction, which get rebuilt with new flat stock, and which get repaired.

[maple_leaf_eh]

The project proceeds at Dave's garage. The body has been stripped, braced, and flipped. The 18-ga steel arrived. Saturday's progress was repairs along the frame rail and a new box for the hi/low switch.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Winter has arrived in Eastern Ontario. The ABS on the car chattered a few times at intersections.

Today I drove to deliver parts from three helpers and got to put my hands on the Jeep today. A NOS grill and many many gaskets and internal engine seals etc from Brian Asbury. Some rubber boots and cups from Fil Boneca. And, some 12v battery terminal protectors from Jacques here on MLU. It is good to have friends.

The two rear fender tops have yet to arrive from Guy at Cameron Fabricating.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Tonight was another 1-hr long road trip to visit Dave and the Jeep. The body work is well in hand. Lots still to do, but the serious fabrication and welding is all done. The spare engine turned out to offer zero usuable parts for the installed engine. Grumble grumble. Its condition should have been a lesson and a warning. The block and head are probably good; just nothing attached to them.

When the installed engine that 'only had a knock', was opened up, all four pistons and rings were trash. One had deep erosion on rim where the top ring had failed. Part of the ring were smashing pits in the piston face. Good thing that is a non-interference fit head and valves.

It looks like there was a cascade of failures, starting with one or more vacuum lines failing. That led to the carb running rich. The extra fuel washed down the middle 2 pistons and cylinders. Those two were the worst. The skirt on No 2 piston cracked and was getting ready to depart the wrist pin. The pins on Nos 1 and 4 showed shellac and bright spots where there were failing from lack of lubrication. No 3 was doing OK, but the rich mixture had managed to erode part of the seat for the top ring, and it gouged itself a subtle notch for the end of the ring whenever it stroked. All four pistons and rods are only good for souvenirs. I am telling myself it was a good thing I stopped driving it before something really exciting happened, and marveling how robust that little 141.5 cube engine is.

In previous conversations, Dave gave me the thoroughly sad news. I goofed off a work day to research parts. So far, only one seller seems to have everything needed. More to follow on how that works out, but it was not a reseller that would have been most people's first guess. (I'll give Brian Asbury first refusal before I order from the US.)

I should also admit, hopefully I reassured Dave that yes we'd agreed on a price before he got started. But reality has made that an unworkable number. So he doesn't lose $$$$, I told him I would adjust on our agreement. In the words of Clive Law, I don't know mechanicals but I know how to write a cheque.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Today I dropped the stripped block and head still with the valves at subj machine shop. The floor was covered in engine blocks and parts. I've asked for a simple cleaning, inspection, hone out the worst cylinder, and deck the mating surfaces. Dave is content to put parts back together, and from the looks of the work list at the shop, that is probably going to be faster.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Yesterday I did an out and back trip to meet Bob Philips for a takeoff M151A2 powerpack from rad' to universal joint. We poked around his temporary/medium-range/long-timeline storage facility and I come away with a door frame, a second radiator, a differential and axles, two hub and brake drum assemblies which had the demilitarized suspension arms still attached, and a loose SMP oil bath air cleaner. All useful parts!

This haul moves my rebuild ahead leaps and bounds! I'll recover all the work in progress parts from West Carleton Automotive and settle my bill with them. The challenge of sourcing .020" oversize internals has been frustrating despite asking several shops. With the powerpack going into the vehicle in good weather, I can keep asking around on getting the last bits to have a spare powerpack set aside. Less calendar pressure this way. The exercise equipment warehouse store near the house often has plywood shipping crates in their come take me away pile. That might just work for long term storage.

Bob still has some interesting bits available. I recognized (or remember) more powerpacks, more hubs and differentials, more air cleaners, a front grill, a 10-ton heavy two-axle dual wheel US truck, a US engineering bridging truck bed, and a Canadian experimental Wapiti oversnow vehicle.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Today was the day after Canada Day, and Dave gets to work on my Jeep on weekends. A good reason for me travelling was to bring back a lot of extra M151A2 parts Dave won't be installing. It clears his work area, and he's made enough progress that things are just getting in the way.

Today's work was to rerig the battery lines, the battery cutoff switch, and think about better tie-downs than two rubber bungee straps. While I bagged take-off parts, Dave reinstalled the rear differential. It has four U-joint mounts and three mounts. So theoretically, up / down / north / east / south / west possible installations. Knowing the vent would always be on top was important to picking which mounts to bolt up. Drained and replaced all the fluids with some of the new bottles I brought last trip. We got to use the specialty M151 drain plug socket and short flat open-wrench. By the time we were through, the drain pan was a lovely combination of colours.

Watching Dave's shortcuts and explanations will make my user-maintenance better and help keep the jeep living longer. My shopping list is shorter after this trip, but going to be just as much fun!

And the very best part - with the batteries hooked up, the ammeter flickers. There is good spark. With carb cleaner in the air intake and me pressing the starter button, the engine turns over and coughs! It will live again. We did a manly fist bump of happiness.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Hard to believe I started this journal eleven years ago. The vehicle was taken off the road just before the shutdowns, and entrusted to a truck fabricator friend. He is a member of a closeknit crew of volunteer drivers and demonstrators for a vehicle collection in Ottawa. My smartest two decisions on this project were, a) realizing I didn't have the skills or set up to do the Jeep justice, and b) trusting a kindred spirit to do the job properly. And yes, I am paying the man for his time and talents. The back half of the M151A2 had a serious attack of the tin termite compared to the front half. But the loud knock was the decision point.

In no particular order the following repairs and replacements have been completed:

-furnace filter grill guard per CFTO
-replacement hood - dented
-replacement grill - holed in many places from a previous owner's bumper mounted winch
-plug welded dozens of holes on all four fender lips from a previous owner's rubber mud guards
-replacement motor - the installed one ate a few piston rings; the supposed spare was worse
-most of the working parts of the old engine swapped over because we know they all worked
-repaired the radiator after I broke off the overflow tube
-replaced the freeze plugs with Amazon's finest
-wired the slave cable plug
-cleaned all the paint off the windshield rubber
-filled several specious holes in the dash
-repaired the battery box floor
-new build battery hold down - significantly safer and smarter than 2 bungee cords and some J-hooks
-sealed the gas tank and banged the flange flat-ish
-replaced several parts of both front floors
-replaced left and right body sides - poorly rewelded when reassembled
-replaced left and right rear wheel well tops and the 45-deg brace
-replaced all cross members and hidden supports across the back wall
AND
-installed NOS underbody reinforcement hat channel kit

-the engine starts and runs with fuel out of the tank.
-pressure is 31 - 32 PSI at idle.
-voltmeter is charging and shows in the green.
-the roll cage is sitting in the right place, just needs the application of some English to sink into the six sockets. Exterior bolt holes line up.
-probably 18 or 20 spray cans of Krylon camouflage olive green so far - word to the wise. US and Canadian Krylon formulations are not a match. The primer is a high specification two-part paint/surface sealer that came (legally) out of the fabrication shop's paint locker. Leftover from a client's contract and not ordered destroyed.
-rubberized undercoating on underside.

The reassembly continues, and yes I am anxious to drive!

[maple_leaf_eh]

Today with 99% of the parts reinstalled, we turned it over and I backed the Jeep out of the garage under its own power! Dave took it for a test run up and down his country road. A few issues, but no show stoppers. Yay!

[maple_leaf_eh]

I'm getting excited! Was at Dave's on Sunday, and we did several small tasks. I found the never-installed front licence plate. Dave identified why no one had mounted it before. There is a broken bolt in one hole on the bumper. Then he very diligently measured, cut, radiused and tapped a new holder from a piece of 1" bar stock. I cleaned the vinyl top and matched seat cushions to frames. No point in giving a labour job to a skilled worker. Robert did green touch up paint on the exposed hardware all over. The two of them read and troubleshot the pin connectors for the trailer wiring. Gotta love the USGI electrical connection commonality standards. With the tarp on and the doors hung, it was easy to see where the remaining footman loops had to be placed. But, the fire extinguisher mounted on the tranmission hump fouls the passenger seat.

Showing far greater experience with handheld stamps than I would ever muster, Dave stamped:
manufactured by AM GENERAL
US contract DAAE-07-71-C-0103
Canadian contract CD 3613100
VIN AB456590 / 45111 for the serial number of my representation CFR
delivered 01/1974
Inspector Dave and Robert's initials.
He's obviously stamped many plates before, because he masked off the lettering to expose only the spaces, and taped the plate to a 1" steel plate. No warping! Just before supper tonight he sent me a picture of the plates reinstalled with 1/8th poprivets.

The registration was renewed (free vehicle registrations in Ontario, although I did have to buy the Veteran vanity plate originally), but Hagerty took $432 for insurance.

All I need is to road test, take delivery, pay Dave, and road test it daily before the 1 July Canada Day parade!

[maple_leaf_eh]

Friday night a flatbed tow truck drove out from Ottawa to Dave's place and we loaded the Jeep for its return to my driveway. Not quite 4 years since I had it home. The driver paid me a compliment (I think), I led in my car and chose a route parallel to the obvious road which avoided lots of potholes, construction and traffic. When we go to destination, the driver said, 'You push good gas'. Which I accepted as a compliment from a guy who is on the road every day.

Two faults were found in the test drive. First, Dave took the thermostat out and it boiled over. I'll put it back in tomorrow.

Secondly, the generator is not charging the batteries. This is the same component swapped onto the Bob Phillips engine. I have always had charging issues with this vehicle. One phone conversation suggested there may be a faulty noise filter coming off the main supply. There are no obvious boxes inside the engine compartment before going through the firewall. Would there be a noise filter on this vehicle? and would it be behind the dash?

Bob's ex Fort Drum 141.5 Cubic Inch engine ran beautifully too. Thanks Bob. But, the vehicle is not ready for Mike's Canada Day parade (unhappy face). I posted on FB that I'd still drive out to meet the paraders before they departed. Just to see old friends.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Up early and on the road to help dispatch Mike Calnan's standing Canada Day parade convoy. My role for the last several years has been roadmaster at the driver's briefing. This year I only gave the brief, helped herd the cats, and waved good bye. Home to work on the faults found during the test drives.

The thermostat had not been installed. It went back in. As a word of caution - get the ears on the gasket aligned with the bolts; then make sure you actually have the thermostat in the housing before reinstalling all the hardware; and finally, inspect with a mirror before claiming the job is done. Three very good learning experiences all on the same part.

The oil was a nice dark brown when drained. No apparent chunks or smells, just discoloured. A new Fram PH8A filter and most of a $40 jug of Shell Rotella 15w-40 poured in.

I disconnected the batteries and charged them over night and into the morning. When reconnected, the ammeter showed on the yellow/green line. Temperature was about 180-190 deg F. And, the oil pressure read 32 psi. No leaks and no leftover parts. I'd call today's driveway work a success.