Angry_Truck rebuild update

So I started working on putting together the wiring harness. I sprung for a new front half from Vintage Wiring of Maine. It is very nice and I will post some more about it soon. However, I ran into a question regarding the generator wiring. The kit comes with a new field wire. It has an eyelet-style terminal on one end.
https://i.imgur.com/zjiFJ1Ul.jpg?1

When I pulled off my generator cover, I discovered I can't access the other end of the field generator wire. It disappears through a hole in a plate. I tried to lift the plate up but it resists, and I am worried about breaking it.
Anybody know if this plate can be pulled up?
https://i.imgur.com/f6G7hZCl.jpg

It doesn't really matter though, because I wouldn't be able to fit the eyelet through the hole in the plate anyway. Maybe this Vintage kit is for another style generator? I have the Leece-Neville. I know Jeep applied another type to 715s.

There is another terminal on the plate. Anybody know what might connect here (red arrow in picture below)?
https://i.imgur.com/8CVtth8l.jpg

Other odds and ends:

1. The fuel hose that connects from the frame to the engine was questionable, so I pieced together these parts to make something that works. (Elsewhere in this thread I documented the difficulty in finding the correct fittings to make it exactly like the original). It bends more than I would like it to but I don't think it will kink. Something to keep an eye on.

Original on top:
https://i.imgur.com/asHddQml.jpg?1

Fittings:
https://i.imgur.com/EdE4SRHl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/iiPiXnQl.jpg?1

2. My steering joint boot was shot.
https://i.imgur.com/2iKinv6l.jpg

I bought this FSJ kit:
https://i.imgur.com/5LHdh5Ol.jpg?1
(The larger lock-ring came in the kit, the smaller one is my M715 original)

The boot in the kit is too long to fit the 715. It also has a rectangular hole for the shaft, while the 715 is round. Here it is side-by-side with my original:
https://i.imgur.com/okPz2Ekl.jpg

I cut off the top part of the boot and made the hole round as shown here:
https://i.imgur.com/aQbbmlWl.jpg

I used everything else in the kit with the modified boot and the original lock-ring and it fit right up:
https://i.imgur.com/nh00Notl.jpg

Great photos and info.:)

That is exactly how I did that short fuel hose. It has worked fine.

If I remember correctly, I spliced the new generator wire to the old.
I did this under the cover where the old rubber insulation was still in good shape.

Memphis Equipment has the correct steering boot, I replaced mine with one, you have to ask for it, they have many parts that are not listed. The alternator should only have 2 connections, a wire with a Packard connector which is fixed to the alternator and the large positive wire with a ring terminal coming in from the front wiring harness. There is also of course the separate ground wire. Why they have a ring terminal on that wire is a mystery. Not sure on that other terminal but it is not used.

Regarding the generator field wire, I contacted Vintage Wiring of Maine, and they made a short jumper harness that will connect the new main harness to the existing wire on the generator. They were really nice to work with.

Other stuff:
After putting my steering column together, I realized that I was probably missing some type of plate at the firewall (see the red dotted line in the pic below)
https://i.imgur.com/a1a7Umxl.jpg

I don't know where it went but it is either in a mystery box of parts or it is long gone. Jeepdan confirmed that I was indeed missing something (Thanks Jeepdan!) and the manuals don't show it, so I had to fab something up. Based on the witness marks on the original foam gasket, and the shapes of the existing parts, I came up with something like this:

https://i.imgur.com/kLkFIq9l.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/SGeKzQal.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/m8q2ymPl.jpg

I also found some foam rubber on the internet and re-made the seal at the base of the steering column:
https://i.imgur.com/duxjvI1l.jpg?1

The same stupid kid (me) that lost that plate at the steering column also tossed the clip that holds the throttle cable at the firewall. So I had to make a new one of those too. I used the clip at the carburetor as a pattern. (I made it out of a stainless steel ruler that was conveniently at hand;)
https://i.imgur.com/00EnUEll.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ScFW9ucl.jpg?1

More random stuff. Working on controls, gauges, etc...
Found a brake pedal return spring that drops right in and seems to work ok:
https://i.imgur.com/1WoH5SAl.jpg?1
The package says it is for a 41-71 Willys.

My choke cable somehow managed to survive about 20 years of loss and abuse during storage, then I promptly broke it during install. The metal coil broke just past the rigid part at the dash. I fixed that but to help keep it from breaking there again, I used some 5/16 nylon fuel line to sheath it. I swaged the tubing by heating it and expanding it with a screwdriver at the end near the rigid part at the dash, then slide that over the rigid part. That helps support it where it changes from rigid to metal coil. It also helps protect the wire from getting junk and corrosion in it.
https://i.imgur.com/S2ma51ql.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/gX2XiQCl.jpg?1

Some cleanup of the gauges:
Before:
https://i.imgur.com/1XN85aQl.jpg

During:
After stripping off the white paint
(note that only "fuel" and "high beam" had any lettering)
https://i.imgur.com/OskyRo2l.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/SuomIuIl.jpg

After:
https://i.imgur.com/UITAqRVl.jpg
Not too happy how the glass on the gauges is fogged over but I am not too sure what to do about that.

More controls stuff:
Light switch:
(sandblasted about 10 years ago, stored and then repainted)
https://i.imgur.com/2H4RNhvl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0ZvU5Dpl.jpg

Also messed around with the horn. None of the original parts were there, and the manuals were lousy as always, so I fumbled my way. I wasn't sure how it was supposed to be mounted but I turned 3 nylon spacers to keep the horn switch and horn collar (?) aligned. It took several tries but the needed to be about 10mm long to keep everything aligned and tighten the screws.

Turing the spacers (these ended up too short):
https://i.imgur.com/pYnPSiNl.jpg?2

You can barely see one of the nylon spacers installed here:
https://i.imgur.com/rVGv6lIl.jpg

NOS switch from Memphis:
https://i.imgur.com/SoSOXUGl.jpg

Always neat to see something that hasn't been touched since 1973:
https://i.imgur.com/IEugL86l.jpg

Had to make a simple pigtail wire to connect the switch to the column wiring:
https://i.imgur.com/WtsXggKl.jpg

The more I work on this thing, the more I realize how many parts have wandered away from it over the 50 some years of its life. A bolt here, a part there, rust away to dust... In this case - the exhaust.

I found a tailpipe (in Greece) and made the hanger cables and brackets from stainless. I have dreams of making the entire exhaust from stainless but that is a bridge down the road.

An example of an original hanger cable:
https://i.imgur.com/7xcji1vl.jpg

I made my version of it using stainless steel cable. After some trial and error, I made a jig to get them the right length.
https://i.imgur.com/bQ2qDeRl.jpg

Based on the exhaust pipes and some pictures from the internet, I did my best to replicate the moon-shaped brackets from a piece of 12ga stainless.
https://i.imgur.com/B76HHM3l.jpg?1

2 of each:
https://i.imgur.com/i3XU6W5l.jpg?1

Also had to make the bracket at the back of the tailpipe. More smash and bend out of 12ga stainless:
https://i.imgur.com/Khm57yKl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HZGBOvbl.jpg

Tailpipe. Somehow it shipped all the way from Greece like this and wasn't bent, dented or wadded up.
https://i.imgur.com/3xHiJhIl.jpg?1

Looking great. I love seeing your craftmanship.:)

As for the fogged up gauge lenses, I wonder if paint solvent affected the plastic.

Mine were slightly cloudy from age. I had good success using one of those plastic headlight restoration kits to polish the lenses.

Thanks Jeepdan! The headlight polish is a good idea. Another thing in the shopping cart!

Can anyone tell me what the text on the underside of the hood is supposed to say? Something along the lines of "Secure hood in open position with safety hook before ________" Maybe the blank is "servicing engine"? The pic below is of my hood before sand blasting it all away. I would like to know what it says so I can re-write it. Thanks!
https://i.imgur.com/MkIFOwWl.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Angry_Truck

Can anyone tell me what the text on the underside of the hood is supposed to say? Something along the lines of "Secure hood in open position with safety hook before ________" Maybe the blank is "servicing engine"? The pic below is of my hood before sand blasting it all away. I would like to know what it says so I can re-write it. Thanks!
https://i.imgur.com/MkIFOwWl.jpg

---

Yes, BEFORE SERVICING ENGINE. This was a very common motorpool added marking as the other vehicles in service at the time did not have hood springs like the M715. Vehicles like the M37, M35, and M38a1 Jeeps all had a hook on them to hold open the hood so the wind could not blow it shut on the soldier doing maintenance. This was unnecessary with the M715 since it had standard civilian style hood springs, but was commonly placed under the hood of them because when the Motorpool Sargeant told some lowly private to paint it under all the hoods in the motorpool, they just did what they were told. weather the vehicle needed it or not.

mine shows:

WARNING
DISCONNECT BAT.
BEFORE SERVICING
GENERATOR OR
REGULATOR
DISC. NEG. LEAD
FIRST

Thanks for your feedback guys.

Beast -
I sent an email to your DeltaTeamDecals email.

Mine didn't have that, but it had this.



https://i.imgur.com/W8iNKlPh.jpg

Winter is creeping in, slowing progress but here is an update on some of the stuff I have been working on:

When I bought the truck, the windshield looked like this:
https://i.imgur.com/9mhBX6ll.jpg
Not sure if that was caused by someone's head or fist but after working on this truck for a while, either seems likely.

It only took me about 20 years but I finally got it fixed:
https://i.imgur.com/TWdmbCXl.jpg

I bought the replacement cowl gasket from Memphis Equip.

While I was at it, I replaced the footman loop padding with a kit from Ebay:
https://i.imgur.com/hgFAuzKl.jpg?1

I dug out the vacuum wipers from their dusty old box and cleaned them up. I found that one of them was missing the knob on the end of the manual lever, so I turned a new one:
https://i.imgur.com/T3h4Ojll.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/KeZFfdFl.jpg

I bought a new horn and made a bracket for it only to find out that it interferes with the desert-style air cleaner kit. The kit is supposed to have a new bracket that mounts the horn up near the radiator but I haven't dug into that yet:
https://i.imgur.com/EX7F9KIl.jpg

More in another post.

I also turned my attention to the fixed and sliding windows. Like most, my slides were in bad shape. The flocking (fuzz) on all of them was stiff and peeling. Without any replacements available for purchase (as far as I know), I tried to duplicate them with some velcro (soft side).

The original tracks inside the door at the back side of the sliding window were cracked, peeling and hardened:
https://i.imgur.com/0HHBjDIl.jpg

After cleaning all the old flocking off, I cut velcro strips to size and glued them with 3M weatherstripping adhesive:
https://i.imgur.com/2WcgrWJl.jpg

I did the same method for the inner sliding window seal along the top of the door:
Original:
https://i.imgur.com/gLNMZ1ql.jpg

Replacement:
https://i.imgur.com/RFa3hJDl.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/4RvEOonl.jpg

All together, they look pretty good. Not sure yet about durability but I will give them a try. I now have windows that slide and seem to have a decent seal (well at least as good as the original).
https://i.imgur.com/Fi7nHCkl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TTn0ow8l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mhU1kbdl.jpg

Goofing around with some underhood stuff and finally getting around to installing the desert style hang-down aircleaner. I bought a complete NOS kit years ago, but as I went to install it, I realized it doesn't come with the "rain shield". According to the install instructions, you are supposed to remove that from the original air cleaner. My original was probably tossed into the dumpster 25 years ago by the Elkhart Indiana Department of Civil Defense.

Soooo, I am trying to see if anyone has a spare "rain shield" they could part with?

https://i.imgur.com/MrtHH6Jl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MKLJ3Vzl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jUoMVTal.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/YUhMxn8l.jpg

The cap is the same as the M38a1 so that helps in searching for them. Midwest Military has them in-stock for $40 https://shop.midwestmilitary.com/pro...er-precleaner/

Thanks Beast!

I may have that horn bracket if you still need it.

m38inmaine - Thanks for your offer. However, I did finally dig all the way through my NOS air cleaner kit and found the bracket. I appreciate your support though.

I am finally getting to the point where all the parts that were stored in the bed of the truck are finding their rightful home on the truck (and some other small projects too).

My garage door here in the 'burbs isn't tall enough to fit the truck through with the cab top in place. I need to reduce the height by just a few inches. Thoughts of a CTIS came and went :rolleyes:, and I decided instead to make the cab top bows fold, which will hopefully allow me to keep the cab top basically in place.
I hacked the bows and frame tubes, reinforced the tubes with some sleeves, added tabs for hinges, then added a sliding pin. The pin slides up to allow the tubes to fold, then slides back down to lock them in place. I haven't had a chance to try it out with a top yet, since I am too lazy to dig out my old, crusty top from its hiding spot.

https://i.imgur.com/9m3ZHoSl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Gq1QIBdl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/L103CJyl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KxpCuuXl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gaHfkcvl.jpg

Other stuff:

Fire extinguisher mount to the battery box:

https://i.imgur.com/5o4x3XLl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rZOzZ1Ml.jpg

Door panels:
https://i.imgur.com/oddVi2ul.jpg

Some of the original clips were shot, I managed to find replacements:
https://i.imgur.com/WPLDZQWl.jpg?1
I had to paint them OD.

https://www.cjponyparts.com/door-pan...1956/p/HW3724/

Carb rebuilt with ethanol resistance parts from Daytona Parts:
https://i.imgur.com/kvToCVsl.jpg?1

https://www.daytonaparts.com/

Trying to catch up with the build thread-
This was the winch rebuild. Had some signs going in that there was trouble:
-Sheared shear pin (steel pin, not proper brass):
https://i.imgur.com/kwSVFHel.jpg

-Upper and lower spreader bars bent. Someone had threaded the cable through the winch at some point:
https://i.imgur.com/HUtj6Fhl.jpg

-Safety brake area soaked in grease. Seals shot:
https://i.imgur.com/DS90aaSl.jpg

-Dog clutch face peaned over. I can only hope that someone needed to clean out their shorts after they did this.
https://i.imgur.com/Qs9OTtDl.jpg

-The mating side of the dog clutch on the drum:
https://i.imgur.com/88QFDSLl.jpg

I cleaned everything up, had to buy a new drum, clutch, brake, and seals from VPW.
The old drum was really difficult to remove from the shaft. Since I knew the clutch portion was shot, I pounded on it with a hammer so hard it bend the sides of the drum.

https://i.imgur.com/DZBUU68l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/yZ8zePwl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Vdwzds4l.jpg

I though for sure I had some pics of the final assembled winch. I haven't tried it out yet but is sure looks cool on the front of the truck.

There wasn't much of an exhaust on the truck when I got it ~20 years ago. Over the years, I scrounged together all the original pieces. Some parts from AB Linn, Muffler from Mephis, Un-cracketed Exhaust Mani from somewhere, exhaust pipe from Greece. My dreams of remaking all of this in stainless got sidelined by my desire to get this thing running by the end of the summer.

The original pieces:
https://i.imgur.com/0dJJCaul.jpg

I had all the pieces (3 pipes, muffler and exhaust mani) Cerikoted:
https://i.imgur.com/wrXIS7kl.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/gKIKpJel.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/4WNNpAil.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/GXEODusl.jpg?2

I had to make the orginal style cable hangers from stainless aircraft cable:
https://i.imgur.com/UXcWEUfl.jpg

Had to make the half-moon hanger brackets (from stainless) too, based on pics from the Zone and fitting to the actual parts:
https://i.imgur.com/fr3fnxxl.jpg?1

There are few options for tires. I wanted to keep a roughly military look but I wanted something with better wet/snow grip than NDTs. I ended up going with STA Superlugs.
The original Goodyear NDTs. I have no idea how old they were but the spare still had the whiskers on it.
https://i.imgur.com/Id5Ss0Kl.jpg

I mangged to shove all 5 tires into a mid-size SUV to lug them to the tire shop. It is a bit of tire Tetris but they fit.
https://i.imgur.com/GRSqoUnl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/egDhaXal.jpg

Superlugs mounted up, ready for paint:
https://i.imgur.com/df1MqSKl.jpg

Here they are on the truck:
https://i.imgur.com/lbdXMhhl.jpg

Looking great!! you have some really cool stuff going on here....sweet!!

That is pretty amazing work!

Looking great!

As part of trying to get the truck running, I struggled with getting it to idle. I had rebuilt the carb with a kit from Daytona Carb but was having trouble keeping it idleing without a certain amount of choke. I also had to pour gas down the carb to start it. Too little choke --> died. Too much choke --> died. (Turns out I had the choke adjusted wrong - which compounded the difficulty of troubleshooting). Off idle, it would start to run better. I also noticed that it did not seem to respond at all to the idle mixture screw setting. So I figured it was a problem with the idle circuit. Took the carb apart, cleaned it several times, making sure to clean the idle passages. Put it together again an installed on the truck again but had similar problems. I was worried I had some junk trapped in the idle portion of the main metering body and was about ready to bin this carb and go to a back-up. After looking at the manual one more time (I have to say so far the only part of the manual worth a darn is the carb portion), I started tracing flow through the idle circuit. I was able to blow carb cleaner through all the cast parts no problem but something was still stopping flow. What could stop flow between the castings? The gasket. Yup - the kit from Daytona Carb for the main metering body was wrong, and did not have the hole for the idle circuit. See the pics below. I ordered another carb rebuilt kit, this time from Mikes Carburetor, and it had the hole in the right spot. Installed the rebuilt carb and it runs great (once I adjusted the timing). With the vehicle able to run a stable idle, I was able to check the timing, which had all the classic problems - it was about 30degrees advanced, and the distributor was stuck. After some penetrating oil and some gentle tapping, I was able to get it correct. Whew!

This is the idle circuit in the main metering body. The red arrow is near the hole that allows fuel from the main casting into the metering body
https://i.imgur.com/Y1RVOQll.jpg

This is the good part from Mike's:
https://i.imgur.com/rKPUoYul.jpg

This is the bad part from Daytona:
https://i.imgur.com/XgAM50Bl.jpg

The metering body with good part:
https://i.imgur.com/3bCy7Dbl.jpg

The metering body with bad part:
https://i.imgur.com/Vv1jRKDl.jpg

Nice job catching that one...thanks for documenting it for us!!

I wanted some secure way of storing some basic stuff on the truck (tools, tow strap, jack, etc...), so I worked up this idea to make better use of the storage area under the bed.

It is made of some square tubing, which slides within a couple of C-channels made from angle iron. The tubing/C-channel assembly shares the bolts that go through box and into the chassis frame. A simple wood box is bolted to the square tubing. I then added on some sheet metal plates to the ends of the box to help protect them. It can be pulled out from either side of the truck. The whole thing ends up taking up a lot of space but that storage area was basically useless to me without it. So far, I have managed to cram a jack, jack-stand, breaker bar, 2 tow straps, a sheet and some wood blocks, with room remaining for a basic tool set. A small pad lock is used to keep simple thieves at bay. And if I don't want the storage box, it is easy to take out the 2 bolts holding it to the frame and return the truck back to stock form.

The basic rack materials layed out: The flat plates in-between the square tube are used to mount the rack to the chassis/frame bolts.
https://i.imgur.com/X3zKsLml.jpg

Here you can see the cross-section of how the square tube and angle iron "C-channel" fit together. The wood box bolts to small plates that span between the square tubing.
https://i.imgur.com/Rsl1hful.jpg

The wood box is made of some pine boards. The box can slide from side to side and is accessable from either side of the truck. You can also see the metal reinforcing "boxes" I added to the ends to keep someone from just smashing in the wood boards to get inside.
https://i.imgur.com/l6RAlIYl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8Uw71ULl.jpg

This view shows the small padlock, which will keep the box from sliding. If somebody really wants into the storage bin, I am sure they can do it but hopefully this discourages any random attempts.
https://i.imgur.com/tGBYLcRl.jpg

I like the outside/inside the box thinking on that!