Hazel's Barn-Find M-170

Just brought this home yesterday. It's been a farm Jeep for the last 40-50 years. Last registered in the early '80s. After getting released from service it went to an Avocado farm. Then, 30-years ago, the guy I got it from bought it to putt around the 10 acres he owns in the hills of Escondido, CA. He used it to clear brush, mow grass (before he bought a tractor) and go rabbit hunting (which explains the big spot on the front bumper).


The guy's nephew got a bit happy with the black spraypaint. After adding a racing stripe, he did part of the driver's side. I'll try to scrub it off when I get a chance.


The Hantavirus '71 CJ-6 I just bought is still on my trailer, so I brought my tow bar. Even though it was less than 15 miles from his house to mine, the 40-year-old Norseman tires really, really didn't like their first time hitting pavement in 30 years. It'd start doing really scary death wobble and I could see the whole front of the Jeep bouncing and coming off the ground. Good thing I have a good towbar, not some Chinese Harbor Freight pile of pot metal!


The original windshield frame has broken glass in it, but all the brackets and handles are there. I tossed the windshield from my '63 CJ-6 on 'till I can have some new glass (actually I'll probably do Polycarbonate) installed in the military windshield.


I loooove the reverse-steelies and Cutlass hubs. The tires, although neat, gotta go. They're way, way not safe for the street.


Shackle-reversal and factory swaybar up front.


Factory swaybar out back, too.


20-gallon capacity! I'll build some better protection for this. Probably something I can bolt on for the trail and take off when I'm using it around town.


Body has a couple cracks, but nothing major. Overall it's very solid. I wish it was never painted white, but if you've ever touched an OD green vehicle in 110-degree summer heat you know why.


The fording lever and radio switch is there. It's been converted to 12-volt and the military black-out lighting isn't there. I may find another military light switch and try to wire it up. As is, other than the bumper spot, none of the lights work.

Otherwise, I'm totally stoked. The drivetrain is all original and the little F-head starts right up and runs great. The previous owner welded in a "glasspack muffler" - which to me looks all the world like an old Ford catalytic converter. It'll stay. I have no reason to change it. I'll fix up the wiring so I have headlights and tail lights and the steering needs some attention. It's very sticky and (naturally) there's a ton of play in the linkages and sector shaft. I now have three long-wheelbase early CJ vehicles! I'm a pretty happy guy right now. Can't say my wife is equally amused though.

 

That is awesome! :drool:

 

Holy uber cool finds Batman! That thing looks to be very solid.. Great find..


Bubba

 

They are coming out of the woodwork right now to find you.

Sooo for the $1,000,001 question. Where are you fitting all these LWB JEEPS? I thought you were out of room at your place.

 

I am currently at capacity. The '71 is sitting on my trailer in my RV parking behind my boat. The M-170 is in front of the boat (thankfully it runs/drives/moves around), the '63 is in the garage next to the flattie, and the YJ, Cherokee Chief, Megacab, and wife's Durango are in the driveway. I sent the '07 JK company car away to my newest staffer, Verne Simons, in Arizona. Had to get the JK out of the way so my nanny could park somewhere on the days she's working.

 

Ship the flatty out to me, I will install the OD for you and send you pictures of the install. Then you have room for more vehicles

 

Very cool, I'd like to see that restored. I always thought the big door opening on the passenger side was for stretcher access when using them as an ambulance, but in looking at pics they stuck the spare tire there. Why make a big access door and then block it with the spare? http://www.surplustrucks.com/m170/Assets/PSRear.jpg

http://www.surplustrucks.com/m170/Assets/M170.jpg

http://www.militarytrader.com/wp-content/uploads/M170.jpg

Interesting site with a registry and more info on the various configurations of the M170: http://www.vintagemilitarytrucks.com/M170_Willys_Jeep_Ambulance_Page.htm

 

Dude, you are swimming in Jeeps! Funny how timing works out on stuff like that. Good for you. Looks like it's got most of the expensive little military goodies on it too.

 

Holy honking extra huge extra headlight, Batman! Gotta look like a freight train comin' at ya. Nice find for sure. Wish we had stuff in that kind of shape here on planet rustalot 6.

 

Awesome find! This one better not get modded and will be restored... right?

 

Way cool!! Wish I had CJ's just falling out of the trees around me.

 

Please dont mod the m170. It deserves to be restored. for more stuff of the m series jeeps go to www.willysmjeeps.com

 

Awesome find. Your m170 looks great. These vehicles are awesome and rare but its your vehicle and if you want to make changes "improvements" i support that all the way. I bought one of these 2 years ago with a bad motor and rusty body. I have since installed a v6, 11 inch brakes, power saginaw steering, and warn over drive. It took me a long time to make up my mind to do these mods but i want to drive this thing everywhere. Everything ive done can be undone some day, and ive kept all the original parts just in case i want to go back "all original" if i want to. Exterior will be all original. Can't wait to see what direction you take yours. Have fun

 

Right now I'm not sure what I want to do with it. I did order new replacement parts to rebuild the stock Ross cam & lever steering box, bellcrank, and tie rod ends. I need to wire it up so the head/tail/brake lights work. Also, I'm gonna put some seats in it for the wife and 3 kids, along with belts and a cage. Otherwise, I probably won't make many other changes...at least for now. That's what the '71 CJ-6 will be for.

 

Couple updates. I've been pecking away at this thing as time allows...which isn't often.


Last month I got the wiring sorted. Replaced the brake light switch and wired in an old CJ headlight switch I had in the shed. Also fixed the 12V conversion and hooked up the external regulator so the alternator finally charges the battery. The old guy I got it from just put a trickle charger on it every night. The tail lights weren't grounded and I had to redo most of the wiring to and from the ignition and headlights, but now it fires right up, charges, and all the lights work. No directionals...but I don't think it had 'em stock...so no worries.


I finally got tired of whacking my shin on the old Dick Cepek rear tube bumper, so I cut it off. I got new body mounts from Omix but there aren't enough to do the M-170, so I'll have to order up another set. Then I can put some new body mounts in and I'll install the new rear crossmember. Right now I just put a new pintle hitch on the back and called it done.


The engine was only slightly being held in place by the passenger-side motor mount. It took some doing (I think some stuff is bent in the chassis) but I got some new motor mounts installed.


Gotta love the farmer-torch-fabbed generator bracket/motor mount. I'll fix it at a later date...eh, probably not.

I'm currently in the middle of the steering. Some blogs up at jpmagazine.com with some photos.

http://blogs.jpmagazine.com/6781520/custom-jeep-projects/bellcrank-rebuild/

http://blogs.jpmagazine.com/6781697/custom-jeep-projects/making-progress-on-the-ambulance/

 

Couple teaster shots of the steering rebuild.


Bellcrank coming off.


Rebuild with new bearings, seals, stud.


Took the column/box out for a bench rebuild.


Steering wheel was stubborn.


There was plenty of water and lots of steel chunks in the box. It was pretty hammered.


My sector shaft (left) with worn pins. The new one is an old M38 unit I had. Pins on the M38A1-spec sector shaft are 2 inches on center while the M38 is 1.5 inches


All pulled apart and now I gotta start tracking down parts. Need a worm gear, sector shaft, bunch of seals and gaskets, and maybe a horn kit...but probably not since the horn is missing underhood.


Could be worse but with my wife and kids riding in it I'll find a better worm gear or I'll just convert to Saginaw. But I wanted to keep this as original as possible without going full resto-crazed on it.

 

the worm gear isnt removable from the shaft right?

 

Sure, they're removable. I've removed lots of 'em with a chop saw or a 4 1/2-inch angle gringer. Now, getting 'em back on is a different story...

 

A little crazy glue and they will be back to being good as new