52 M38a1 Motor Pool Resto

So I was rifling around through some crates on the shelf and found an original master cylinder heat shield. It was designed to keep the brake fluid from boiling via the heat of the exhaust. In my years of being in the hobby, I've never seen one installed in a jeep so I completely forgot about owning this part. I must have blasted and painted some years ago. It must have been crusty but decided to hold onto it.

Bottom view. No doubt asbestos. But as viewed in the pic above, the far mounting tab is about an inch too short to hook beneath the master. Perhaps I parted this from a 3B some years ago. It's not 100% correct for M38A1, but easy enough to extend that tab with 16 gauge and some minor fab. I'll wait a bit until I'm set up for welding on some other projects. This would be a PIA to install once the body is on so I'll time accordingly.

 

I was feeling frisky so got the rear crossmember furniture installed.

Was certainly easier going in than taking out. The right side bumperette is very slightly out of round. I can live with that.
I'll very soon have a roller, not today though. I need to remember and torque the castle nuts on the end of the axles and secure with cotter pins once some weight is on the rear end. 200 ft pound if I remember correctly.

 

The last of my NOS shock bushings. I thought I had more.

Rear shocks installed. The fronts will have to wait. Anti-Seize on everything today.

 

That looks so good. That will be one reliable M38A1 when you're all done.

Dave

 

Wondering, where will you get a glass dome large enough to keep it under?

 

Motor pool restoration, but that looks brand new. Nice work.

Dave

 

Woops. That wasn't my intent but none the less, I'm having fun putting it together and that's what matters in the end. I'm going to pay similar detail to the underside of the body (shortly) to protect it. The visible parts of the body will be left alone until at least the spring. Blalp! and I were chatting about this strategy a few weeks ago. I still haven't decided what to do about the 72 year old patina. Once the body is on, I'll poll opinions. That would be fun.

 

Just my personal bias... You only get genuine patina one time. Anyone can do a re-spray. Each year fewer and fewer honest survivors exist as historic examples.

Even the "flower power" stickers on my 1956 CJ5 speak to its passage through The Sixties, so I keep them. (Plus I keep hoping they will attract Hippie Chicks. )

 

I get it Pete, I really do. But what do you do when a jeep like this is just beginning to deteriorate? I just can't let it happen. It needs to be at least stabilized in my opinion.

 

My habit is certainly to do all I can to preserve my vehicles, while drivable. I touch them up as possible, try to hold rust at bay, but also try to keep it invisible - in keeping with honest use, or at least reversible. Your Motor Pool Rebuild seems to fit under that umbrella? With your excellent mechanical rebuild, it could be a 'sleeper.'

My barn-find M38 has had one previous re-paint, now seriously flaking. My intention will be to wirebrush it and hand-sand it as necessary, then give it another layer of rattlecan OD. But not a 'frame-off' blasting, stripping, or anything like that. Okay to drive off-road, and easy to retouch.

Perhaps a little shaggy, but I think people will forgive that in a 70 year old combat vehicle. If someone wants to do a full restoration in the future, that will still be possible. Meanwhile I can enjoy it without worries.

 

My rational is that I have this for off road fun. Humans are great at rationalizations! This one too had a poor repaint and I've just dealt with bare or rusty metal as it pops up.

BUT, it is due for a clutch refresh and the tranny/transfer will hold oil for 2 weeks in the summer. The body will not be coming off.

 

A couple of quick updates. I discovered that the master heat shield attaches to both the master and the lower bolt of the steering box. I'm glad that I didn't modify that original part in my ignorance. Shame on you guys for not pointing this out. SHAME.

Steering box isn't going in until the body is back on, so it can just wait like this for now. My wife will help bleed the brakes tonight.

A couple more tools destined for the 'seldom used' specialty drawer in my cabinet. If I had more time, I would have made a welting tool but here I am with spring bearing down on me. I get busy with my work in March. I also bought this water pump pulley puller (WPPP).

I have a short stack of real deal original water pumps. They need some love.

I'm tired of buying cheap/imported water pumps that only last for a year or two, so I'll see about rebuilding these. I've been intending to do this and have the rebuild kits on the shelf for some years. Supposedly NOS but they're from DeBella (whom I trust). They look new to me.

 

That water pump pulley remover works well. I have one just like it that I have used in the past. Got 3 or 4 take out water pumps. Good to know rebuild kits are available. Still have a couple of NOS water pumps to keep my M38A1's running for years to come. Your progress looks really good.

Dave

 

Boiled linseed oil?

 

Penetrol, straight? Or Fluid Seal?

 

We have a roller with a good strong peddle and no leaks. I convinced my wife to help bleed and she obliged. She was brave (it's cold in the barn). It was done in 10 minutes.

I'm going to roll this thing out of here this weekend and tarp it. But I will first grease the chassis. It hasn't been lubed in decades and I know this will take some time to do it properly. Strategically applied heat (micro torch) on the zerks really works....Not MAP or propane torch.

I started the teardown on December 9th the day before a 2 week vacation. Still plenty to do but it feels like it's going fast. So it's on to the underside of the body and will look for a mild day to pull the powerplant from the 58. I'm hoping for some help with that.

Along with the tools in the mail today, I also got this stencil.

 

this works linseed oil and enamel reducer I did this to my bantam.

 

That is really looking good. Love those stencils.
One I found on an old hood I restored:


Stencils from Arctic Top doors:



Dave

 

"Autobahn 55mph".

55mph on an autobahn was a stationary obstacle to most drivers, in my experience.