G749 preservation

[m1010plowboy]

White Knight

We potentially solved a mystery. Potential.... until the guy shows up that actually stenciled the M211 with "Attach Stuck White Knight Here", while in service.

After chatting with a few gents that spent time in the Canadian Forces, we have been told that the white, base ambulances were referred to as "White Knights".



It is possible that the M211, which served in Penhold for most of its life, was used to get the White Knight out of the mud. It's also possible that someone in the motorpool had a sense of humor and added the stenciling to make a point.
It's just a piece of history I think I'd like to save or re-create. It's not something I'd expect to see from the military so that makes it even better.

 

[m1010plowboy]

G749 Preservation

It's a Big Birthday day around the G749 family with Dad celebrating the same day ol' Goose the M135 was delivered. March 16. It's been a while since he's hung out around the pond but he's real happy showing off the decorative piece of the truck he built. We officially dedicated the project to him a few years back. We know now that if anyone has a dedication project sitting on the bench.......don't wait, get er' done. See that smile?

We sit together and look at Steel Soldiers when we can and you boys can sure get this old farmer laughing at times. He's taken great care of anything his hands have touched and can't believe the places some guys will take their trucks...so thanks for the moments!

The pic over his shoulder is the spot he was born, in an old log cabin, coal oil lanterns ablaze, under the birthing guidance of neighbours. I wonder if our current generations really appreciate how good we've got it!






We've met some new friends, with some new pictures, and as time permits we'll continue to document the amazing stories of the G749 series of trucks.

 

[m1010plowboy]

M135 G749 duties

The M135 had more roles than a Canadian donut shop. Besides their common role as a cargo truck they were also being assigned to tasks that haven't happened yet.

This document outlines their use as a casualty transport unit.




Part of their job would have been a front-line clean up crew carrying a compressor and various other tools.




Here are a couple of pics of the stretcher stacking and lashing methods. All pics are compliments of the Canadian Civil Defence Museum Association in a joint project with the Wetaskiwin Archive.

 

[m1010plowboy]

New G749 Addict

The Preservation Continues.

Long story short,,,ha ha, I said long story short. Not likely.

My phone rings and a deep voice says he got my number from some of the locals. Turns out this deep voice is a nearby neighbour of 40 years. He didn't make the connection until visiting Tom at Alpha Heaven and investing into almost every part he needed to build his M135. Tom is still one of the greatest G749 mentors on the planet if you ask me.

I'm floored that there is another M135 in safe hands so offer up whatever I can. Today I got to see his 1955 M135 then took him out to the G749 farm. After trading some horns for a fuel tank we decided to see if Goose wanted to train a new driver. After repairing one wheel cylinder and the funky inner hub seal last year, Goose needed 1 ounce of brake fluid and a pint of anti-freeze.She turned over and fired up after a few revolutions and the new M135 owner got to test his skills on Goose.

He has some work to do but his M135 is getting some serious talent laid into her and now a supply of parts. Here are a few pics that I asked to share with the G749 family over at Steel Soldiers.

 

[m1010plowboy]

Deep within the jungles of sea containers in the hidden world of MV collectors, we're still finding parts.

The odd-ball items are a front bumper, pintle attachment and a rare winter front for the G749 trucks. The Preservation continues.

 

[Superdave]

Well Dave now that you have all of that money burning a hole in you pocket did you buy all of his reserve parts ??

 

[SturmTyger380]

Awh man! I'd like to find a canvas cab top.

 

[m1010plowboy]

Awh man! I'd like to find a canvas cab top.

I'll send you a PM with some info.....

......and to SuperDave, between you and the western warehouse, there isn't enough money around to pull everything off the shelf. There are two crated, rusty???transmissions there still from BA, 2 trucks, 3 M38XX jeeps, a shed full of M38 parts, tires, rims, a spare hood, more tarps. One thing that is priceless is spending time with that guy. He re-built air-paks, transmissions, has spare pumps, valves and other pieces we pulled off the shelf. He showed us one pin that gets hung up on the transmission valve that just needs to be cleaned up to get a failed transmission to work.

Must find more money!

 

[USMC 00-08]

He showed us one pin that gets hung up on the transmission valve that just needs to be cleaned up to get a failed transmission to work.

Can you give us any specifics on where this pin is located? Might solve the issue on one of mine. It shifted fine 30 years ago but sat for 21 years before being used again. Sat another 6 years after that and I hope to get some work done on her as soon as I get her to the house. That will make 3 starts in 30 years. The transmission only wants to work in 1st and reverse in low range. Put it in high range and it kills the engine.

 

[m1010plowboy]

Can you give us any specifics on where this pin is located? Might solve the issue on one of mine. It shifted fine 30 years ago but sat for 21 years before being used again. Sat another 6 years after that and I hope to get some work done on her as soon as I get her to the house. That will make 3 starts in 30 years. The transmission only wants to work in 1st and reverse in low range. Put it in high range and it kills the engine.

I will follow this up with pictures as soon as I get my books back.......

Meanwhile, A Landscaper an Excavator and his kid walk into a bar.



We kept walking into it so we decided to lean it up against the bumper so we wouldn't walk into it anymore.



We're re-purposing a few cabs so we started stripping Curly and Larry and by supper time we were almost ready to pull both cabs.



Found some cool stuff after finally getting a chance to get back at these old girls. Selling three cabs off of these parts trucks should provide some trucking money to dig some more out of the north. The G749 Preservation continues!

Anyone know what this panel might be from? No birds were harmed during this project but if I find the buggers that built inside my truck I'm gonna taste him!

 

[m1010plowboy]

Valve on valve

Can you give us any specifics on where this pin is located? Might solve the issue on one of mine. It shifted fine 30 years ago but sat for 21 years before being used again. Sat another 6 years after that and I hope to get some work done on her as soon as I get her to the house. That will make 3 starts in 30 years. The transmission only wants to work in 1st and reverse in low range. Put it in high range and it kills the engine.

I can tell you why your Prunus Virginiana Schubert has purple leaves but I can't tell you how this Transmission Control Valve works.

What I can tell you is 3 yt 8613834 and Z 7411503 work with each other. 3 is a valve and it gets hung up easily when Z tells it to release.

Where is Another Ahab when a guy needs a red circle drawn??

Maybe RustyStud can shed a little more light on its function. This TCV fits in your hand but look at all the moving parts in there. It's not a wonder why dirty oil and a lack of transmission maintenance plugs things up.





Today we pulled a couple of cabs so I've got a full trans/engine set-up with all the original pieces in place we can use for troubleshooting.

 

[USMC 00-08]

I guess the TCV is inside and not easily accessible?

Looks like you have been busy up there.

 

[m1010plowboy]

I guess the TCV is inside and not easily accessible?

Looks like you have been busy up there.

After talking to a guy that has rebuilt these, well you know mechanics.......they make everything sound easy. Its the box that sits at the back of the Reduction Unit Cone and I'll let you know how many band-aids it takes to remove one real soon.

Busy, not sure where to start. We'll give up the cool story first.

I hauled a 26yr Veteran up north with me today. I could write a book if I remembered half of what I learned.

This truck is a "Flying Kitchen" that started on fire while serving on a joint Canadian/ American mission to find Cosmos954. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_954

It was 'salvaged' in the 70's and has most of the parts still on the back. My friend knew the story the second he saw the truck.



These pieces look like they are part of the M221 tractor....research needed. The frame is stamped M135 so it was modified into a tractor at some point. We will be pulling these frames from the bush in a joint Canadian/ Ukrainian effort to save what we can.



There are bits and pieces of history everywhere on this farm that we thought would be garbage. As it is, the acidic peat, cool temperatures and moderate humidity actually preserved things pretty good. Not sure how much we'll get done this year but the owners are now working with me to get it all on pallets to inventory the stock.



There are still the NOS trailers to figure out. There are more M38 parts, M151 panels, aircraft spark-plugs, racks of seals, fuel pumps and tagged parts I've never seen before. We haven't even talked about the F104 nose cone, arresting hooks, the Queen Mary, M152, Dodge Power Wagon, M37's, 6 to 10 decent deuce boxes, M135 frames, cabs, bows, fenders, doors and more. The urgency to manage this stuff has increased so.....now I'm going to be busy.

 

[m1010plowboy]

MV Preservation

If you know the deuce you've seen the rot that occurs at the bottom of the fender where it meets the step.

Check out the 6 fenders that were pulled off the trucks and piled in the bush over 35 years ago. Almost perfect.



Even the rail that sits at the front of the box still had the old rope hanging on it.

It's not all good news, here is the wrecker that once sat in front of Union Motors. Lots of fine young folks came up here to train in Suffield under the BATUS program.




....more...

 

[Superdave]

You are quite the archeologist Dave

 

[Section8]

Never stops amazing me how you manage to find all this great history!!
The tractor conversion would be interesting to see.

 

[m1010plowboy]

Continuing the Preservation

I wonder if the kids in 50 years will appreciate how hard we worked to keep the history rolling?

This restoration is not mine. It is a true restoration with a ton of heart being poured into it. Its actually a Continental Preservation restoration with parts coming out of Memphis, Alpha Heaven and all across Canada. The owner has more stamina then an Alberta bull.



....and when the stamina runs out he has someone much stronger than he is do it the right way. It's good that the Alberta girls let the boys get involved in their projects.

 

[USMC 00-08]

What kind and color of paint are they using? Looks good.

 

[MWMULES]

Dave no mention of the FC Jeep in those pictures in #714 ? Down here those are a rare beast.

 

[Section8]

I have only ever seen one of those FC jeeps myself. It was for sale, 2500 I think. Probably still there to. They weren't very popular.