M43 Resurrection

[yamabro]

Nice really nice thats gonna look awesome.

 

[Oldfart]

Video of partial pre clean to engine exchange ~~click the link at the top

 

[natem]

Pressure washer acc. rain suit, face shield, gloves. From experience (trip to E.R.)

Otherwise that's the way to prep.


Nate

 

[Ghostdriver]

Started the motor swap today - got the old motor pulled and the new and old engines set up in the shop close to each other so we can transfer parts easily. Pulled the transmission along with the motor. Took the center floorboard up, and it made things so much easier to get to. Having the front clip off also made things easier - well worth the time it took to pull it. Dropping the drive shaft was a breeze from inside the cab. We drained a surprising amount of lacquered gas out of the tank - I'll definitely have to flush it.

 

[Ghostdriver]

In order to pull the center floorboard, you of course have to remove the gearshift. It kind of looked like it might just clamp on, but the bolt has to be totally removed because it slides into a little notch. Managed to mix my own OD green paint, made a small batch just to test the color. I painted a little section on the side, and it looked pretty good. But I still had about 3/4 of a cup of paint left (as in a kitchen measuring cup), so I proceeded to paint the back, and then partway up the driver's side before I used the sample up. I think it will look good, and the paint color actually matches some of the existing OD (there are multiple layers). We'll spray the truck when we actually paint it, but I couldn't believe how well the paint covered and how far it went. I'll be excited to get rid of the desert camo. And there is a slight chance that this truck might be ready (running) in time for the 4th of July parade.

 

[Danger Ranger]

Thanks for the update. I am glad to see some progress. By "new" engine do you mean another, or one totally done already? And may I ask what the BFG Krawler tires are for?

Lookin good!

 

[zout]

If you get a chance to update the progress Ghostdriver that would be great - seeing as OleFart is slacking in his survelience duties.

Watching the pressure washing makes me jealous as not being able to bring mine to the truck shop here - its a 3200 lb presure and temp is barking at 220 degree's. It will get debris off so nice you could lick the metal when you were done with it - it would be soo clean.

Nice to see other folks working theirs while I slack off on getting mine done.

 

[Oldfart]

Thanks for the update. I am glad to see some progress. By "new" engine do you mean another, or one totally done already? And may I ask what the BFG Krawler tires are for?

Lookin good!

I should let Ghostdriver answer those questions, but she is managing her business today so I will fill in with some stop gap answers.

She acquired her M43 some 12 years ago and within about 25 miles of rolling it off our flatbed trailer it spun a rod bearing. We had a spare M37 engine of unknown condition that she took to our motor shop and had rebuilt with a full balance job. Due to some personal constraints the vehicle has set in the weeds until recently when she decided to proceed with its restoration.

The tires are part of a Rock Crawler frame up build that a friend of Jollyroger is doing in our shop. You can see the pipe cage comeing together on the build table in the back ground. After these photos, (yesterday afternoon) the tires were mounted on some really nice new aluminum off road 20 inch rims.

 

[zout]

Thanks OleFart
Hopefully GhostDriver can pick up a sissy arse camera instead of playing with the really cool tools an feed us pic hungry onlookers.

I did notice your surroundings - my kind of playhouse.

 

[pwrwagonfire]

Looks good keep at it!

 

[jollyroger]

Thanks for the update. I am glad to see some progress. By "new" engine do you mean another, or one totally done already? And may I ask what the BFG Krawler tires are for?

Lookin good!

42" BFG Krawlers, Red label. Very hard to get that size tire in the "soft" competition compound........But we know a fella.

 

[Oldfart]

If you get a chance to update the progress Ghostdriver that would be great - seeing as OleFart is slacking in his survelience duties.

Watching the pressure washing makes me jealous as not being able to bring mine to the truck shop here - its a 3200 lb presure and temp is barking at 220 degree's. It will get debris off so nice you could lick the metal when you were done with it - it would be soo clean.

Nice to see other folks working theirs while I slack off on getting mine done.

I forgot the "sissy" camera (it is pink and belongs to my wife, but I am an old man secure in my position in life) the first two days Ghostdriver was back working on her M43. A lot of those two days was a bit redundant in that Ghostdriver spent lots more time pressure washing off the engine and exposed frame etc. again. When she got the generator off, the caked on dried grease and dirt was still huge. Anything shielded was still covered. Couple that with the Marine/Sea Bee undercoating habit of the time and there is/was a lot to remove. We moved our way up to a nice Aladdin "steam cleaner" a while back. It will reach 220 degrees with a pressure rating of 2600 psi. We managed to cut off a vent hose to the fuel tank with the pressure washer which I suppose was worthy of a picture, but no camera that day. Both the M43 and its engine got hauled back out of the shop after the engine was pulled for another round of pressure washing. It is almost as if the truck was driven through wet concrete at some point.

We have been impressed with the pace of your M43 restore and what you have done. Your project is really "lookin good."

 

[zout]

Yeah I was watching that wand kick back on her - could tell you massaged the pressure a tad wee bit. Sure makes a difference having the right tool for the right job at all times.

I use a soap called Wild Dog from out truck fleet soap supplier - he gave me a 5 gallon jug and will get onto that when the roof is done - before moving into the back.

I appreciate the kind words on the 43.

I was the first service manager to hire a lady technician at the Harley dealership when I was there and took a LOT of heat over it. With her scores higher than any guy that came out of the same school it was no brainer decision. The worse scenario was letting her do her job and the guys always throwing a monkey wrench into her being able to do her job effectively. They got the hint after I fired the senior tech for harrasement.

IF women can do the same job - let em do their job.

 

[Oldfart]

I just downloaded some photos of Ghostdriver's pull and rewash of her old engine. Photos of the transmission and clutch pull. Have not sent these to Ghostdriver yet, so her comments will have to come later.

 

[Oldfart]

more photos

 

[Ghostdriver]

Just an ordinary clutch pull. I was very happy to find that the clutch is good. In fact, I can probably go through three or four more engines before I'll need a new clutch.

Looking at these pictures, I am reminded of how close I came to selling this truck a few years ago due to my "personal constraints" (what a nice way of putting that Oldfart). I am so glad I didn't, because I have always loved it, and rebuilding it now helps me work through the angst of being on the back side of middle aged, carrying more weight than I need to, and trying to rebuild my life from scratch. Making progress on the truck rebuild is parallel to making progress on my life rebuild, and I have decided that she will get a new name to go with her new engine - "Faith." Sometimes I think "Patience" might be a better name, especially during the times when she does things like drop a motor mount bolt on my forehead. Only had a mark for a couple of days, though, and I only cussed a little and didn't throw anything.

Thought about pulling the carb last night to see how much rebuild it's going to need, but decided against it because the shop was just full o' guys working on rock crawlers. Got told that the next thing to swap is the distributor anyway, because the engine SHOULD have come back from the rebuild shop TDC. We'll see. Jollyroger recommended sticking a coat hanger down the first spark plug hole to see. Speaking of spark plugs, I pulled four out of the old motor so we could link a chain through the head bolts and ended up with three different kinds of plugs. Of course, I was going to replace them anyway, but I just thought it was funny.

Tomorrow is parade day, the M817 is full of diesel, and breakfast has been organized. @ Zout, if you want to see some pictures that I took with a sissy-arse camera, check out the Colorado MVCC website and look at the Memorial Day 2011 Parade. I took lots of those.

 

[zout]

Ghostdriver - great job - now I know yours has that BIG gapping hole where the engine is suppose to be also.

 

[Oldfart]

Today's (7/6/2011) photos

 

[Oldfart]

I forgot to mention that I found the solution to the question I posed about rear lift shackle brackets at the start of this thread. While rummaging in the back of Ghostdriver's M43 looking for gaskets that should have come with the engine gasket set, I found two brand new still in the box lift shackle brackets that I had snagged when she first got her rig. (It can't be that I am getting old and forgetful!)

 

[zout]

Man do I feel embarrased on my speed after watching these pics - what does it feel like to be able to touch and feel an engine

It may have nothing to do with old age and forgetfulness - I think GD is messing with you and just hiding stuff around the shop just to watch you look for them.

37 is looking GOOD