Mighty Mite registry

[Jeepsinker]

Starting this simply for informational purposes, I am not looking for any particular mite. Since nobody really knows how many of these are still around it would be good to see what we have in the membership here collectively.
My new Mite:
1961, m422a1, Sn1580
complete with full fording kit
not currently running, but all in one piece and will run soon

 

[RodUSMC1962]

Ron Alred started a registry awhile back. You can reach him thru g503 website. Very, very nice man.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Well I read through all the threads here and didn't find one on SS, so I figured I'd start one here. If nobody participates, oh well.

 

[ODFever]

My wife has a 1960 M422, Serial Number 556.

 

[Austringer]

I have 4-61 #1255 (M422)

 

[Jeepsinker]

Well, looks like this was a flop of a thread. I thought it would be fun.

 

[ODFever]

There are very few Mighty Mites, and very few Mite owners. There were only 1100 M422's and 2700 M422A1's ever produced. They were designed to last 72 hours in combat, and be AIP (Abandoned In Place) when broken or destroyed. Please don't feel too bad.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

May 15th, 2015.

If there were 150 to 200 operating survivors in the US I would be amazed, as they were specifically engineered to be lifted by the pre Huey helicopters the Corps had then (the old Sikorsky's), so the critters were skeletonized and pared down to the maximum, and could be absolute h--l to work on (try tearing down and rebuilding a front hub unit after ten or 15 years of neglect in and out of the corps..... when everything's rust frozen).

 

[saddamsnightmare]

December 28th,2015.

Gents:


Note to the post above...I had to have new kingpins machined and designed new longer hub bolts to solve a very apparent weakness in the original front hub center bolt design, as they always failed by breaking through the cotter pin holes and having the hub nut back off....! There's nothing so interesting as to have one of your front wheels take off down the road in front of you, as the suspension arm hits the road (brick pavement no less, the noise was considerable at 10 PM)!

At least it could limp home on 3 wheels with counterweights applied behind the driver's seat in the bed......

 

[js0276]

My wife has a 1960 M422 SN: 120
just found a motor for it we are working on trying to un-stick the motor
any tricks?

 

[ODFever]

Js0276:

Call Daryl Bensinger and ask him for advice.

https://www.dlbensinger.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jrlatt]

My wife has a 1960 M422 SN: 120
just found a motor for it we are working on trying to un-stick the motor
any tricks?

I was wondering if you got it unstuck, and what method did you use. Thanks

 

[js0276]

I was wondering if you got it unstuck, and what method did you use. Thanks

Nope no luck yet!

 

[jrlatt]

I will be attempting to turn mine over next week. The first thing was to air hose around sparks. I looked in cylinders with endoscope. the ones that were down looked good. the ones that were up looked like a lot of carbon but could not inspect cylinder walls. Next I plan on vacuuming as much loos stuff from cylinders as possible with shop vac. Next poor in some Marvil mystery oil and let it soak down into the pan. I plan on doing this to the top half too. with the front clip off I should be able to gently start trying to turn the crank. Once it is loose change oil. That is my plan.

 

[jrlatt]

I will be attempting to turn mine over next week. The first thing was to air hose around sparks. I looked in cylinders with endoscope. the ones that were down looked good. the ones that were up looked like a lot of carbon but could not inspect cylinder walls. Next I plan on vacuuming as much loos stuff from cylinders as possible with shop vac. Next poor in some Marvil mystery oil and let it soak down into the pan. I plan on doing this to the top half too. with the front clip off I should be able to gently start trying to turn the crank. Once it is loose change oil. That is my plan.

Well It has been soaking in the Marvil for a few days. I have been working of getting the shroud. It is not going very well I still have screws at the bottom that are hard to get to. I did try to turn the engine from the bolt on generator. It turned very easily. I am still going to let it soak a few more days and check the other cylinder walls that I have not been able to check. Meanwhile I can rebuild carb.