New V-100

[M813rc]

Thanks for the info, I value your input.

I have been through the MP site, lots of great pictures and other information on there.

I know mine was delivered new to the 720th MP at Long Binh in 1968, and went through a depot level rework in Saigon in '69, but there the trail is lost until the mid-70's when the Marines had it.
Thus far I have been unable to find out what it's Army identity was, so I don't know if any of the pictures I have found are my V. I have several noteworthy folks working on that with me, maybe one day we will get lucky. I would love to have an in-service picture of it to display with the vehicle.

I have noted in some of the MP pictures that the entire floorboard is a layer of ammo boxes, and some of the V's are hunkered way down on their suspension from the weight.

Cheers

 

[baseballump]

Get good sunglasses you will need them. The rear end is a weak area we change about 1 a month sometimes more. The trans have a mind of there own at time and the brakes a touchey. But a little bit af armour is better than no armour. We had the floors full of ammo, c-ration boxies, sleeping bags and our own stuff. A 2 day convoy could turn into a week run. We had names for the Vs there was Hulk, Superman, Thor, Zig Zag, spiderman and others. Also, remember bugs hurt when the hit your face and so do rain drops when your doing 35 to 50 MPH. We could get parts so we get then any way we could trade, beg or other. And we were the good guys.

 

[baseballump]

Should be we couldn't get parts the right way so we did what needed to keep our vehicles on the road you didn't want to miss a convoy and have to face the Lt. as to why your ride was down.

 

[M813rc]

Thanks for the info.

I am a big believer in safety gear and have several CVC helmets and goggles with ballistic lenses that will be mandatory wear for anyone in the V when it is moving.

I also found pictures of V's in Vietnam with a small windshield rigged in front of the driver, so I am putting one together that will clamp on while on the road. That will be specifically to minimize bugs and debris to the face, which I have experienced while motorcycling. Ouch!!

Fortunately for my V, it will be pampered and not have to carry all the extra weight, nor do the hard miles that y'alls were subjected to.

Cheers

PS the V in the picture has some of my favorite nose art!

.

 

[baseballump]

We weren't that smart. A couple of more names Iron Butterfly, El Toro and Wonder Woman. Some had nose art some just had the name . Also, no one liked the ride in the rear hatch. We had guys that like to set on the out side on the pass. side hatch with no flack jacket or steel pot on. Most of the time were trying to get a tan or stay cool if you could.

 

[M813rc]

You don't by chance have any pictures you would like to post?

Most recent work revolves around getting the hatches properly fitted. Lots of little plastic washers to stuff into the hinges so everything hangs and closes properly.

I am still short a couple of hatch springs for the driver/co-driver overheads, looking into the options there to find/make those. Everything works fine without them, they are just a little heavier to close.

My V has two fuel can holders on the rear like V150's do. That is not standard for 100's, but I like it.

The rear tunnel seat is not standard in E1's (it is usually seen in E2's), not sure why mine has one. Maybe is was something the ARVN wanted, since this vehicle was ordered for them but delivered straight to the US Army after TET in '68.

The item on top of the wheel well in picture 9 is the .30 ammo can rack, it attaches to the turret legs.

Cheers

 

[peecook]

1/2 through the thread M813rc talked about the v150 hitting the water at 40mph, here's the video. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtEzeJmzSow[/media]

 

[TexAndy]

Are you going to stencil little bicycles on it?

Might make the local bicycle cops think twice.

 

[reloader64]

Now that's just funny!!

 

[baseballump]

Rory I have no picture wasn't thinking 40yrs down the road. But, I will see if I can get some from a buddy of mine. On picture 9 that were the radio was on ours, and we carried no extra gas, because some one would take it can and all.
We had a RVN V hit one of ours it opened the gas tank on the drivers side, throw gas back and the rear gunner got burnt, they sent him home to a burn unit it didn't look good.
Also, be careful when you put those spring on because it will slam that door over. And if your head is up it hurts.
I wish I had the know how to do what you are doing. And you are doing a great job. Thank You for keeping the Old Girl Going.

 

[mkcoen]

Now that's just funny!!

Though some might not get the reference.

 

[M813rc]

Rory I have no picture wasn't thinking 40yrs down the road. But, I will see if I can get some from a buddy of mine. On picture 9 that were the radio was on ours, and we carried no extra gas, because some one would take it can and all.
We had a RVN V hit one of ours it opened the gas tank on the drivers side, throw gas back and the rear gunner got burnt, they sent him home to a burn unit it didn't look good.
Also, be careful when you put those spring on because it will slam that door over. And if your head is up it hurts.
I wish I had the know how to do what you are doing. And you are doing a great job. Thank You for keeping the Old Girl Going.

I, too, failed to take many photos back in my Marine days, I regret that now. Oh well. I treasure the few I have, and I have told my son "take lots!".

The area in pic 9 (previous post) will eventually have the RT-524/442 mounted. The attached picture of B3.3T's outstanding V at the Dayton show some years back demonstrates what it will look like (hope he doesn't mind me using it).

And I got experience with the rear hatch slamming shut on WGTactical's V when I was visiting. Didn't hit anyone, but made an embarrassingly loud clang for a guest in another man's shop!

I will carry cans on the back but either empty or with some extra water, no fuel.

Thanks for the compliment. I could not have done this by myself, were it not for the gracious help of others I would still be looking at it all going "What in the world do I do with this part....??".

Cheers

PS - Yes, I am pointedly ignoring the bicycle comments...

 

[M813rc]

And the glacier slides on...

In the last week all the hatches were fitted, the final three vision blocks went into the doors, and the gun port covers went on.

Yesterday the vision block crash pads were finished being retouched and cleaned up (there are a few of those!), then on with some paint.

By looking at the photos, it will be evident that my final paint choice is 383 camouflage.
I spent a lot of time over the last couple of years trying to decide what scheme to paint it. I have not been able to establish my V's Vietnam service identity, though I know it was with the 720th MP's. If I could have done so, it would most likely be finished as it appeared then.
But I couldn't, and since most other preserved examples are in Vietnam era schemes, I decided that I would represent a later period in my V's life, when it was a "sensitive national asset" security vehicle with the Marines. My information is that the Marines only had 12 V100's and mine is one of those, so being an old Marine myself I naturally was drawn to that. The colours also fit in with the rest of my vehicles which (apart from the Mog) are or will be 383 camo.

As regards the camo pattern, in the absence of an official one I came up with that myself. I studied TB43-0209 and took a pattern from there that fit the basic size/shape of the V100, then adjusted it to fit in accordance with the rules. I think I drew about 200 little camo diagrams before it looked right to me.

Part way through the painting yesterday, when it was just green and black, I thought I had seriously made a mistake. The V had looked really good overall green, but with the black on it, I just didn't like it. However, after adding the brown patches it looked 'right' to me and I relaxed. Looking at the pictures again this morning, I am pleased with it, it is what I wanted.

The paint still needs small adjustment to the pattern here and there, and some touch ups, but it is close to done.
It is still wet in the pictures, so looks rather splodgy. The paint evens out when it dries.

New scheduled completion date? Lets say a week from Friday...

Cheers

 

[jeep-Jeep]

looks great Rory

 

[baseballump]

As long as you ar happy thats all that matters. I would have been Army green. It looks great . Hope you keep posting pictures and would like to see a video if you can when you get it on the road

 

[1995USAFRetE6]

Hmmm.... don't think those canteens are period for the vehicle... so want a AF version like I drove in Korea in the late 70's I am envious!

 

[jimk]

Dude, the paint looks really nice. Did you take it out of the paint booth yet? I think it will look even better once you do. Looks like you'll make the Memorial Day Parade this year. It will be a big hit (and everywhere else you take it)

 

[M813rc]

Thanks for all the comments.

Jim, no, it is still in the booth. Wanted to let it harden some before dust and crud blew on it (it is windy down this way). Wednesday we will pull it out to sit in the sun and bake the paint a bit, I'll get more pictures then. I really want to see how it looks in natural light, the fluorescents always make things look a bit off, particularly with a digital camera.

This part is going quickly and has very visible results. So much of the previous work was labour intensive but there wasn't much to see in a picture. Feels really good to be this close to finished even if it has taken a couple of years longer than I thought it would.

The canteen comment confused me for a minute, then I realized you (USAF) were talking about the other V100 picture. That one is actually an example from a mid-70's Army rebuild program, so it's 'correct' period is well post-Vietnam, say late 70's/early 80's. When did those canteens come into use? We had them late in my active service life (mid-80s), but I don't know when they showed up. The Marines got everything long after the Army did though.

On the topic of B3.3T's V100, his was a great inspiration even before I got mine. I had seen the pictures from the Dayton show and loved how the 383 camo colours looked on a V.
When it came to painting mine, I didn't want to copy his (tread in his territory, so to speak) so I used a later style 383 pattern.
If you look in TB43-0209 at the patterns for early and late M1009's (for example), you will see how his pattern fits with the early style, mine with the "total repaint" style.
That works out nicely in that we can both have the same colours, but be visually very different.

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

And Baseballump, indeed yes I will take a video for you! And for Jeff (V-100 Commando) since both of you rode these horses to war.

I saw a video from Vietnam about MP's. The picture was film with no sound, and the sound-track to a large section on convoys was just an engine and noisy transmission. When I drove my V for the first time, I immediately knew that sound was recorded in a V100! So I will make sure I record sound as well as picture for you.

Cheers

 

[Elwenil]

Looks great with the 3 color NATO camouflage. That's exactly how I would do it if I were ever lucky enough to have one. Were you not able to use a V150 pattern?