No help needed with M109 Restore..

[zout]

GE - gotta tell ya - Phil and his wife are real troopers and they had exactly what they needed to camp out in their truck at the Rally - AND they had their two awesome sons with them too boot - great family and they are working on theirs as they go as well - but still making use of it in the process.

It is a PIA to go as far as we did on ours and I would not advise anyone to do it - it was overboard but we love em. I would do another much simpler - if you have ever seen Maccus or PB's - there ya go.

You can call me anytime and DO NOT HESITATE if you have any type of question - cause if I was your neighbor you would have to call the LEO to get me hauled outta your yard and an injunction for me .

 

[jasonjc]

Use clecos too hold the sheet metal tight against the rails and rivet the track on both sides of the clecos.

 

[timntrucks]

truck is looking good zev.. it will all be worth the effort. dont be to cheap on the j pipe.. go ahead and spend the money.. that loud exhaust leak will be the death of you. doing a super fix up is not a fast job.. and like the song.. you quessed it.... it only takes money...

 

[goldneagle]

Use clecos too hold the sheet metal tight against the rails and rivet the track on both sides of the clecos.

I think I may actually have some of those! A few years ago i bought a bunch of surplus aircraft tools and gizmos. Those aircraft manufacturers have some neat tools!

In case someone doesn't know what they are I posted a picture.

 

[59apache]

i bought my set clecos from summit. fun to work with!
Summit Racing SUM-G1850 - Summit Racing® Cleco Pliers and Pins Kit - Overview - SummitRacing.com

 

[jasonjc]

Try the Yard Store they are alot cheaper. www.yardstore.com And they have alot more size and types to choose from.

 

[73m819]

With all the work to fix the RUST PRPBLEM in the 109s, WHY not use a shelter in the bed of a deuce, you could put windows in if not there already, insulate and everything your doing to a 109

 

[goldneagle]

With all the work to fix the RUST PRPBLEM in the 109s, WHY not use a shelter in the bed of a deuce, you could put windows in if not there already, insulate and everything your doing to a 109

I guess it is just part of the fun restoring an old vehicle to good usable condition. Gives you a chance to use your skills to fix something that is broken. There is a lot of satisfaction in seeing the fruits of your labor. Even better when your peers compliment you on your efforts!

 

[zout]

I gotta agree wtih GE - although it may not be the perfect restoration of an 109 - it is working with what you have available to you and make the BEST of it.

Reminds me of folks always making suggestions of what I should do - could have done - would have done if it was theirs (you get the point)
But I never seen anyone donate their own money so I could put their suggestions in our truck !!

These are the individuals trucks and making the best repairs - improvements they can with what they have available. Some of us have less available and all the way up the scale to do whatever we want to do to them with funds and resources available to us.

I can help make suggestions (and others as well) and the owner can choose do make what ever they want with the suggestion (with their own skill level) - and I for one can live with their decision.

ALL the 109 conversions I have seen are great units and proud to be amoungst the owners of one of these great pieces of history.

Keep the pics coming GE - you have a great thread going.

 

[goldneagle]

I gotta agree wtih GE - although it may not be the perfect restoration of an 109 - it is working with what you have available to you and make the BEST of it.

Reminds me of folks always making suggestions of what I should do - could have done - would have done if it was theirs (you get the point)
But I never seen anyone donate their own money so I could put their suggestions in our truck !!

These are the individuals trucks and making the best repairs - improvements they can with what they have available. Some of us have less available and all the way up the scale to do whatever we want to do to them with funds and resources available to us.

I can help make suggestions (and others as well) and the owner can choose do make what ever they want with the suggestion (with their own skill level) - and I for one can live with their decision.

ALL the 109 conversions I have seen are great units and proud to be amoungst the owners of one of these great pieces of history.

Keep the pics coming GE - you have a great thread going.

Dave,

Thanks for the encouragement. It is appreciated!

I was busy coating all the rusted metal cross members and wall angles with Chassis Saver. I left it overnight to dry properly.

Today I spent half the day fabricating and installing replacement threshold and weather-stripping for the bottom of the back doors. I installed a 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" angle on the inside to reinforce the rusted ledge by the doors. I then started to install the 16 gauge trim that I fabricated for that area. I tac-welded it tot the existing metal and tied it in to the angle i had just set up. Took some manipulating and clamping to tie the metal pieces together to make a very hefty new threshold for the back doors. I also installed some old trim back to the threshold I had fabricated.

I will have pictures of the area tomorrow! It was already getting dark out and I was tired from all the work!

 

[hndrsonj]

Try the Yard Store they are alot cheaper. www.yardstore.com And they have alot more size and types to choose from.

Yes if you get the "K" style pliers operated 1/8" cleco's, it will go alot faster then using the twist clecos. Not to mention, they are only $.40 each and last forever.

 

[jasonjc]

You need to get the same size cleco as the hole for the rivet. A 1/8" cleco will not hold in a 3/16" hole. So if you get some make shure you get the right ones. Or some of each. They also make some clamp type.

 

[Katahdin]

It reached a sweet sunny 59 degrees today here in Maine so I tried to make the most of it by spending the day working on the 101A2 and the 109 runners. I had previously removed the rust by abrasive blasting with coal slag from the local Tractor Supply. Cleanup was done with the air gun and a wipe down with denatured alcohol.

As of this writing I have at least two coats of Gillespie 24087 on the inside of the runners and on the box sheet metal where they'll be reattached. My new little Harbor Freight detail spray gun was the perfect size for coating the runners. (used a full size gun on the 101 and 109). Of course I got halfway through the first coat when I realized I forgot to add a little hardener to the mix.

I'm being cheap by using Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer but it seems to be working out well so far. Other reviews of RRMP and Gillespie on SS seem to be positive. Down the road I need to restore a 67' MGB for the wife and plan to use epoxy primer for that, it will require a lot less surface area and $$!

Tomorrow I plan to blind rivet the runners back to the 109 and topcoat the exterior facing side of the runners as well as add another coat of 24087 on the entire 109 box. Unfortunately I'm waiting on an order of mushroom plugs for the rivets that's a week late so I can't topcoat those yet, but I can't wait for 'em any longer.

 

[goldneagle]

You need to get the same size cleco as the hole for the rivet. A 1/8" cleco will not hold in a 3/16" hole. So if you get some make shure you get the right ones. Or some of each. They also make some clamp type.

I checked my inventory and it looks like I have a whole bunch of these clecos in various sizes from a batch of aircraft tools I bought a few years ago. I have all the clecos you mentioned in your reply. So it looks like zi am good to go when I get to that part of the project.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[goldneagle]

Update on the box floor repair! I went out this morning and installed new foam weatherstripping to the threshold I built this week. I adjusted the metal trim piece I installed yesterday so that the back doors close properly.

I started to work on the patch pieces that I will use to repair the support members for the floor. After making sure all the bends were 90 degrees I started to drill 6 holes on the sides of the patch pieces. Yes 6 screws will be used every foot of batch. Once I finished drilling the holes in the patches I primed all the metal pieces and painted them MV Green.

Once the paint dried I installed 13 of the patches over the rusted floor cross members. I used a dead blow hammer to tap them into place and secured them with 6 of the #12 3/4" self tapping screws. Now all the patches are done! Tomorrow I will pick up the plywood and supplies to install the floor.

 

[goldneagle]

Here aree more pictures including the installed patches.

 

[phil2968]

Great looking patches! Looking forward to seeing the plywood go in.

 

[zout]

That looks great GE - looks like you took control - adapted and overcome.
Helps having the right tools and knowledge how to use them to make the job easier.

 

[Katahdin]

Nice job with the patches. It's giving me inspiration to rip up my floor.

Here's the results of my efforts this weekend. The wife assisted me with riveting the runners back on the box, she pushed against the sheet metal from inside the box to get it flush with the runners. (credit to Zout for suggesting that in his M109 thread). She also placed rivet washers where it looked like it needed it.

After the runners got put on, everything got a couple coats of 24087, including the M101A2 and the new Donaldson M070028 muffler. Also sprayed the entire box with a second coat of paint, including the roof. It feels good to be making progress!

 

[zout]

very very nice workmanship - that looks great.