8.3.16 Forgot to mention Nipples!!!

Everyone mechanics favourite subject ...Nipples!!! 

Yes the world of grease nipples! Now would you believe that there are several types of nipple which were used at this time period!!!? No nor did we! 

Nor did we realise how hard it would be to get some. Dad had a phone conversation with Amanda at Jeep parts (yes that was a plug!) who I must say have been brilliant so far with helping us bumble through this project (well me anyway, Dad seem very clued up on the subject now). The issue is when dad explained what the nipples looked like at the end of the leaf springs (Not sure of the exact name for this part).  Jeep parts seemed to think that this nipple was not put on the Jeep. We however know differently, as they are on ours all the way round! 

This means we either have:
-  A miscommunication with Jeep parts 
- Our Jeep is one of a kind and will be worth millions 
or 
- It is another bodge by someone!!! 

Take your pick!

So simple solution. Take photo's, email Jeep parts and go from there. Here are the photo's I sent across.

We are waiting on a reply (very exciting!!!) :) 

And then there was one!!! 8.3.16

So with Si having a rubbish day at the office (the Garage) the thought of coming back and going into another garage was less than appealing! I got caught at work and therefore had planning to do when I got back and so it was just Dad who got up there tonight. I will get a report which I will post but I thought I would sneak 10 mins in to explain some stuff Si and Dad did over the last couple of weeks and we (including me) did last week. 

So 1.3.16
My god it was cold! Simon has been cracking on with the rear end which was a bit of a mess so we decided that a bit of a beef up was needed if we were going to use as much of the old Jeep as possible. Dad and Si decided on some box work which sits inside of the subframe (mostly out of sight) which will provide the needed strength without ruining the aesthetics of the frame. Here are some snaps of the process.

Before Work

Box Frame in before tidying the welds

New piece in! Just need a little tickle with the wire wheel 

Another Angle

Another Angle

An offer up before welding.

Mock up after Welding. dad now needs to source correct bolts!

Another Angle

So not bad I thought for a couple of hours work  over the least two weeks. (We are little restricted to the noise due to the garage being in a residential area. this only allows about an hour and a half a week to do stuff).

So what did I do you ask. Well..... after seeing Dad take the rear axle off the leaf springs with relative ease I thought I would remove the front ones. What I hadn't bargained on was the fact they probably had not ever been removed. So the old heat, WD40 trick = no movement so a little bit more WD and heat = no movement. Now I remember a good friend who worked on a number of expensive world rally cars tell me there was nothing you couldn't fix with a hammer and if the hammer didn't fix it get a bigger one!!!!  So nothing to loose and a 1/4 pound sledge in hand I went about freeing up the little suckers, and ... Boom!!! movement! 
To cut a long (and very boring story short) an hour and bit later one side was released!!!! Cant wait till next week and I attempt the other side! 
Sorry no pictures, as I'm sure a picture of 4 nuts would not really do my efforts justice!!

More Snaps

So here we go with another load of snaps taken at various points over the last two weeks. Some include a Friends Jeep and bits we want to put on ours.

As you can see progress has moved on! 

The issue now is that visually the work will look like it is slowing down but this is just due to not having any big bits to take off!!!!

We have also decided to replace all the brakes to ensure that the Jeep will stop (well as good as it did back in 1943!!!

This is one from one of Dad's friends Jeeps but Dad wants one!!

Underside of Dad's friends one. How its meant to look without a massive hole cut in it and shed loads of bog to hold a plate down  over the top. Nice bodge my American friends!!!!!!

22nd Feb another night with only 2.... No wait a minute... and then there was three!!!

Ewan on nappy duty again (Good Dad!) so “on Parade” were Si, Baz and me.

Si had brought home the H/Duty welding machine and set about sorting the rear ends of both chassis members. We have also reinforced those areas with two pieces of box section tube to stiffen up the structure where the rear of the rear springs attach to the chassis. (Photo next week).

Baz and I spent some time at the front end, taking off brake pipes and investigation the front diff box. we opened up the filler and found a reasonable oil level of fluid that did not look too “dirty”. Have decided to renew all brake pipes and master cylinder.

More parts came promptly from “Jeeparts”. Bit of a mix-up over wheels nuts ordered. Soon sorted and correct (L/H) thread nuts sent next day.

Baz has agreed to take a special interest in photographic recording of the works. He is going to set up a file on his computer and send interesting “stage” photos to Ewan for the Blog.

Went to Historic Military vehicle club at Woodham Ferrers on Thursday. Seemed an interesting bunch. two of them are making a repro Pill-Box for use at displays! Not Concrete!!

Took rear spring shackle with me to sort a query re Grease nipples. ..but no answers as do appear to be standard GPW nipples.

Corresponded with IMPS chairman and Duxford museum re paint colours.(no answer yet from Duxford) my question is “Did they re-paints U.S. made vehicles in 1943 as the reached the British Army? (colours different)

Imps man seems to think vehicles only re-painted if vehicle users were “idle” and then paint obtained locally so many shades possible? 

I have been bringing small sub-assemblies home to clean and get ready for re-installation. Pedal assembly and rear spring shackles done so far .

Jeep colours. the qiestion is answered

27.2.16

So it seems dad's fingers have been busy since I got him a router which didn't need a hamster to power it!!! He has been digging and the following is his email to me RE his findings. 

As you know I have been trying to find out about paint colours. Enquiries to the war Museum have referred me to the following web address

http://www.paradate.org.uk/content/camouflage-painting-airbourne-vehicles-0

This document seems to suggest that to avoid re-painting of U.S. made vehicles that the U.K. adopted and also that  a colour similar to the U.S. Olive Drab.

dad

So the question is answered. Now all we need is the paint numbers and we are good to go!!! 

back in the Game

Date: 16.2.16

That's right kids I'm back!!!!!

On a very cold Tuesday evening I left Laura and Ren and headed up to join the boys and the trio was formed again!

My job for the evening was to rub down and paint the cross brace dad had removed a couple of post before. Dad would not let me strip the whole thing as he believes he has found some original paint and wants to give it to a local paint place to get a colour match. I was on the assumption that if we wanted to do the Jeep as a British Army Jeep we would have to source the colour from British records and colour schemes but Dad seemed to think that the Jeeps would not of been resprayed. Dad did speak to a Jeep supplier and it may well be that the Jeeps were resprayed when used by the British so now more research is needed. 

Here is the progress I made.

thought I would show you the finished article 1st! 

and Before!

Another one from before