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M216 Cdn Australian restoration

rchalmers3

rchalmers3

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Naw, don't worry about ramblin' on there Ken, I (we) appreciate good stories and info about how it is with vehicles down under.

Was the truck ever registered for road use? And can you research the vehicle history via public records? I would be interesting to know more about that old rig!

Rick
 
K

Ken S

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Rick,
I am trying to find anything I can about the trucks civilian life, so far nothing much. I am grateful that I do have the name and location of the former owner.
Things I have found are that the truck lived on the main road, the Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne so a lot of truck drivers would have seen it, I am going to put a picture in our Australian Vintage Trucking magazine and see if an old truckie remembers it or the company.

There was a picture in club magazine or on the internet of a M216/M215 dump body in the area where the truck lived, and it was due to be scrapped but that was years ago. I haven't been able to locate the picture again as yet.

A lovely old local gentleman who was a bit of a dealer after WW2 up to the late 1990's, told me there was 2 of the M216 tippers. He has passed on now, I wished I had asked him or even asked the cunning old fellow I bought it off more questions, also passed on.
I think my main reason not asking was in being so disappointed with the parts being taken off the truck after I bought it, and then just completely losing interest in it until now.


I will get onto the Wangaratta historical society and see if there are any contacts. An internet search of Ramage Brothers the former owners still show as the owners of a service station (permanently closed) at the old address, google earth shows a hydraulic shop there now. I have looked at over 1000 photos of the area hoping the M216 might be in the background or even better, the main subject.

You have to love the internet, although I have just spent 3 hours on it when I should have been out in the paddock spraying weeds, which is where I am going now.

Ken
 
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Ken S

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Have had some fun with the old girl over the last few days. I got all the right hand drive controls out with the help of a 4" cutting disc, I undid the bolts that I could get at.
Undid the seat bolts got the right hand drivers seat out, and the left hand passenger seat is ready to lift out. I want to get in with my compressed air vacuum and suck all the dirt out, then wash all the inside with truck wash. It is very hot here at the moment, so it will dry in the seams reasonably well.

I had some good news and some bad news today, the bad news is that the Holden distributor that came in the engine only just enters the oil pump drive, and even though the truck will only do a few miles, I would prefer to have something a little more substantial, driving the oil pump. I will pop the distributor out of my CCW 270 engine, and see if it will work as far as length goes.

The good news, I talked to the manager at the panel shop that I have a fair bit of contact with, I asked him would his shop be interested in working on my heavy very creased hood, had to call it a bonnet for him of course.
I am always aware that modern panel shops like the aluminium foil panels that are on new cars. He assured me that he had an old school tradesman who takes pride in heavy metal and the fact he has never let any job beat him, maybe the M216 will break him.

The GMC has had some badge engineering tonight, when I took the GMC hood off, I fitted a 1960,s Australian AB160 International truck bonnet, to keep the rain out. I think apart from the fact it is too wide it looks ok

Anyway I hope I am as happy about the panel shop hood repair tomorrow night, as I am tonight.

I hope to get some time to post photos tomorrow night.

Cheers Ken
 
rustystud

rustystud

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Ken S said:
Have had some fun with the old girl over the last few days. I got all the right hand drive controls out with the help of a 4" cutting disc, I undid the bolts that I could get at.
Undid the seat bolts got the right hand drivers seat out, and the left hand passenger seat is ready to lift out. I want to get in with my compressed air vacuum and suck all the dirt out, then wash all the inside with truck wash. It is very hot here at the moment, so it will dry in the seams reasonably well.

I had some good news and some bad news today, the bad news is that the Holden distributor that came in the engine only just enters the oil pump drive, and even though the truck will only do a few miles, I would prefer to have something a little more substantial, driving the oil pump. I will pop the distributor out of my CCW 270 engine, and see if it will work as far as length goes.

The good news, I talked to the manager at the panel shop that I have a fair bit of contact with, I asked him would his shop be interested in working on my heavy very creased hood, had to call it a bonnet for him of course.
I am always aware that modern panel shops like the aluminium foil panels that are on new cars. He assured me that he had an old school tradesman who takes pride in heavy metal and the fact he has never let any job beat him, maybe the M216 will break him.

The GMC has had some badge engineering tonight, when I took the GMC hood off, I fitted a 1960,s Australian AB160 International truck bonnet, to keep the rain out. I think apart from the fact it is too wide it looks ok

Anyway I hope I am as happy about the panel shop hood repair tomorrow night, as I am tonight.

I hope to get some time to post photos tomorrow night.

Cheers Ken
Click to expand...
That's another reason I like Australia. They have a lot of IHC trucks there and they love them ! I had over 20 IHC trucks after working for IHC in the 1970's . Loved them dearly, especially my 1980 Scout II . Sadly had to get rid of all of them.
No place to keep them and no time to work on them. Still, there never was an engine built as solidly as a 345/392 Corn Binder !!! Maybe the DT466 IHC .
 
K

Ken S

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Good day all,
My brother in-law had a 1978 Scout which was very trouble free, but in the end it was just a chassis with glass and a fibre glass canopy, held together with paint as it had got so rusty from all the beach work it did. He did get the rust cut out a couple of times but in the end it beat him, it had a 345 in it. We use to have fun having races up the beach, I have a 1978 F100 with a 351 and 4 speed manual which has been tucked up in the shed for the last 20 years. There were a huge number of farm trucks with a 392 in them. I even did a International conversion on a 8 wheeler and took out the 392 and put in a 555 Cummins. This included using all the correct International parts to lift the cab. We also took out the five speed box and put in a Roadranger, I can't remember how many gears the new box had.

No luck with the hood today, the panel beater didn't go to work, I know this is going to be a long process and as I am continually telling my grand kids be patient.

I pulled out the CCW 270 distributor and it is the same length as the Holden distributor. Now I am going to measure all the depths with my vernier calipers, as I was thinking during the night the gear will have to be in the correct position as well.

A couple of photos of the bonnet GMC/ International rebadging I mean fitting. I used baling twine to hold it on, I think it is the correct grade.

M216 Cdn Fitting temporary International bonnet (1).jpgM216 Cdn Fitting temporary International bonnet (2).jpgM216 Cdn Fitting temporary International bonnet (3).jpgM216 Cdn Fitting temporary International bonnet (4).jpg
Looking at it like this, it does look messy but it is all part of the grand plan.

Ken
 
m1010plowboy

m1010plowboy

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Just give em the shaft

This is good stuff trying to trouble shoot without the proper parts. I did a pile of "Stovebolt" reading trying to see what parts would swap out and caught the term "Holden 302 Stovebolt".

Did Holden build a 302 or a similar inline 6 they called the "Stovebolt"? There were a few "Stovebolt" parts links in Australia so maybe you lucky.

Hitting the G749 farm today so if I can get a measurement on the distributor shaft I'll post it. All I could do for you from here is remove a distributor, wires and plugs from an old engine and ship them over. Let us know how we can help.

Leave a few dents in the hood for us. Haven't seen a perfect hood yet so I'm sure they're supposed to have a crease across the middle that lines up with the window lip.
 
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Ken S

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m1010plowboy, thanks for the offer of help. A measurement from the bottom of the tip of the distributor shaft to the base of the distributor where it sits on the block, and another measurement from the bottom of the tip to the bottom of the gear. Those 2 measurements would be a huge help to see if the old bucket of bolts is going to go. If it does go I will gladly take up your offer of the 24 volt outfit, workout a price and P&P.

Aussie bloke, you did well picking up that lovely truck. International and the same cab Dodge were really good looking, functional trucks, and it is a testament to how well made and popular they were that there are still a lot of the 40 to 55 year old trucks on farms around here today, mostly as paddock trucks, but I still see a few on the road taking cattle to the sale yards.

Ken
 
m1010plowboy

m1010plowboy

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Shaft, just the shaft

Gear bottom to tip 2 3/16"

Base to tip 4 7/8"

Thought it would be easy to take a picture but I could make the shaft look longer or shorter depending on camera location. That's good to know for future calendar photos.

PB151142.jpg PB151143.jpg
 
K

Ken S

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m1010plowboy

Okay, just measured the Holden distributor and it is a perfect match for measurements, so now I can continue with getting the engine side of things trying to work. I can't express how grateful I am for you doing that for me, the time you saved me, plus even if I did get the measurements from the CCW and the M216 to match I would never be sure that they weren't out a fraction.
So looks like a good nights sleep for me tonight.

I googled Edmonton, I can see why it gets cold there you are a bit close to the top of the world. It is interesting how much I have learnt about the world and people because of my trucks.

Thanks again for helping.

Ken
 
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Ken S

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I took the hood back to the panel shop today. The manager said the tradesman is away for another week, and that I could leave the hood there as he will call in some time during the week to give me a quote.

When I pulled the tourneau cover back on the ute to get the hood out, the three helpers gasped and then laughed like I haven't heard for a long time. There was also lot of the f word used, and it wasn't fantastic or fabulous.

The manager thinks the tradesman might be able to do something with it, that didn't fill me with confidence.
I left it on the ground outside the shop, I hope they look after it.

Ken
 
Last edited:
K

Ken S

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What is the general opinion of the passenger side grab handle position. I see in TM9-8024 that it is in the down position, going through the numerous photos of dashes it looks like about 50/50 up and down.

I went to try the M211 grab bar in the M216 and as a famous person use to say "missed by that much". The holes in the M216 dash are about 3/32 of an inch further apart than the bar holes, an easy fix but interesting the difference. Before I file the holes do the mounting brackets move on the cross bar? Mine appear to have lovely little fillets on the inside of the brackets as if they are brazed on to the bar, still in original paint.
Ken
 
K

Ken S

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Got a little bit more done, the hydraulic dump lever is now out. I am in the middle of reversing the LH/RH conversion on the lever.
I have a few photos but completely tired out from busy weekend, mostly with grand kids and not much on the old girl (truck that is, not missus).
Big floor plate is now out, and big deep bronze green painted Hydramatic showed itself. Drained the transmission oil tonight there was about half a pint of water. I have left the plug out, and will do so for a couple of days as there is a lot of gunk dropping out in small dollops. No metal on the plug thankfully, just the usual fine filings that I find in most transmissions.
I took the plug out of the rear housing and there was quarter of a cup of water in there, I am not really worried about that as there is no shaft in the back, rain might get in if it was blowing hard.
I will drain the torus tomorrow. Well maybe.

I talked to the panel beater today, he is really a nice person. The manager was saying things like it will cost a lot to get a hood from Canada and my hood is not repairable.
The panel beater looked at it with me and I told him I don't want a concourse job, (manager laughed) and to do the best he can for not much money. I was thinking tonight that I will see how far he gets with the first amount and let him quote on the rust and the front edge later. Panel beater told me of an F100 that had the roof caved in as much as my hood, and he had fixed it. I have seen that F100 and it is perfect.
The manager suggested that for the amount I offered, all they could do would be to turn the hood over and get five blokes to jump on it.

Don't get me wrong, I like the manager he likes taking the mickey.

That's all for tonight
Ken
 
m1010plowboy

m1010plowboy

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Screening process g749

I think we put the handle up to protect that sharp dash edge. Doesn't look like the glove box door interferes with it in the up position but it could be a clearance thing.

goose dash.JPG

A green transmission hey? M V iron mentally friendly lol. I've only see grey and red primer on them so...let's just hope the engine went south and they parked the truck with a healthy transmission. Only 2 ways to find out. Run em' or rip em' apart.

Dug out a transmission screen/ filter that sits in the bottom pan. Anticipating an engine that runs,,,, Are you going to test the transmission before pulling the pan? It's a lot of work pulling that screen so it really only needs to be done if the trans moves the truck.
PB131122.jpg
 
K

Ken S

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Thanks, I think the handle looks nicer up as it doesn't cover the plates on that side of the dash when up.

I am not doing anything with the transmission except fill it with Hytran, then drop that if the transmission turns and put some more clean Hytrans in. I am going to way overfill it for the first time to get the planetaries to stir the oil up. It can't be worked like that as the friction with the oil causes a huge amount of heat in a short amount of time.

I have been thinking that in the short term, I don't need a transfer case, just connect the transmission to only one of the rear axles.

Ken
 
rustystud

rustystud

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Ken S said:
Thanks, I think the handle looks nicer up as it doesn't cover the plates on that side of the dash when up.

I am not doing anything with the transmission except fill it with Hytran, then drop that if the transmission turns and put some more clean Hytrans in. I am going to way overfill it for the first time to get the planetaries to stir the oil up. It can't be worked like that as the friction with the oil causes a huge amount of heat in a short amount of time.

I have been thinking that in the short term, I don't need a transfer case, just connect the transmission to only one of the rear axles.

Ken
Click to expand...
You don't want to overfill the transmission ! That will cause the fluid to foam and that leads to all kinds of problems. The oil pump will fill the lube galleries just fine. You would not believe how much oil spray there is in one of these transmissions ! I had the pleasure of seeing a "Test" transmission that had "plexi-glass" installed so you could see what was happening when the transmission was running. Once the gears started moving you couldn't see anything but oil ! So don't worry about lubing the gear train, it will take care of itself.
 
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Ken S

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Some photos.
1 The deep bronze green Hydramatic. The red paint tin lid is keeping dirt out while I clean the filler cap and dipstick.
2 Looking across to where the dump lever was repositioned on the far right hand side.

M216 Cdn Hydramatic DB Green.jpgM216 Cdn RH dump lever & shaft.jpg
I was concerned when I found that there is a lever latch thing on the left side to hold the dump lever in the "up" position and I wasn't sure how I would go getting the lever in the correct position.
It turned out to be very easy to weld the lever back together in the exact correct position.

If the engine doesn't work in this truck at least I know I will have a garden ornament with the best M216 cab interior in Australia.

Looks like it has put the picture of the original shaft at the bottom.
 

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