M43 Resurrection

zout said:

Man do I feel embarrased on my speed after watching these pics - what does it feel like to be able to touch and feel an engine

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We have been impressed with the speed of your body work. Oh, but were we going even half that fast. ~~ I think the different projects are each getting different approaches due to different constraints. Ghostdriver had a rebuilt engine on hand (lo these many years) so her desire was to get her truck running again. The paint and color selection has been due to wanting to paint the engine pit and engine with the engine out and accessible. She has some cab roof and cowl rust to repair as well as the body interior to restore, but she expressed the thought that could take place in several time segments once she got it mobile. The real press after getting the engine installed and running will be bringing the brakes back to life. They were good when it got parked, but now the pedal just hits the floor. ~~ I supposed the immediate goal is to get it running AND stopping.

Are you missing an engine altogether or are you awaiting a rebuild?

PB and I are still discussing power plants.

It is a little ways off to start even thinking of stuffing an engine in the hole - like Ghostdriver is working on - getting mine up on stands and start tearing down the brakes. I did see last night when pressure washing one of the front knuckle seals twisted out of proportion - but I will get to that.

That is one think I like about this site is the options everyone takes - what they have available to work with and the approach to a project - and I am not saying this in a negative way. There is a lot of experienced folks here to seek advise and direction from.

I do like GD's approach to her paint prep as seperate pieces as well - like you said -just a different style and what each are looking forward to as an end project.

I can almost hear hers running

I have been listening to Ghostdriver thinking out loud about what she wants her final "look" to be. There are a several ambulances in our club and in particular another M43 that displays frequently. It is stored in a military Air Force museum and comes out regularly for exhibits and parades. It is very well kept with flight line flags and interior equipment. It looks very close to new and is a beautiful rig. Ghostdriver has been thinking that since her M43 is a Marine unit with bullet holes, she might like to display a truck as it might have appeared in a combat circumstance with bullet holes, door dings and all. Sort of an alternate klook to the same model truck. ~~ She is toying with the idea of painting on the Red Crosses, but there is some question as to if the crosses were displayed all that much in a combat environment.
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This one pic I believe was a field hospital in Nam. I had a couple more from Da Nang of the ambulances and one of another the Red Cross just mutilated by gunfire sitting on the side of the road.

I as well let a lot of dents and dings in this one - just sacralidge to remove them. I do not want a museum piece - I want folks in it - touching it and feeling it and seeing part of history - no roped off area around this one and little fold out seats keeping peoples hands off it for me.

Tell her to leave the dents. Ask any Corpsman or Medic how to back up a Dodge ambulance, they will say "by feel". That is how alot of the dents get into the old Dodge ambulances, you can not see anything behind you. Just back up.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

yeah - leave the dents and fix the cracks - just look at my example of the passenger door on the thread - the inside where they shoved the stretchers has major dents both sides - NWH am I taking them out - plus other dents - but Ghostdrivers has Bullet holes - and not those sticker kind either.

37 and engine is looking great and I appreciate for one - that the thread is keeping updated with progress.

My wife is envious. Very nice

Ghostdriver making a water pump gasket.

Ghostdriver got a few more parts moved from one engine to the other. 1st photo is old engine missing more stuff and 2nd photo is that stuff on new engine.

That engine sure is looking nice I didn't get to follow Zouts build just caught the tail end but I will be watching this one I love the look of the 37's they are a great MV I can't wait to see what this lady comes out to look like. keep up the good work GD!!!

Did GhostDriver pull her batteries ? or are they just disconnected.

Reason for asking was - that I got my 4HN's yesterday and a big box of acid to fill them and was thinking of putting them in and hooking them up - of course tying off the engine cables to protect them from shorting out - so I could run and test switch's.

She was speaking of the bullet holes in hers - I saw on the web of the ambulance in the East of a rocket hole down the center of the roof Red Cross - bit enough the guy shoves his head through it and still plenty of room. Perfect dead center shot on the cross.

Watching her work on that engine gives me the tingles.

We have a few more pictures to post, but I left the camera in the shop. Post pictures later. GD is short staffed in her business at the moment. She is pressed finding time to twist some wrenches or she would be farther along right now. As to Zouts question about the batteries. GD's M43 is missing the interior battery box and lid (we have what she needs among our M37 parts trucks) so she opted on a temporary basis to install a couple of group 27's to get things running. These happened to be the best buy in the battery warehouse at the time. While they were connected before the engine pull to check out some of the electrical, the cables have been disconnected. It makes sense to activate your batteries and get them mounted. They will take some charging and cycling to bring them to peak. You will need to bolt the positive wire at the starter to the power wire to the switch and then make sure you have a ground wire to the frame in order to check things like the body fan and lights.

the missing photos

I keep seeing your city - I use to drive out the West Side of Wolf Creek Pass OTR yrs ago. I stopped in Cripple Creek just to yank out my banjo from the side compartment and stop and play Cripple Creek in Cripple Creek. AHHHH its one of those personal things only I get I guess.

But I use to haul into Aurura as well and that is why your location sounded familiar.

Thanks for updating pics and I really like seeing that engine - I can hear it now.

Zout,
We might understand your Cripple Creek thing. We have been known to play the "Wolf of Wolf Creek Pass" on the stereo while driving the pass. My father was born in Wiggins, a town mentioned in CW McCall's Wolf Creek Pass. Wolf of Wolf Creek Pass was a ditty written by Pete Smyth who was a long time local Denver radio and then
TV personality.


Ghostdriver usually plays the sound track from "Memphis Belle" on the shop Hi-Fi system while twisting wrenches

M715VFD405 said:

That engine sure is looking nice I didn't get to follow Zouts build just caught the tail end but I will be watching this one I love the look of the 37's they are a great MV I can't wait to see what this lady comes out to look like. keep up the good work GD!!!

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Zout's build went so fast (and well done to boot) that I think it was hard for everyone to keep up with his progress. I blinked and he had the add on windows gone so you would never know they were there.

Wow. Dad made a movie. Didn't know that.

Not only that, but he made an awesome movie! Very nice.

More photos of Ghostdriver transfering parts over to her rebuilt engine.