Alley Cat 151

A place to post pics and descriptions of ongoing restoration projects

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m3a1
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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » June 17th, 2018, 10:55 am

Thanks for your interest, Guy. If I keep this truck, I am going to radius the front corners but, the steel on this body is of an extremely heavy gauge, far heavier than what you are producing. I'm just going to bisect the flange, plasma cut a radius, roll the flange back into the radius and weld it into place. I also have to cut back the trailing edges of the rear fenders. They intrude (only visually) into the opening of the wheel house. They look pretty awkward and that needs to be corrected, in my opinion.

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by Vzike » June 17th, 2018, 11:09 am

I put the front radius corners on that guy made. It really looks great.

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » June 17th, 2018, 11:31 am

Yeah, I'm sure it does! I was recently going through yet another Great Big Box Of Everything and uncovered a bunch of little body parts that I bought a very long time ago. Things like the little stamped bits that hold the vertical door supports, the axe handle support and the channels that hold the leading edge of the door skins. I have footman loops and all sorts of stuff to make the Alley Cat look just a little bit more "real." It's like Christmas around here!

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » June 18th, 2018, 10:57 pm

Today was a hodge-podge of efforts.

I pulled the batteries out of the 6x6 because I hadn't run it in a while and I was curious to see if they were going to be a workable set for the Alley Cat (at least for the process of getting it running) and because I hadn't seen these batteries in forever I was pleasantly surprised that they were of a size perfect for the Cat and admittedly rather small for the 6x6 (though they have done yeoman service for such a large truck).

I topped them off with a charger and they're good to go. They were down to 65% which isn't bad for sitting in a truck that I cannot seem to get around to running periodically. Anyway, these batteries seem so right for the Alley Cat, it seems I may soon be shopping for larger, more correct batteries for the 6x6.

I cleaned up all the battery connections and have yet to remove the ground on the Alley Cat and make sure it's good to go. It's rather nasty from the look of it so, I'm sure that effort won't be wasted. I'll knock that out tomorrow.

A fellow stopped by who is a regular visitor and today, I finally took him up on his offer to visit his place. My son and I drove over there and I was pleasantly surprised to see his M38A1 was in very nice condition which is to say that it wasn't a pristine restoration but rather a solid, parade-ready truck and very correct looking. He was tossing around the idea of starting in on another M38A1 he had which was pretty much a derelict; badly in need of being stripped of it's few usable parts and then having the rest shoved in a hole somewhere.

There was a time when I would have supported his idea of going forward with it. No longer. I kind of surprised myself and suggested that he instead put his efforts into wrapping up the finishing touches on the good one - little things such as mirrors, bows, correcting the carb to air cleaner connections, etc. That other one will wait. Anyway, we have a new friend and we'll be able to lend him a hand as needed, including, but not limited to the occasional reality check.

Finally, I got the M38's steering column tube stripped, sanded down, primed and in paint. Once that has received several coats, I'll be returning to the business of reassembling the steering gear box and that will be done. Hard to believe I have three project vehicles in the works at the same time! (The half track doesn't count because I'm not actively working on it.) So much to do....so little time.

Cheers,
TJ

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » June 19th, 2018, 2:35 pm

OK! Here is some GOOD NEWS!

Cleaned up that ground (it was awful) and hooked up the batteries. In my haste, I left the aftermarket battery disconnect disconnected :roll: and got a whole lot of nothing when I depressed the starter button. (Good news is, the battery disconnect works perfectly!)

Once I figured that out (palm to forehead), she turned over like a champ. Woo HOO! Not having the proper fitting for the compression test gauge, I went with the old-school finger test. Huffing away, that engine seems to make some pretty good compression and in my rough estimation, much the same across all four cylinders with the front cylinder being slightly less.

Oh, and the LF turn signal works! :lol: :lol: :lol:

The Alley Cat has a keyed ignition (and naturally, there is no key) so I'll be looking into getting another master switch or a replacement keyed switch before attempting to start this buggy. We are definitely underway!!!

Cheers,
TJ
Last edited by m3a1 on July 15th, 2018, 1:38 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by rickf » June 19th, 2018, 3:29 pm

Just jump the switch and start the damn thing already!!!! :roll: :roll: :twisted: :twisted:
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » June 20th, 2018, 11:28 am

The suspense is killing you, ain't it?

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by Vzike » June 20th, 2018, 7:35 pm

Why would the 6X6 need bigger batteries than the 151? Does the 6X6 have a big desiel engine that needs more cranking power?

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by rickf » June 20th, 2018, 9:09 pm

The deuces called for 6tl batteries. BIG mutha's. But I know a lot of people that are running two group 24's with no problems.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » June 21st, 2018, 4:35 pm

Believe it or not, the little muthas work fine on that big truck when everything else is right and correct.

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » July 13th, 2018, 4:26 pm

SUCCESS! Today was the day. Having nothing better to do, I went out, stuck the plug wires on, hot-wired the ignition (for which I have no key), switched the power on, gave her a shot of starting fluid and BANG! she fired right up and purred OH-so-SWEEeeeeeeeet!

I've got good oil pressure, charging system is putting out right in the green and I'm a VERY happy camper. Now, it's time to figure out a temporary fuel system and very, very soon we're going to hang all those lovely new brake parts on this truck.

Woo HOO!

Cheers,
TJ

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by rickf » July 13th, 2018, 6:23 pm

You mean to tell me you don't have a boat gas tank?!! What self respecting backyard mechanic doesn't have a boat tank!
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » July 13th, 2018, 6:40 pm

Boat tanks?! Pish-posh! I have two of THOSE. But it would be SO much easier to use the original tank (since I'm going to need to be using an original fuel tank anyway) but until now, I haven't done a thing with that tank. It's just been sitting around, gathering dust. So.... I suppose I'll just have to open that tank up first (because I'm never going through that farmer-filter nonsense EVER again) have a little looky-loo and then make it ready for use.

Here's the rub. Now that I have a proven runner, that means I'll eventually have to seek out all the endless big stuff that I hadn't bought for it up till this point. Tires, for one thing. You know how THAT is. Still, I'm pretty darned happy....and excited. Plus, the kid (remember (that guy?) will probably end up driving it because I'm not gonna spend a bunch of time on that M38 when the Alley Cat is so close!

Hot Rod Nite, on Saturday. Dan sold me some antenna sections for my AB-15 (bless him) and they fit like a glove, so I'll show that new little addition off tomorrow.

Cheers,
TJ

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by m3a1 » July 19th, 2018, 2:11 am

Not much to report. We've plucked the Alley Cat out of its hole and stuffed the M38 in. Alley Cat now resides in the driveway, nose to nose with the A2.

I lucked into some weirdness last weekend and brought home a traffic light on the cheap. (Don't judge me!) I'm an old traffic cop and that was a bucket list item so I had to buy it. I did a quick refurb on it rather than working on the Alley Cat only because I didn't want a 3' long traffic light just laying around. So, now it's looking good and ready to hang. I have a sequencer coming for it so it's actually going to cycle. I wonder how long it will be before that becomes less of a novelty and more like a real annoyance.

However, I DID do something on the Alley Cat today, though. The new oil filler cap came and I put that on it. It ain't much, but it is something! Tomorrow, I do an assessment on the original tank.

Cheers,
TJ

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Re: Alley Cat 151

Unread post by rickf » July 19th, 2018, 8:51 am

Your wife has to be the MOST patient woman on earth!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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