M718A1 restoration
Moderators: rickf, raymond, Mr. Recovery
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- Brigadier General
- Posts: 2520
- Joined: October 1st, 2010, 12:19 am
- Location: El Dorado, Arkansas
M718A1 restoration
I've been waiting too long to get started on this one, 7 years of collecting parts, time to get this party started.
Re: M718A1 restoration
Yea, yea. Warm weather is right around the corner and this will go right back in the corner once the good fishin' gets here.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone
Re: M718A1 restoration
That looks like what we'd all like to have -
A good starting place!
A good starting place!
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- Brigadier General
- Posts: 2520
- Joined: October 1st, 2010, 12:19 am
- Location: El Dorado, Arkansas
Re: M718A1 restoration
The last three I've worked on had rust, THANK GOD this one doesn't, The clutch is stuck, so the motor will be coming out for paint job and clutch replacement, I don't know what kind of paint is on it but it is thick and comes off in big flakes in some places. Looks like removing the paint is going to be a PITA, it does have 3 nice M38 wheels on it , I think I will take a break on fishing this year, Rick, plus I have a trip planned to the Northeast this summer.
Re: M718A1 restoration
On that paint, If it is thick and falling off you might want to try heating it with a torch and see if it will peel with a scraper. That works fantastic for bondo, especially if you can heat the metal from behind.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone
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- Brigadier General
- Posts: 2520
- Joined: October 1st, 2010, 12:19 am
- Location: El Dorado, Arkansas
Re: M718A1 restoration
Some is coming up with a sharp wood chisel, it's peeling up all the way to bare metal, even pulling up the original paint but bonded well in other places. I put some 40 grit on my orbital sander and it worked fairly well. After two hours of work and several curse fits, I was able to get the ROPS loose, I was hoping a buddy would drop by and drink a beer, it's a tough one man job.rickf wrote:On that paint, If it is thick and falling off you might want to try heating it with a torch and see if it will peel with a scraper. That works fantastic for bondo, especially if you can heat the metal from behind.
Re: M718A1 restoration
When I removed the ROPS on the A2, to get the rear legs loose in the foot, I had to cut one leg, then heat and twist the ROPS leg with a pipe wrench.Then free up the other leg, then use heat/twisting the leg.I have a picture of using a floor jack to free it from the foot, but no success.
mark
1968 m274A5
1960 m151
1981 m151A2
1964 m416
1971 m416
1968 m274A5
1960 m151
1981 m151A2
1964 m416
1971 m416
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- Brigadier General
- Posts: 2520
- Joined: October 1st, 2010, 12:19 am
- Location: El Dorado, Arkansas
Re: M718A1 restoration
They never installed the rear section of the ROPS, just the front section, and installed a hardtop with a few sheet metal screws, it was supposedly used as a runabout jeep on an AFB. There was no way the bar was coming out without unbolting the feet, had to be creative holding backup on some of the mounting bolts, plus they were all rusty with locknuts. It took me a while to beat the feet off, they were bonded on with rust, and I couldn't get it out without removing the feet, started to come-a-long the legs together a couple inches.Mark wrote:When I removed the ROPS on the A2, to get the rear legs loose in the foot, I had to cut one leg, then heat and twist the ROPS leg with a pipe wrench.Then free up the other leg, then use heat/twisting the leg.I have a picture of using a floor jack to free it from the foot, but no success.
Re: M718A1 restoration
Ya, on the middle/front feet I unbolted them from the mutt, removed the ROPS, laid it on the ground, heated the feet up, took a BFH and beat the feet off.I read somewhere they weren't meant to come off as the ROPS wasn't to be removed, etc. I have always wondered in an actually rollover with force how well the body held together?
mark
1968 m274A5
1960 m151
1981 m151A2
1964 m416
1971 m416
1968 m274A5
1960 m151
1981 m151A2
1964 m416
1971 m416
Re: M718A1 restoration
The couple ROPS that I removed I kind of cheated, I used a forklift under the rops and lifted the vehicle up a few inches off the ground and then started beating up against the bottom of the forks with a sledge. Between the shock on the cage and the 2000 lb. vehicle pulling down the tubes pulled out, rust or no rust. Usually one or two at a time and I would use a come-a-long to hold that corner up to even out the load as the others came loose. Heat from a torch was also used on the feet. I did have one that after three hour we said the hell with it and torched it out. It was easier to weld up the holes than fight with it for days.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone
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- Brigadier General
- Posts: 2607
- Joined: December 9th, 2007, 10:49 am
- Location: ~ Heaven ~
Re: M718A1 restoration
When the rear mounts were frozen in place I resorted to cutting the pipe with a Sawzall at the wheelhouse.
I then removed the whole stanchion and remaining pipe from the bottom.
Not a fun job.
The Canadien ROPs is so much simpler and less destructive to the vehicle
Fil Bonica
I then removed the whole stanchion and remaining pipe from the bottom.
Not a fun job.
The Canadien ROPs is so much simpler and less destructive to the vehicle
Fil Bonica
K1ABW
Re: M718A1 restoration
Any idea what the story is behind that goofy hole in the locker door?
Re: M718A1 restoration
Ya gotta balance those tough jobs with some easy jobs or your chums will go get their beer elsewhere!Hambone wrote:rickf wrote:I was hoping a buddy would drop by and drink a beer, it's a tough one man job.
Cheers,
TJ
Re: M718A1 restoration
Looks like that right side mirror bracket doesn't play well with the cowling. You had better watch folding that windshield frame down carefully or you'll have another job to do on that truck!
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- Brigadier General
- Posts: 2607
- Joined: December 9th, 2007, 10:49 am
- Location: ~ Heaven ~
Re: M718A1 restoration
You need one of my new special brackets.
It mounts to the same points and uses a conventional mirror mount.
When folding the windshield there should not be any interference.
Fil Bonica
It mounts to the same points and uses a conventional mirror mount.
When folding the windshield there should not be any interference.
Fil Bonica
K1ABW