WC53 Carryall Restoration Entry #79 and 80

From: cdavis (cdavis@webworldinc.com)
Date: Mon Jun 25 2001 - 14:19:48 PDT


Friday evening I painted the misc. parts and the wheels. I also got the
battery tray in, and installed the front fender brackets. Before turning
in for the night I cleaned up the garage. I find that if I don't take some
time to do that during a project it quickly deteriorates to a point that
it's difficult to move around or even find the tools I need for the job.

Saturday Deryk Walker came over to give me some help. We made some real
progress. The front driver's side brake cylinder was replaced with a new
unit from Midwest Military and the brake system bled. Brakes work nicely
now, but the Master Cylinder has a slow leak. I'll have to pull it and
try the rebuild kit I have.

Deryk and I moved on to the passenger side rear fender. It went on easily
enough so we went to put the other side on only to find the running board
needed to be in place first. Deryk had attached the running board brackets
while I was doing the brake cylinder, but now we needed the wood blocks
that fit in the brackets and extend about a half inch, supporting the
running board. Fortunately Deryk had brought his WC56 Command Car and we
were able to measure the wood blocks on it. The table saw came in handy
and after some trial fitting and debate as the bolt hole placement we got
that running board on.

Before we had everything bolted down Deryk noticed the spare tire carrier
needed to be put on BEFORE the running board. Deryk also had the foresight
to put the driver's side floor plate in while we could still open the door.
(Once the spare tire carrier is in you can only open the driver's door an
inch or two.)

Now we moved on to the other rear fender, which proved no more difficult
than the first. The hood came next, and part of doing the hood is getting
the radiator top cowl bolted back on. The four bolts that hold this unit
on are practically inaccessible! After numerous attempts, and much sweat
and verbal persuasion we managed to get three of the four back in... and
that was good enough.

We attacked the driver's side front fender next. Inner fender was easy
enough, two bolts and make certain the high/low beam switch wires don't get
pinched. Then the outer fender. First we had to remove the old split
rivets that held the lower fender canvas welt and install the new welting
and rivets. Then the fender went on. We put all the bolts in hand tight,
then snugged everything down, only to find I had left the front bracket
bolts off. I tried to get them in, but ultimately had to loosen everything
up again.

While I worked on that, Deryk put the welting on the other front fender and
we got it hung in time for a quick photo shoot before he had to head
home. I don't know where I would have been without his help, but I'm very
grateful for his willingness to spend one of the warmest Saturdays we've
had this year laboring under an old truck. Friends like that are few and
far between.

I worked latter into the evening, getting the passenger side running board,
battery box lid, front bumper, brush guards, head and blackout light
housing bolted on. It looks like a truck again.

Oh, and those two mystery fender pieces I spent so much time stripping
Thursday, and painting Friday night? They didn't fit into the WC53 fender
puzzle at all... came off my M37 when I swapped engines to a V8.

Chris Davis
MVPA# 20000
Lake Forest, CA
'42 WC53 Carryall
'66 M274A2 Mule



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