Fat Albert's '43 MB 217048 Project Thread

[The Raven]

Wow.....I was lucky when I opened my MC it was stuck as well. Using the wrench and hammer at the end method I was able to break it loose....glad I didn't break it. sure you can't just buy another cap?

If nothing else, go ahead and get a new MC from Ron, they are only about $55.

[Fat Albert]

Yeah Adam... I had read where one guy said his snapped off so I was taking it easy on mine. Nothing extreme by any measure. I guess it must have already been weakened by who knows what. I thought about trying to find another cap and go ahead and rebuild it. But honesty I think I'm scared of it now. Brakes are kinda important you know? I'm planning on ordering a new one from Ron... eventually. Next up on my list of things to buy is a gallon of OD green to paint my soon to be blasted frame! Once I get everything frame wise blasted and painted then I'll begin purchasing the rebuild stuff. At laest that is my plans for now. Who knows what they will be tomorrow!

[The Raven]

Brakes....oh hell, who needs brakes...just downshift and only stop when you find a hill

I lost a caliper...actually kept freezing to the disk every time I I touched it requiring me to pry it open. After the third time of prying a hot caliper open I said the hell with it and drove the final 22 miles home using nothing but downshifting, hills and planning to drive legally.

[Ethan L]

I had the same thing happen to me, just not in an MV. Wouldn't want to do it again, but couldn't afford the tow. There is nothing like a manual "real" transmission!

[The Raven]

I had the same thing happen to me, just not in an MV. Wouldn't want to do it again, but couldn't afford the tow. There is nothing like a manual "real" transmission!

Mine was a 97 jeep. Too bad real transmissions are becoming far and few between.

[Fat Albert]

I've only experienced "no brakes" on bicycles and 4 wheelers. Scary enough for me... Resulting in cuts, scratches and broke bones! I think I will wimp out on trying that in a jeep!

[Fat Albert]

Ok... not much time today but I did get a LITTLE bit done. Slow and steady finishes the race right?! Maybe. Anyways... I spent about 45 minutes stripping a few more things off the frame. It's hard to believe I've been working on this jeep for how long now?! And I'm STILL tearing it apart!?! I always knew I was slow but this is ridiculous!

So as I said, I spent about 45 minutes stripping a few more items off the frame beginning with the generator shield. 3 little 7/16th bolts hold it on. The one under the motor mount is a bolt and nut. The two in the frame have captive nuts inside the frame. Meatloaf once crooned that 2 out of 3 ain't bad. In this case it is.

One broke off inside the frame. I think that makes 2 or 3 broken bolts left in the frame I'm going to have to deal with soon. I was planning on using as many of the original nuts and bolts as I could salvage but now I am seriously having second thoughts about that. This bolt today was not even under a lot of pressure when it broke. It was turning easy... then just wrung right off. How do I know that they won't snap under daily driving pressure? I am thinking I am going to order all new nuts and bolts from Ron when I go to putting this thing back together.

Bolts aside I was able to get the shield off. Boy does it look sad and abused.


But a 2 pound steel hammer works wonders as a persuader!

[Fat Albert]

I test mounted it back to the frame to make sure I didn't bend it in the wrong places. It fit but I didn't get any pics... sorry about that.

I think it is definitley salvagable... but it is going to have a bit of welding at the bracket.

Honestly, I posted that just to show off that glorious OD shining through!

I then moved onto these little things. Are they some sort of bumper for the springs? I need to look that up. Two 1/2" bolts apiece with captive nuts inside the frame. You can't see it in these pics but there is another bolt for me to drill or ease out. I had to cut one due to a stripped head. I probably could have cut a slot in the head and used a big screw driver or waited until I procured a pair of vise grips or something. But supper was close to being done and I wasn't thinking straight... sooooo... out comes the grinder! More work for later.


These look pretty sad... kind of squished. Add that to the order list.



And one last picture... I found this when I turned the frame up on its side. This is the front Willys tube crossmember where it fastens to the driver's side.


Alrighty... that's all I got tonight. I'm out of here. Going to cruise you guys' threads for a little bit before crashing for the night. Ya'll have a good night.

[The Raven]

Broken enough bolts myself. It's amazing how weak they are isn't it?

[Fat Albert]

Scary easy sometimes. Makes you wonder what is really holding things together.

[philbrinson]

Dutch;

That is just the metal backing plate for the axle bumpers. As most of them are usually found, its missing the rubber bumper part. The deformation is to give the rubber something to key into when its formed together.

Phil

[zepher11]

Yes, those broken bolts are a real pain to deal with. I had a few on my project, but it looks like you won the rusted bolt lottery. It is a time comsumer for sure getting them all sorted out. If any questional bolts show up, I would replace them. Especially if they're in an area that is criticle to the operation of the MB. I have been trying to reuse all my F marked bolts, but some were just not up to the task.

Keep plugging alone. It's tedious work, but it will provide satisfaciton in the end!

[thidisbogus]

Thanks for the update and taking the time to post the pictures. What is odd is I installed the splash shield just a couple of days ago and the two bolts that go into the captive nuts on the frame are the bigger ones like yours but the nut and bolt that were on the engine mount were smaller. I wonder which is correct, the two bigger/one smaller like me or the three big ones like you?

[The Raven]

One thing I've been doing with my bolts is chasing them with a threader. Cheap process to make life easier. Kroil works good too

[Fat Albert]

Well... after a month long break from the jeep I finally was able to spend a little time this afternoon on it. Very little time... but it did feel good to do something on it anyways. During the last month I have been spending most of what little time I have had trying to organize my shop/barn a little better... putting up sheething inside on the walls... building shelves and a general cleaning of sorts. It's still a mess but at least I can move around in there and work inside from time to time. I'm still in need of a compressor but at least it is in sight now and I hope to have it before too much longer! Then I can concentrate on sandblasting my frame and smaller parts. I can't wait! But wait I probably will seeing as the next 2 months look to be just as busy if not busier than the past with other obligations. Sigh... one day maybe I'll get to relax a little! Actually I cannot complain... I got it pretty good over here in the Northwest corner of Georgia!

So anyways... here are a few pics of what I was piddling with today. One fender...


It has some little spots that are going to have to be fixed...


And a bit of metal that will have to be added back...


But it has some good parts too... the hat channel is in very good shape! It even has the original wood filler still in it!




I started removing the old paint with the trusty flap disc... thinking it was only paint and primer. I should have known better seeing as how my Bubba REALLY liked his Bondo... I think he used a gallon of Bondo on this one fender! And the only reason I can find for using it was a few very small dings! Bubba covered the WHOLE DANG FENDER from one side to the other to cover a few little dents that could have been covered with a dime! Like I said... he looooved his Bondo!


Welp... that's all I got for tonight. Hopefully it won't be another month before I post again this time around!