Restoration of GP 8546

[DannyP]

Went to the Findlay MV show Friday and Saturday. Had a great time, and picked up a couple little parts I needed. Finally got to meet Brad and Mindy Gates after about a million emails and phone calls. Met some other people I had only talked to on here. Met some new nice people also. Even saw another GP. Had two people recognize me from my posts here. They said they enjoyed my daily yapping! At least now I know two people read this.

Well I managed some time out in the barn today. It was too windy to spray roundup as I had planned. Spent some time trying to fix my now about 1/4" hood gap. I tried the couple tricks that were suggested. I must really be missing something there. I can't seem to make any difference. Lindsay Clark has offered a couple times to come over and use his valuable experience to help me out. I think it's time I ask for his help with it. At this point I don't know what to do other than to make the holes in the frame and grill a lot bigger.

After that didn't work out I moved to my new carb fitting. Brad made up a new fitting that is supposed to seal with my Solex. I think he's on the right track, but it still leaks. That thing is driving me nuts. Should have never taken it apart after it sealed up with the teflon tape.

After both those failures I decided I needed to try something different. One of the annoying things about working on the hood is that is has nowhere to rest when it's up. So I went and grabbed my windshield frame. Determined not to leave the project on a bad note. I have a feeling this might really be my last chance to work out there before I leave next Monday. Luckily the windshield went pretty well.



It's really weird seeing it with the windshield on there after all this time. You can see the blue tape over some spare rubber pieces on the cowl that I was using to keep my temporary hood bolts from scratching the cowl. The frame still needs a little adjusting, but overall it went really well I think. Here is a rear shot.



When I close the window in the frame it seems to be pulling it back too far? It would be fine just looks funny. Maybe the repro windshield adjustment arms are incorrect. Maybe I just put it all together wrong. Not sure yet, but I'll figure it out. Here you can see that the inner window seems to be going too far in.



Not sure why it does that. Looks good laying down though.



Also got a new part in the mail. I bought this little start button from Mac's first. Wow what a piece of junk. Broke before I could even get it in the dash. Then after I put it back together it quit working after like the third push. I bought a NOS one online says Made in USA on the back and you can certainly tell the difference. Hopefully it will last a long time. Had a discussion with some experts over the weekend. I had always thought the chrome and black was the correct one. They were thinking the all chrome was correct?



That was it for today. I hope I get some more time out there before I leave, but this was probably it. At least if it is it didn't end up being a total disaster like it has the last couple times.

[Rory Grenier]

Chrome and black !!!! 100% correct is my opinion.
Rory

[mudbox]

Hi Danny. Perhaps you're having so many issues with leaking fuel from he Carb because you're not using the correct wrench?
Here's the one you need...

Seriously though, you're doing a superb job on that GP. I hope you have it running and driving around soon. Looks fantastic!
-Jason

[DannyP]

I hope it's right Rory. This NOS one is so much nicer than the one I bought from Macs. Brad and Jim seemed to think the all chrome one was correct? Nevertheless this one will be staying in my GP for awhile.

Jason. That wrench probably is the key! Now I understand all my problems. Brad must have read this. He sent me an email with pictures of him testing a fitting like mine. It worked. I sent him the fitting I bought from him along with my solex elbow. Hopefully he can figure out why it leaks.

Appreciate the kind words about my restoration. I'm trying my best! It will be driving very soon after I get back from Europe.

Thanks again!

[Jim Gilmore]

Danny,

Nice to meet and talk to you at Findlay...........

This is quite an epic restoration thread and very well done!

A few things about your vehicle......

Your motor was assembled at the Ford Rouge Motor Building on 2/25/1941. It would have been used in assembly usually three days later.....which would give you a DOD of March, 3 or 4, 1941.

As for the flat tool box lid....I have not found anything that suggests how many were built with these so the 25 number is mostly someone's guess.

Your radiator is original as the very early ones had the overflow tube running to the left side of vehicle and did not have the center rubber bumper or reinforcement on the radiator. Around mid March the tube was changed to the front and by April, 1, 1941 the bumper and reinforcement was added.



Some other minor things........

Starter button should be all metal. (black button is incorrect for your vehicle)

Headlight switch on dash on very early vehicles was black with black knob, later black with OD knob. All green switches may also have been used much later.

Screws on the wiring harness clips should be cad plated as are the ones holding the wiring cover on.

Fuel filter bracket was not painted and bolts holding it to the firewall were black oxide finished.

Battery hold down was OD. (battery was from 9N tractor).

Your vehicle may have had the very early air cleaner without the ribs on the top but I cannot say for sure at this time.

Wood seat bases should be painted OD, and should have footman loops under the passenger seat for side curtain and top storage.

Reflector bezels with stamping on them are not correct for GP.....GP ones were not stamped.

And.....NEVER use Teflon tape for any fuel fittings...the fuel will dissolve the tape and it will leak.......

Jim Gilmore

[DannyP]

Here's some pictures from the Normandy run. It's been great fun! Had a little fuel problem with the Bantam and I almost lit my GP handbrake on fire! Going good though. Really surprised how fast they are though. The English roads through all these small villages are beautiful. Going to be a fantastic time.











Got to see the Joe's Motor Pool shop yesterday. They have some amazing machines there. Was really surprised by how many women work there. I'll get some pics up of that later. Difficult doing this on my phone.

Thanks for the comments and information Jim. I'll get you an email when I get back

[Chem1]

Danny,
Thanks for the Europe update! Sounds like an awesome experience! Definitely on my "Ultimate Bucket List"!

[rjbeamer]

Hey Danny. Nice pictures. In your second picture down that is the Leapin Lizard GP that sold in Aug. of 2014 from Rancho Santa Fe Ca. Nice GP and I wondered where it went.

Roger

[DannyP]

I've been driving the lizard. Is goes well. They had to rebuild the engine completely and rewire it.

Yesterday got stuck in Omaha Beach twice! David Welch buried the MA almost to the rear axle. Have to admit David and I the Americans are not putting on a good show. Now we have both turned handbrake lining into giant clouds of white smoke. At least the Brits have an extra reason to tease us now.... Not that they need any extra ammo. The best driver of the bunch is Alan. An 80 year old British guy that has moved to Australia. He hasn't had a single problem and keeps up like an F1 driver.

British Danny almost ran the Bantam into the MA while demonstrating some beach drifting techniques. And for some reason I keep getting rear ended at every stop like on an episode of top gear. Anything for a good laugh. We are all having great fun. Bantam has no brakes, first, reverse or synchro gears left. But Danny is still keeping up. They're all about driving these jeeps if it breaks it can be fixed. Put in just over 400 miles in the last couple days. I doubt there is any part that the guys from Joe's Motor Pool couldn't make if they put their minds to it. They don't have much faith in American restorations since all the relined tanks seem to be filled with sand and the bantam speedo cable was improperly routed and cut the rear brake line in half. I guess the headlights only worked when the brake pedal was depressed too. I'm catching a lot of grief because of some other persons mistakes. Hopefully I won't make the same mistakes on my own.

If you've never been here it's amazing the size of the beaches. The scale of the invasion is just amazing to me. Yesterday saw Pont Du Hoc, Omaha beach and got to drive across a Mulberry bridge which was interesting. Today Sword beach and it's time to roll out. I'm catching hell for writing an essay. I'll leave you with some pictures and see you later.

[DannyP]

The bantam has only two gears left and a broken rear brake line, but what are the Aces British mechanics worried about??? That's right the squeaky "windscreen" frame. They'll bother with the brakes and trans after we drive a couple hundred miles back the the UK.



David Welch had to redo the U bolts on the MA.

Going to clean my fuel filter and change a tire on the lizard this evening. Right now we're all eating dinner at a restaurant by the sea in grandcamp maisy.

[George Hollins]

Danny - did you fix your Solex fuel leak problem? I had the same problem with my Solex and installed O-rings inside the fittings. The leaks stopped.

O-ring large inside Solex fitting #6, 7/16 x 5/16 x 1/16
O-ring small inside fitting that goes into Solex fitting #5, 3/8 x 1/4 x 1/16

George

[John James Arnold]

Hi Danny
Just looking at your latest thread....with regard to the seats...I cannot get the right "T" nuts over here in England for my resto...do you have any left over that I could purchase? or could you get enough to do both seats? it would really help....by the way your thread has been a great help to me and a great encouragement...keep it going...Best regards John

[rjbeamer]

Good day John. The type of T-nuts that Danny used are available from Mc Master Carr and I believe that they will ship to the UK. They call them Round base weld nuts with nibs. I assume that you need 1/4"-20 Tpi. Their part number is 90607A320. 1 box of 50 is $11.37 USD. plus shipping.

Roger

Edit note and spelling: I don't know how thick of plywood that you are using , the barrel length or height on this part number is 9/16". They have shorter ones listed also.

[DannyP]

Hey John and Roger. I'll look at Rogers part number later. He could be right. But there are two different sizes of T nuts. If I remember correctly six at front and rear are 1/4-20. The maybe 8 down the sides are 5/16". I didn't realize their are two different sizes until it was too late. Now I have to redo my seat wood again. I'll look for the part numbers. If Roger is right I'll order a set and send you half. Give me a day or so and I'll figure it out.

I did work on the jeep today. Hopefully have some good progress to post tomorrow.

[John James Arnold]

Hi Danny
Thanks for the info...will await your reply...Best regards John