My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

[Lance-W]

Hello All,
I've been lusting over a Mule of my own for many years now. Pretty much ever since I found the G503 as a result of restoring a 1943 GPW. So after a few failed attempts to find a Mule I finally found the ONE

A little about me: I've restored many muscle cars (Chevelles, Camaros, Mustangs, Landcruisers, Corvairs, etc.) So the Mule is in good hands ?

I took a bunch of pictures for you Mule aficionados to look at and tell me what I have and what it needs. It currently runs well and moves in all gears with no clunking noises

Tires (Summit) and tubes and a dataplate (Emery Mule parts) have already been ordered.

I'd really like to find someone that has a 4 wheel steer set-up they'd like to sell.

Anyways on to the pictures.............

























































It obviously needs a correct battery box.






















I find it amazing that the tow bar bracket is still there......




So gentlemen, how did I do?

[Gunslinger1$]

Looks like you have a GREAT mule to start with!! It's always great to have new mulers on board. Welcome
P.S. Ford and Chevy made muscle cars? Just kidding!

[Auto Shop teacher]

I liked the "Corvair" muscle car the best. (Just kidding of course!) I have never seen a Corvair muscle car before, but our railroad museum hosts a Corvair owners car show, and there are some very clean ones on display.

Mules; It looks like you found yourself a good mule with nice bones, (mine seem to be more in the basket case category), which gives you lots of options on what you want to do with it. I would say that new tires are a great idea as you can almost see the air inside the tires you now have.

Welcome aboard and please do not be afraid to ask questions as someone out there probably knows the answer and all of us readers can learn from it too.

[muleman7]

Lance
You have a A5 that is almost 100% complete You did Great. The mule is clean and straight and you have a great set of Hand Rails. You need a Tow Bar and Pin, Ignition Switch and Switch Plate, Governor Cover, Chain and Clips for the Top Foot Basket Clamp, Safety Pins for the Shift Clevis Pin-Low High Rod-Emr Brake Clevis Pin, the correct Emr Handle Spring, Packard Female Connector for the Magneto and a new Ignition-Magneto Wire. This is the first Muffler I have seen that has the Outlet tube turned to the side instead of the rear. I noticed a 2nd Spring on the Brake Assy under the Mule this is not Original.
Emery Mule Supple should have the above items in stock.
I sent you a PM about needing a 4 Wheel Steering Kit

[gpw6335]

Nice find, never seen mule tires that worn, good luck on resto.

[Lance-W]

The Corvair and the Landcruiser both had small block Chevys in them so let's just say they were wanna be Muscle Cars?

[Chuck W.]

You need a Tow Bar and Pin, Ignition Switch and Switch Plate, Governor Cover, Chain and Clips for the Top Foot Basket Clamp, Safety Pins for the Shift Clevis Pin-Low High Rod-Emr Brake Clevis Pin, the correct Emr Handle Spring, Packard Female Connector for the Magneto and a new Ignition-Magneto Wire.

Shutter is missing from the blower cover..

Your mule looks like it has been sitting for a while, be sure to pull the top shroud and check for rat's nest on top of the left cylinder before you run it very much.

[Auto Shop teacher]

Just how important it the shutter cover on the blower intake? When would that ever be used?

[Chuck W.]

Just how important it the shutter cover on the blower intake? When would that ever be used?

[Lance-W]

Well the tires from Summit Racing showed up. One day from Nevada to SoCal. I was pretty excited.........till I opened the package.

Be aware the tires no longer say Denman on them. Even the picture on the Summit website shows a tire with Denman on it.
(Now that I've looked at the Summit website about a hundred times there is something down in the description that says they no longer say Denman. My mistake I was just looking at the picture)

The picture from the Summit website:


The tires that actually showed up. The "made in Taiwan" is on both sides as well as the safety warning about mounting them.











Fortunately the Made in Taiwan will hopefully be hidden by the rim...........I hope!!!!!!!!!!

[LifeLongWNYer]

I hate to digress from the thread, and I know that a detailed drawing on making a tow bar is available, but thought I'd ask.... Are ready made tow bars available? I would like one, but not so bad as to fabricate one. Maybe later, but not now.


JBP


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[Lance-W]

I hate to digress from the thread, and I know that a detailed drawing on making a tow bar is available, but thought I'd ask.... Are ready made tow bars available? I would like one, but not so bad as to fabricate one. Maybe later, but not now.


JBP


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viewtopic.php?f=148&t=250395

[Chuck W.]

Lance, that's the only choice we have right now for the CORRECT NDMD mule tire. There is an NDT tire in the correct size, but it's not correct for a mule. Your mule will look so good with new tires on it, you won't even notice!

BTW - When you mount the new tires, be careful not to trap air between the tube and the tire. The tire fits the rim so tight (in fact, mine are mounted tubeless!) that it's possible to trap a lot of air in the tire and after a while, the air will leak out around the valve stem and you'll think you have a problem with the tube when you really don't.

[Lance-W]

Well the tires are here, the tubes are here, the wheels are blasted and now we just wait on the paint............ I guess I have one Magnesium wheel and three Aluminum wheels. You can feel the difference in the weight even if the the three of them didn't say Alcoa on them (Magnesium only weighs 2/3rds of what an aluminum one weighs). Plus the part numbers are different.

P.S. If anyone has trouble getting the wheels off the hubs after you take the lugnuts off..........The trick of leaving the nuts on but a bit loose (like an 1/8" loose) and then driving it worked GREAT. I had one that refused to come off no matter what I did to it. About 200 feet down the road it was loose

[LifeLongWNYer]

I wasn't so lucky getting one of my wheels off the hub. The previous owner said he had driven it for over a year with "NO" lug nuts and the wheel was still firmly attached.

I was uncomfortable doing that so i spent a month and one whole can of Kroil, a silicon/oil penetrating oil soaking the wheel and hub, all the time going out every few days and pounding on it. NO LUCK. I finally took the hub off and laid it horizontal on the floor and used another 1/2 can of Kroil. Finally I took it to a buddy who has a hydraulic press. THAT fixed it!

When my wheels go on now, I brush on a little Never-seeze.


Nice Mule, they are more fun after you have one, than you would imagine before you have one!



JBP