Another One Bites the Dust ... New M37 Owner

[Srjeeper]

Guys and Gals, I wanna tell ya, 1943ht is a rock steady good troop.

Looks like we (CAMO) are gonna lose him to WI. very soon...30-60 days??

I think I might just call the Army fellers and see if I can throw a monkey wrench in his "medical retirement".

Ya know PB, I got a hunch he'll be missin the crew as much as they'll be missin him.

Who knows, maybe WI won't hold quite the same appeal as it once did and he'll end up back at the 'Hooch'.

In any case, ya did eachother right and no man can ask for more from this life.

Job well done by all..

 

[1943ht]

Wow .. Pretty overwhelming PAPA BEAR, Thank You! The last 24 months here have been challenging with all the surgeries and therapy. My sanity check has been the CAMO Crew and the camaraderie I've been privileged to share with all my brother vets in this great organization.

The frosting on this cake has been the opportunity to recover all of the WWII and Korea era pieces for preservation and restoration. It has provided me a positive focus and a future path after retirement. I have been blessed to be involved in the Sony Halftrack Documentary and the opportunity to participate with the CAMO Organization.

The generosity of the CAMO Crew from helping me recover goodies to use of the shop and moreover the sharing of advice, knowledge and sweat equity has truly been a blessing.

I will always have a family in Columbus GA, and my new bride has already been briefed on our future missions/visits to the HOOCH.

 

[1943ht]

Some Pics of my baby in the shop with her trailer (Did not have time to pull the tape off the trailer lights and reflectors) primed and ready for some minor body work...Engine turns over... the lights, heater blower etc all work after putting the battery charger to the battery cables .. Need to go thru the carb and distributor when I get back from WI before we start her up!

 

[papabear]

Some Pics of my baby in the shop with her trailer (Did not have time to pull the tape off the trailer lights and reflectors) primed and ready for some minor body work...Engine turns over... the lights, heater blower etc all work after putting the battery charger to the battery cables .. Need to go thru the carb and distributor when I get back from WI before we start her up![/QUOTE]

Ummm...seems like you forgot to lock the bay doors on the shop when ya left!!

As of yesterday, the vehicle had not been recovered!
There were reports of a large dog driving crazy thru the local trailer park!

 

[1943ht]

PAPABEAR .. your pup was tearaing it up this afternoon .. he so wanted to play in the 100+ heat and I have the Bear marks to prove it .. after about 15 minutes it was a race to see who could get in front of the shop fan 1st .. The Bear naturally kicked A$$ with his 4 paw drive .. not sure what I mind more .. the fact that he was hoggin the fan or that he was out tooling around in the M37 last week

Started tearing down my spare engine today (Thank you Troy) .. going to do a complete rebuild of this unit as my bride and I are planning on making the 2012 MVPA ALCAN trip in the M37 ... 3000+ miles and we want to do as much risk mitigation as we can

Not telling anybody something they don't know, but these engines are a thing of beauty .. thought my half-track engine was a sweet design, but this bad boy has nothing to be ashamed of .. simplicity with function .. cant wait to finish the rebuild drop her into the beast and start her up!

Special thank you to PAPABEAR for allowing me the use of his shop space for the last few weeks .. will try to get her buttoned up and out of the way ASAP my friend

 

[papabear]

You're a good troop Mark.
You are ...well actually one of two fellers that can get the shop keys without the dispatcher asking my permission or Troy being there. Tony is the other.

BTW...did you see Babybear bite Melvin cause he said he was a bad dog??

I don't mind you using the shop at all. You keep your stuff contained and easily moved if a priority mission presents itself and you do a ton of stuff to help out around here.

 

[zout]

Is Bear a little more shade of red oxide now ?

I was noticing how 1943's work area is when he is at it - that is hard to teach someone (housekeeping).
That 37 does look really nice and you have been doing a great job on it.

That CAMO crew does not work at what they do - its just who they are is what makes me so amazed about the group. I have no doubt there was NWH PB was going to hand over keys to the palace if he thought there was any question in mind that someone was not right about the person - you have to be one unique person cause I know Troy and to be placed in that same realm is saying a lot.

If you need any spare parts - just take em off the farm jeep cause it will never get started there is a nice Monroe 3 point hitch system on it.

 

[1943ht]

Thanks ZOUT, sorry I missed the "Q" .. had to sail home to see the war department .. she is the new CINC these days ..

Read about that 4th of July thing .. go figure

You planning on getting down this way soon?

Hope all is well with you and yours .. am planning on making the North GA Rally .. Know I will see you there!

//Vr//
Markus

 

[zout]

That 4th of July incident has turned out AWESOME- I let Ron know, but the Capt is the pastor at a local church as well - he has a youth group with the church and we have made scheduling to go visit.

The Officer is involved with the Explorer program with the PD - we are in the process of making arrangements to go work with them.

These both involve bringing the M109 as an instrument of goodwill.
We also have dedicated parking IN the area where we were with LEO support for next yr.

I e mailed PB this morning - he mentioned the power plant for the 43 in a little detail. I missed coming down the 9th due to work - but Deb and I really need to see some "real" folks and coming down will sooth that itch. That might work out if I can get my paws on a trailer to bring back what may be awaiting in the very near future.

That 37 is really sharp and I am envious on how great of a job you have done with it so far.

I gotta dig through PB's boxes if he lets me to see if there is a trim ring for the spotlight around.

 

[usmctopgun]

awesome rebuild, looks great

 

[1943ht]

Started the engine rebuild and am multi-tasking by pulling the existing engine out of the beast... all the rebuild goodies should arrive Tue or Wed from Midwest Motors and Vintage Power Wagons to complete the rebuild. Intend to have the engine finished by thge end of next week!!!!


Troy and I were a couple of busy troops today ... valves all pulled and hand lapped... bearings and rings are in excellent condition as the spare engine had just been rebuilt before going into a 10 year hibernation .. We pulled a couple of pistons and bearings (Rod and Main) to check tolerances etc. … on the Mark (Pun totally intended )

 

[1943ht]

Some more pics of engine compartment .. and the beast ..pulled the burned out headlights the other night .. primed the buckets for the new lights and the new wire harness .. motivated baby!!!!!

 

[papabear]

Dang!!! I had to leave the hooch a little early yesterday to take care of a few "honeydo" missions.

Did you guys get the old engine out??

That's gonna make Zout a happy camper...and a busy(er) one!

 

[Ghostdriver]

OOO!! Another one about to roar back to life!!

 

[zout]

Zout is just happy as a woodpecked knocking on wood just staring that thsi 43 up here. I am just astounded daily.

1943 - awesome work

 

[Srjeeper]

PAPABEAR ... thought my half-track engine was a sweet design, but this bad boy has nothing to be ashamed of .. simplicity with function .. cant wait to finish the rebuild drop her into the beast and start her up!

Special thank you to PAPABEAR for allowing me the use of his shop space for the last few weeks .. will try to get her buttoned up and out of the way ASAP my friend

43ht...heard all about the halftrack at last years Gathering...how bout some pics...'Sir'....'Please'..

 

[1943ht]

PAPABEAR, almost ready to yank .. ran out of steam and the phones were ringing as it was getting late .. just have the traney tunnel to pull loose and the shifter to remove .. all other stuff is disconnected, .. Monday AM will plan on pulling it clear!

SRJEEPER Here are some pics of the "African Queen" .. have not had an opportunity to work on her since 08 (my last deployment) as I have been at Benning since I returned from that tour in Apr 09 .. she is about 90% preserved back to her original state ..I have pretty much all of her original items (working radios, weapons, BII, DECON equipment, first-aid kits, blankets, sleeping bags, CAMO nets etc etc etc) .. just need the time to get them installed, mounted, wired back in etc.... Its been a great experience!

 

[1943ht]

"Queens" Nose Art (Compliments of my very talented brother JD), some pics of work in the shop, a couple of pics of the "Queen:" at a Touch a Truck event with her ammo trailer but minus her Maxon turret which I need to finish going thru and a pic of my M818 (7K miles on the odometer and 230 hours on the engine .. almost like new .. just picked up a turbo and 1600 x 20's to single this bad boy out!)

 

[Srjeeper]

Wow......

Mark, it's everything you said it was and then some...interesting picture of it's tracks in the snow....gotta wonder if that was it's first time in the white stuff?

You need to write a book about the Queen and tell her story.

Thanks for shareing, hope to see you again at the Gathering.

 

[1943ht]

Bill, plan on being there this year .. ""Queen" was built in 43 and saw service in Europe .. Rebuilt along with 418 other A2's and sent to Korea in 52 (I know shes seen her fair share of the white stuff) .. saw 2 years service there and then given to the French and sent to Indo-China in 54 .. Served there until 56 when she was sent to Africa with the French Foreign Legion ..broken down and abandoned to the desert in 58 ..recovered in 06