Fixing up my M422A1 Mighty Mite

[GopherHill]

A very cool vehicle and a great job on the rebuild.

 

[M813rc]

We really should post a master list of situationally appropriate phrases, under select categories. But probably with a password or Parental Guidance button to prevent inadvertent access by the wee folk or those tender of emotion.

Examples of some possible chapter titles -
Things to say about the sadistic swine who put the brake master cylinder under the floor of deuces and 5-tons, then insisted it be checked daily;
Things to say during, and when you finally figure out, an improperly wired trailer plug;
Things to say while trying to unbolt a light that's been there for 60 years inside a tiny hatch with sharp edges;
Things to say about people who drill three useless holes so close together in a Mite floor that they make an artistic shamrock;
Etc.

For those who have not experienced the joys of Marine boot camp, and want to learn Marine cussing, I suggest watching the first half of Full Metal Jacket, where Gunny Ermey gives a splendid course in "Colourful Language as an Art Form".
(My drill instructors used many of those exact phrases and training techniques in 1979, so when I saw the movie a few years later, I thought it was hilarious).

Cheers

 

[SgtMajHarper]

I suppose because I was busy Wednesday trying to get everything finished so we could test drive the Mite and possibly get it home before the predicted monsoon arrived Thursday morning, I neglected to take my usual "in progress" photographs. Some folks chuckle because I take so many pictures, but they are helpful later for recording exactly what was done, and how.
No matter, I'll take the seat back out later to paint the frame, I'll take my pictures then.

Once the seats were removed from the Mite floor, I was confronted by a plethora of holes. Whoever put those seats in had serious issues with spatial awareness and how to use any type of measuring device. It appears that he just drilled holes until he got four that allowed the seat bolts to all go through the floor at the same time. I may have uttered some unkind words about him and his ancestry.
Ideally, we would have welded these up, but remember the entire body is aluminium. Without knowing more about the aluminium itself, Jason didn't feel he could do it without possibly doing more damage than good. My own welding skills go little beyond "Ooh! Sparky fire make metal stick together!".
So, bolts, washers and sealant for the bigger holes, plain sealant for the smaller ones. The floor can always be revisited later once I find someone who can do the job properly.

Then, time to drive it !?! Nope....
While we thought the new rear wiring harness ran where it was supposed to, it had inadvertently been run along inside a panel it should have been outside of, so the clutch pedal linkage was hitting the harness. More naughty words. It was late by then, so we gave up for the night.

Typical Texas springtime - On Wednesday it was 87* and 90% humidity in the shop, the humidity left over from rain that morning.
Thursday morning it was 49* and hosing down rain outside.
I disconnected, moved, and reconnected the wiring harness, checked all the lights and they all still worked. The intake shutter grill was installed. I primed some bits and pieces to be painted green. Still hosing down rain outside.
So I packed up all the no-longer-needed spare parts and my wiring kit to take home. Still hosing down rain outside.
I vacuumed the vehicle out, then practiced getting in and out of the drivers seat, I actually look competent at that now! Still hosing rain outside, forecast is rain until Sunday.
But I want to drive this thing!!

Finally, the torrential rain abated to just rain. We've been wet before and haven't dissolved yet, so out we go to drive the Mite around the yard. That thing is a ball - zippy, light on the steering, and comfortable for such a tiny truck. And everything worked....except, the front brakes. The back brakes will lock up, but nothing up front.
Apparently the front brake line has clogged up. Early on, we blew air through it and it seemed clear, but now pushing hard on the pedal there is no flow to the front brakes at all. There are too many tight bends in the line to just shove something through to clean it out, so I'll see if I can find the right NOS ones from Bensinger. No more progress until the parts arrive.

Cheers

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I was told by one of my Gunnies once that it rains when God is crying and it was probably because of something I said. (Not accusing, just passing it along)

 

[M813rc]

It is entirely possible that I said or did something to cause said crying!

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

Mr. Bensinger did have the brake parts I needed, bless his soul (he has lot of Mite stuff), so now I'm waiting for them to be delivered. In the meantime, rather than just twiddling my thumbs, some busy work...

There are two bolts that go through the windshield which appear to be for mounting a rearview mirror, so I did. The standard bracket and mirror that go in most other types of jeep ( here the term 'jeep' is used at is was by us in the military, referring to any small utility vehicle of that breed, as opposed to 'Jeep" which means the ones some folks seem to get all bent out of shape about ).
Despite how it looks in the picture, to the eye the bracket and windshield frame are the same colour.

Once the mirror was bolted on, the silver fire extinguisher bracket on the dash finally bothered me enough to remove it so that it too may don a green mantle.
The bracket and the fuel tank cover both received a good coat of red primer first.

I also picked up some 1/4 turn locks for the gas filler door and the little storage area on the fuel tank cover, all three keyed alike. These will add just enough security to keep idle hands from coonfingering what's inside, though the main purpose is really to give a semi-flat method of keeping those doors closed and preventing rattling.
Probably should have added those before the red primer. Oh well...

Meanwhile I have talked to a chap who is experimenting with reproducing the Mite gear shift boot in new material. If successful, that will be nice, as the non-standard one in there now is not the best compromise.

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

During the week, I got the holes drilled and the locks installed in the fuel tank cover and put a second coat of primer on it.
Note my custom coon-trap paint stand.

I managed to get all the locks oriented the same way, key goes in the same way (teeth to the back) on all, and all turn clockwise to lock. Not exactly a feat of intellectual prowess, but satisfying that I could accomplish it.

Alas, ordering brake parts on Good Friday is not a recipe for quick shipping, they did not actually start heading my way until Wednesday afternoon, with an expected delivery date of tomorrow (Monday). Since I will depart for Europe tomorrow that means a delay of a couple of weeks before installation can take place.

This meant that I felt I needed to vacate the spot in DrJay's shop that the Mite has occupied for three months so he can use that room for his real paying customers. (Photo shows Jason doing a little happy dance looking at the empty space).
The Mite went on the trailer and got hauled out to my place. It's only a little over 5 miles, but I was not going to drive it on the road at all with no front brakes.
When I get back, the Mite will return for parts installation, but it will only be a quick visit rather than taking up temporary residence.

Speaking of coon traps above -
A guy I know (kind of a city chap) was trying to catch a racoon that was eating his cat's food, but unfortunately for him on Friday night he trapped a bobcat instead.
I told him he could release it on my property, I was happy to give him advice, but was heartlessly deaf to his piteous pleas of doing it for him, declining to get hands-on involved.
Last I heard he was still trying to figure out how to open the trap and not lose any flesh!
For those not familiar with them, all bobcats are born with a severe case of the redass....

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

In the immortal words of MacArthur - "I have returned!"
Or, in my best squeaky psycho voice - "I'm baaaaack..."

The ashes of my lifelong friend Peter have been consigned to the rocks and sea of the island of Inishbofin (off the Irish west coast), where we spent holidays since we were children. Inseparable friends and neighbours since we were 5, co-conspirators in all sorts of childhood mischiefs, we remained close friends after I moved to the US in my teens. We were a couple of weeks apart in age, so we had our combined birthday parties on that island each decade. I called him in Ireland on his last birthday, gave him the usual friendly harassment about his advancing antiquity, similar to what he'd given me a couple of weeks before - then he quietly slipped away that night in his sleep. He is missed.

On to the Mite. Obviously nothing done to it while I was away, but now that I'm back, I painted the fuel tank cover green, and it's ready to go back on. The paint is still wet in the pictures. I had found when using Rapco Marine Green previously on my Mule that the flat paint (34052) has an egg shell sheen to it for about a week after applying, but does then go completely flat. The first time I used it, I thought I had incorrectly labeled 24052!

I'll get the Mite back in Jason's shop for the brakes soon, then she'll be finished.

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

Parts of the fuel tank that show through the hatches when open were primed, then painted 34052. I really should have thought to do this before installing the tank in the Mite, it was a pain to paint in situ! At least I wasn't doing a readily visible finish, it will only be visible through the hatches.

Probably more effort than necessary, but I'd just rather not see bright blue in there.

I also installed the now-green fire extinguisher bracket. Like the mirror bracket, this looks the same shade of green to the eye as the dash, even though the camera sees it differently. Perhaps there will be less contrast when the paint fully flattens in a week or so.

Later in the afternoon, having let the paint bake in the sun for a good while, I succumbed to temptation (and lack of patience) and went ahead and installed the cover over the tank. I'm pretty pleased with the results. If the cover was designed to be permanent, I probably would have tightened the tolerances on the fit a bit more, but it looks fine to me.

Cheers

*Edited to add more..

 

[M813rc]

The stars finally aligned sufficiently to get a gap in Jason/DrJay's schedule to work on the Mite in his shop again. Since there is a yellow Camaro sitting in the spot formerly occupied for so long by the Mite, it couldn't just sit and wait for an opportune moment to be worked on between paying customers, and had to be trailered down when opportunity arose.

Said the weather-guessers Tuesday evening with confidence - "All the thunderstorms will clear out of the area by 6am".
The reality Wednesday - at 0800 it was still hosing down rain, no end in the near future, so me and the Mite got wet. I had delayed putting her on the trailer the night before so she wouldn't sit outside in the rain overnight, but .... oh well!
Garbage bags strapped over the seats to at least keep them dry, I loaded her up and off we went.
The rain didn't actually move off until 1300. You only missed by 7 hours, weather guessers!

In fairly short order, the front brake lines and brake block were replaced, the lines were bled and the testing began. The rear brakes were twitchy and kept locking up early, so test - back in the shop and adjust - test - back in the shop and adjust - test - ... all in the rain. The right front didn't seem to be doing much, so we took that one back apart and found it was full of gear oil, the axle seal had given up the ghost. That was squared away, all the oil cleaned out, and then back to testing and adjusting.
This was the most tedious brake adjustment I've ever partaken of, but as there is no proportioning valve in the Mite system, each wheel has to adjusted until the vehicle will stop in a straight line. Suffice it to say, we left a lot of skid marks in the gravel on the driveway!

Now all that remains is to give it a bath, put the canvas top back on, and drive it! Maybe a debut at the Memorial Day parade on Monday.

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

The Mite finally made it's debut a couple of weeks ago at a local car show. It drew a lot of attention and discussion.

Only one person knew what it was!
From others I got everything from "I drove these in the Army back in 19**, but somehow I think they were different", to "Is this a kit car of some kind?"

Air cooled and almost all aluminium surprised many.

As regards the transit to and from the show in the Mite - this thing is just plain fun to drive!
It is zippy on acceleration (I'd almost say overpowered) and handles very well. Steering is comfortable at all speeds. I had thought that it might be twitchy with it's short wheelbase, but it is not, it feels quite stable. I briefly took it up to 55 and it would have gone faster, but I decided it and I were both happier at about 50. No point in pushing it on it's first real road trip, and I wasn't in a hurry. The suspension is surprisingly good, smoothly taking out any jarring bumps, giving a pretty comfortable ride.
All in all, pretty pleasing.

Cheers