G749 preservation

[m1010plowboy]

The work needed to pass a mechanical inspection so it needed to be put together just right. It was put together just right!

 

[Another Ahab]

View attachment 828591

Nice tour, plowboy, thanks for the pics!

Those beauties are DC-3's, is that right?

Do you know if they're airworthy? Do they get flight time?

 

[Another Ahab]

View attachment 828591

Nice tour, plowboy, thanks for the pics!

Those beauties are DC-3's, is that right?

Do you know if they're airworthy? Do they get flight time?

 

[m1010plowboy]

Nice tour, plowboy, thanks for the pics!

Those beauties are DC-3's, is that right?

Do you know if they're airworthy? Do they get flight time?

C-47's, DC-3's, War Birds,.......that get flight time. The Red stripe aircraft is a legend from scrap to flight in something like 156 days.........Come on, there is a year of video talking all about it with a Northern LEGEND of a man that helped keep them going.........all with heart.

Plane Savers - Make her fly again !

She will fly again !

planesavers.com

 

[m1010plowboy]

Spring Pre-Start was hilarious today so let's go through Goose for her 10th anniversary after preservation and look at pictures.

I hunt bunkers for fun and some of the folks I meet have historical blood that won't let go. One of the more seasoned Police commissionaires that guided me on my last tour had just started serving in 1984, when the early deuce began to disappear from Canadian duty. I promised him a drive and today he took the trip to the G749 farm.



Goose was missing a beat when she was parked last year so I already went through the distributor and plugs when two excited seniors showed up. All I had to do was put the D-cap back on and check fluids so I suggested the boys look around. While the gents toured the farm, Goose got dipped, swept, dusted, and made presentable.




I never tell folks Goose will fire up and we'll go driving. I just say we'll try and Goose has started every time for 10 years. Today........Goose was waiting for that day that I promised someone we'd go for a drive. She'd turn but she wouldn't fire. I washed the windows, what could go wrong? At first I thought it was just points and plugs but I saw a wet spot on the carb so....out come the wrenches again to re-torque what I can.




That's why we never let a plowboy do mechanical because I must have done something wrong, under the cap. I'm fast now, unscrewing 8 screws, dropping one only and having someone roll the engine while I "clear" and check for spark. Goose had spark, fuel, air........all I did was adjust point gap and clean things.....I should just clean things. The distributor wasn't loose but I did lean on it so....... I played with timing and Goose still did not want to fire.
I'm no mechanic but all it took was the old boys saying, "Well thanks for trying we're going to head back to town".....and Goose came to life like always. I dint do nuttin! Goose is hilarious to work on because just when you think you know something..........Goose can be humbling. George is heading back to Home Base for a make-over so it's great ole Goose could stop over to say goodbye.




Pre-trip inspection. Here's a toast to 10 years of wear on the Endura paint. The E-brake drum had been rumoured to crack so that's always part of a pre-trip, every trip.



The diffs are up on fluid and the MC is lower than usual so we must guess that Goose is more than ready, again, for a wheel cylinder job. Messy ole' girl does not like sitting through winter.



I'm told the only time to worry is when Goose stops dripping..........that's when you know she's out of fluid!

 

[m1010plowboy]

Are all of those engines on metal frames? I'd be interested in some of the frames to put engines on, so don't scrap them.

Are you coming up here or do I get to bring some essential steel down? Essentially, I'll have 3 blocks off frames and 1 going back on so if I do the math right, I should have 4 spares.

I thought of you because my neighbour of 28 years asked "When are you going to scrap that stuff?" I guess I'm not good at throwing scrap out.

 

[Merle]

Have not posted in a long time. Looking at a couple posts back, I miss the DC-3 days, spent a few years working on them here in the states and in the Congo.

Goose is looking good, sure would like to get up to see you when and if the political climate gets better. Would like to get together with Ben and Paul, when Paul comes up this summer.

Well I got me an M104 trailer for my Deuce that I sold, O WELL. GO FIGURE.

Always enjoy your posts.

 

[m1010plowboy]

Have not posted in a long time. Looking at a couple posts back, I miss the DC-3 days, spent a few years working on them here in the states and in the Congo.

Goose is looking good, sure would like to get up to see you when and if the political climate gets better. Would like to get together with Ben and Paul, when Paul comes up this summer.

Well I got me an M104 trailer for my Deuce that I sold, O WELL. GO FIGURE.

Always enjoy your posts.

What?.....you were plane nuts before you were MV nuts just like me? Now you need to give up that story........In the Congo? Did you put a little in service bio together documenting any of those stories? I get the fellas to do a W5 report of non-combat stories that Goose can carry around for them. Who were you with, what did you see and do, where were you, when was it, why did you end up there, how'd you get home? .......that kind of thing. When the kids are around they get a choice of reading material whether it's comics or magazines or text books.......the teenagers go after the personal biographies of previous serving members. It's something to see a guy that 'just worked as a security guard' get people writing and thanking them 30 years after service. The stories usually just go away so think about anything you might want to share.

You're going to like this! We can take the Deuce and the story of 10,000 C-47's right through to the mid-80's so we've got 30 years of deuce history to save.

Let's unload some of that history right now and make some more room in the truck!

 

[USMC 00-08]

Are you coming up here or do I get to bring some essential steel down? Essentially, I'll have 3 blocks off frames and 1 going back on so if I do the math right, I should have 4 spares.

I thought of you because my neighbour of 28 years asked "When are you going to scrap that stuff?" I guess I'm not good at throwing scrap out.

I'm planning to get up to Montana/Idaho later this summer to see Ben and Merle. Our southern border is wide open to anyone who wants in, but I think our northern border is still locked down. Not sure how we go about getting things across yet. I'll bring a passport incase things open up when I get up that way.

I am definitely in need of some stands. Thanks for saving those for me! I'm hauling some things to Ben. Let me know if there is anything you need brought to you. If you have a desire to visit Oklahoma, we'd enjoy having you. It gets hot here in the summer. Still can't convince Ben to visit in the summer months. I guess a heat index of 115+ doesn't appeal to him. The humidity can be brutal.

 

[Another Ahab]

I'm told the only time to worry is when Goose stops dripping..........that's when you know she's out of fluid!

 

[Merle]

plowboy
Send me your e-mail and will work up a bio the next few days.
Merle

 

[m1010plowboy]

plowboy
Send me your e-mail and will work up a bio the next few days.
Merle

I was going to email this DC-3 story back to you Merle but let's share it here and you can tell me if it's ever happened to you.

Dad flew to Whitehorse after the war to build an airport and on one of the flights they took a DC-3. The seats were configured down the side of the aircraft walls and he described it more like a long canvas bench. Dad decided to sit near the back of this long bench and until the aircraft was airborne the seat sloped downhill towards him. Once the plane was rolling the tail would come up and it was supposed to be a very comfortable ride. There was a young lad that sat next to Dad and he seemed to start fidgeting when they were getting ready to land. Pop's discovered what happened to the young man's bladder when the mains hit the runway and the tail started to drop. A warm liquid began to flow and pool under Dad's pants that he wouldn't feel until he stood up, ......first at the door,........ in front of everyone.

The G749 farm is almost done planting food so we found time to do some trimming on the 302 herd.

We have one engine left to tear down and they've all looked like this so far. I've found a couple of fellas that want rolling engines for rebuilds. I'm guessing the last one looks like this too and as a landscaper I appreciate the color, texture, harmony, rhythm and balance of the dirt but I don't know my pistons.


These look done to a landscaper but........Are these done or will they be pistons again with a clean up an a soak? How can this be prevented?

 

[1944mb]

Still can't convince Ben to visit in the summer months. I guess a heat index of 115+ doesn't appeal to him. The humidity can be brutal.

Yeah, 90F here has no appeal. I wouldn't mind experiencing it just once, But that would be with A/C close at hand.

 

[1944mb]

I was going to email this DC-3 story back to you Merle but let's share it here and you can tell me if it's ever happened to you.

Dad flew to Whitehorse after the war to build an airport and on one of the flights they took a DC-3. The seats were configured down the side of the aircraft walls and he described it more like a long canvas bench. Dad decided to sit near the back of this long bench and until the aircraft was airborne the seat sloped downhill towards him. Once the plane was rolling the tail would come up and it was supposed to be a very comfortable ride. There was a young lad that sat next to Dad and he seemed to start fidgeting when they were getting ready to land. Pop's discovered what happened to the young man's bladder when the mains hit the runway and the tail started to drop. A warm liquid began to flow and pool under Dad's pants that he wouldn't feel until he stood up, ......first at the door,........ in front of everyone.

The G749 farm is almost done planting food so we found time to do some trimming on the 302 herd.

We have one engine left to tear down and they've all looked like this so far. I've found a couple of fellas that want rolling engines for rebuilds. I'm guessing the last one looks like this too and as a landscaper I appreciate the color, texture, harmony, rhythm and balance of the dirt but I don't know my pistons.


These look done to a landscaper but........Are these done or will they be pistons again with a clean up an a soak? How can this be prevented?


View attachment 834611 View attachment 834608 View attachment 834609 View attachment 834610 View attachment 834613 View attachment 834612

Those engines looks sweet. I fired the deuce up the other day...brake pedal went to the floor. I am waiting to hear back from the engine machinist on my spare 302. Ready to start making headway on that project

 

[Another Ahab]

Dad flew to Whitehorse after the war to build an airport and on one of the flights they took a DC-3. There was a young lad that sat next to Dad and he seemed to start fidgeting when they were getting ready to land. Pop's discovered what happened to the young man's bladder when the mains hit the runway and the tail started to drop. A warm liquid began to flow and pool under Dad's pants that he wouldn't feel until he stood up, ......first at the door,........ in front of everyone.

So BOTH of them (the young lad and also your dad), got the same "thrill" from that flight?!

 

[m1010plowboy]

Can you imagine your wife making you drive 7 hrs to go pick up her next project truck. It happens!

I listed Gracie just to see if the right person was out there......and she was. Gracie is going to stay in the same family where George went but she's going to be a family camper for a while. Another G749 heading to a good home.

It was Texas hot at the G749 farm and I had to get her running if we wanted an easy drive onto a trailer. I knew working in the shade would be a good plan. Gracie was parked in an open field and knew something was going on when I hooked my 6000lb, air-conditioned pick-up to her instead of grabbing Goose. I wasn't sure we could get her rolling but Gracie followed along behind the pick up like she was on a mission.



I hadn't touched Gracie in years so I wanted to go through fluids and get her fired up before the new owners arrived. The Tm said to set the level in the rad by this tap on the front. Just like most GM's, they seem to set there own levels. Everything but the MC was where I left it.



Hooking up the batteries in Gracie is easier than any other truck. Someone carved the instructions right in the hood.



I had time to load up the spare parts for Gracie's new Mom and found this plug. I think it goes up there.

 

[m1010plowboy]

I stood on Gracie's bumper for at least an hour before the new owners showed up. I hooked up chains, dragged her around.......I never saw the wasp nest. Just a few minutes after the new owners arrive their dog walks under the truck.......and he gets stung. I got lucky twice ...so far.



I didn't have time to turn Gracie over before the transport arrived so the new owner's husband and I got to work together to see if she'd fire. I'm not sure which one of us was more surprised but we primed the carb and Gracie started like a new truck. The in-tank pump gave me grief before so instead of pulling it for repair we were ready for the 1 gallon bottle trick and all I had to do is run over to Piglet and grab a hose from under the hood.



Third swing of the day and the luck just kept pilling up. I'll say that the heat made my situational awareness drop and miss the first wasp nest warning but I whipped open this hood like an idiot. I was already standing on the bumper and probably could have just listened for a second or opened it slowly....but I was in a hurry. The hose was on the right side of the engine and the nest on the left so I didn't notice until about thirty of those flying biters filled the peripheral. I launched off the bumper, landed,.......and ran like a headless chicken. No stings....no hose....but no stings.



After improvising with a different hose, Gracie fired right up and I had the pleasure of the last drive off the G749 farm. The odometer read 6614 miles when it was loaded on the trailer. With the condition of the original gear, that may be right.



I'm almost certain that it won't be the last time we see Gracie. There's even talk about getting George and Gracie together again just north of the border between Medicine Hat and Saskatoon. For now, the last shots of Goose with his old buddy.



Settle down George,

 

[marchplumber]

Hope Gracie enjoys her new home and hope is half as nice as her previous parking spot!!

 

[Mullaney]

I stood on Gracie's bumper for at least an hour before the new owners showed up. I hooked up chains, dragged her around.......I never saw the wasp nest. Just a few minutes after the new owners arrive their dog walks under the truck.......and he gets stung. I got lucky twice ...so far.

View attachment 838097

I didn't have time to turn Gracie over before the transport arrived so the new owner's husband and I got to work together to see if she'd fire. I'm not sure which one of us was more surprised but we primed the carb and Gracie started like a new truck. The in-tank pump gave me grief before so instead of pulling it for repair we were ready for the 1 gallon bottle trick and all I had to do is run over to Piglet and grab a hose from under the hood.

View attachment 838098

Third swing of the day and the luck just kept pilling up. I'll say that the heat made my situational awareness drop and miss the first wasp nest warning but I whipped open this hood like an idiot. I was already standing on the bumper and probably could have just listened for a second or opened it slowly....but I was in a hurry. The hose was on the right side of the engine and the nest on the left so I didn't notice until about thirty of those flying biters filled the peripheral. I launched off the bumper, landed,.......and ran like a headless chicken. No stings....no hose....but no stings.

View attachment 838099

After improvising with a different hose, Gracie fired right up and I had the pleasure of the last drive off the G749 farm. The odometer read 6614 miles when it was loaded on the trailer. With the condition of the original gear, that may be right.

View attachment 838100View attachment 838103View attachment 838104View attachment 838105

I'm almost certain that it won't be the last time we see Gracie. There's even talk about getting George and Gracie together again just north of the border between Medicine Hat and Saskatoon. For now, the last shots of Goose with his old buddy.

View attachment 838101

Settle down George,

View attachment 838102

.
Wow! Those are them big old bees! We have those too, but are generally hanging up in a tree and are a lot more rare here

The wasps around here are on paper comb about the size of a ping pong ball. Open something with them in side - and they start giving you the evil eye. The sad part is you can tell they are planning to light you up just from their little evil smiles...

Glad to hear that Gracie has a new home and maybe a play date a little later

 

[1944mb]

Everything but the MC was where I left it.

Imagine that a g749 that needs brake work!