Bravo2Uniform
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Update - Progress Has Been Slow, But Progress Has Been Made!
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Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
M38A1 Therapy Build with Pictures
- Thread starter Bravo2Uniform
- Start date
68t
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- Michie, ,tn
Well , your doing a great job. Thanks for the pictures. I got a m38a1 setting outside to start on, but don,t have the nerve to start on it. 
Bravo2Uniform
Member
- 253
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- McMinnville, TN
You are never prepared enough, never have enough tools, never enough money, never enough time, or never enough knowledge to do a restoration. You have to just wade on in like John Wayne and watch a lot of YouTube videos! It's quite relaxing most of the time!Well , your doing a great job. Thanks for the pictures. I got a m38a1 setting outside to start on, but don,t have the nerve to start on it.
armytruck63
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- Redlands, CA
Here's an inspirational picture for you!
Saberr
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- Temecula,Ca
Beautiful scenery. Must of been a great trail ride. Lol saw the road down below and thought "yep, gonna need the Jerry can."
Bravo2Uniform
Member
- 253
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- McMinnville, TN
Awesome - good looking Willys and you're having fun with it! Excellent!
Bravo2Uniform
Member
- 253
- 21
- 18
- Location
- McMinnville, TN
December 2016 Update!
After a long 14 months, my M38A1 is again running under its own power. I still have a tremendous amount of punch list and shakedown items to complete, but she's running and motivating.
Of course, I wish my Dad were here to see her and take a ride. I am sure that he would tell me some great stories as we puttered and tooled around. His stories from back in the day never varied and never got old and usually had a pearl or two of wisdom in them. I am so thankful to have this tangible reminder of my Dad and his generation. That's probably the best thing about this whole rebuild. I have a metaphorical and literal vehicle to relate the history of his generation to others. His war was the "forgotten war", a war that almost 40,000 young men and women that never got a chance to forget. That "forgotten war" weighed heavily upon him in the closing days of his life. He poured out often harrowing stories, some poignantly punctuated with tears, and some with laughter. Those years were, as it has been many times in our nation's history, when courage became a common virtue. He was nothing special, he would say. He did not display his Silver Star nor did he display his scars, either physical and emotional. He just did what great men and women in our history have always done - he went, did his job, came home, and got on with his life.
The best story, though, was how he got a brand new M38A1 right after the war was over. He was still in Korea and was very excited when his Major assigned the new model to him. He found out, though, that it was a bribe. You see, Dad was the original baby blue Marine, very straight laced, ethical, and moral. He didn't drink and most certainly did not carouse. His unit needed someone pretty straight laced to carry out a odious task. Often, the young Marines would present the symptoms of venereal disease, and in order to prevent the spreading of disease, the medical staff would also treat the, umm, lady in question as well as the errant Marine. Here's where Gunnery Sergeant Bratcher was involved - he had to take Private Foxhole down to the cathouse to identify the lady from whom he had acquired his affliction and bring her back for treatment. They needed a guy that wouldn't abuse that authority so they picked him...and to get him to do it, he got a shiny, new M38A1 to drive. I cannot imagine my Dad, who never missed a church service in all of my life, having to escort Private Foxhole into a cathouse. But, hey, for a shiny, new Willys....he would have even considered voting Democrat.
I know mine has Army markings, I wanted to be true to the vehicle and keep it has historically accurate as possible. I don't think it would matter to my Dad, as long as I stay out of cat houses and don't vote Democrat.
See also: https://youtu.be/zI_SzCT2IR4
After a long 14 months, my M38A1 is again running under its own power. I still have a tremendous amount of punch list and shakedown items to complete, but she's running and motivating.
Of course, I wish my Dad were here to see her and take a ride. I am sure that he would tell me some great stories as we puttered and tooled around. His stories from back in the day never varied and never got old and usually had a pearl or two of wisdom in them. I am so thankful to have this tangible reminder of my Dad and his generation. That's probably the best thing about this whole rebuild. I have a metaphorical and literal vehicle to relate the history of his generation to others. His war was the "forgotten war", a war that almost 40,000 young men and women that never got a chance to forget. That "forgotten war" weighed heavily upon him in the closing days of his life. He poured out often harrowing stories, some poignantly punctuated with tears, and some with laughter. Those years were, as it has been many times in our nation's history, when courage became a common virtue. He was nothing special, he would say. He did not display his Silver Star nor did he display his scars, either physical and emotional. He just did what great men and women in our history have always done - he went, did his job, came home, and got on with his life.
The best story, though, was how he got a brand new M38A1 right after the war was over. He was still in Korea and was very excited when his Major assigned the new model to him. He found out, though, that it was a bribe. You see, Dad was the original baby blue Marine, very straight laced, ethical, and moral. He didn't drink and most certainly did not carouse. His unit needed someone pretty straight laced to carry out a odious task. Often, the young Marines would present the symptoms of venereal disease, and in order to prevent the spreading of disease, the medical staff would also treat the, umm, lady in question as well as the errant Marine. Here's where Gunnery Sergeant Bratcher was involved - he had to take Private Foxhole down to the cathouse to identify the lady from whom he had acquired his affliction and bring her back for treatment. They needed a guy that wouldn't abuse that authority so they picked him...and to get him to do it, he got a shiny, new M38A1 to drive. I cannot imagine my Dad, who never missed a church service in all of my life, having to escort Private Foxhole into a cathouse. But, hey, for a shiny, new Willys....he would have even considered voting Democrat.
I know mine has Army markings, I wanted to be true to the vehicle and keep it has historically accurate as possible. I don't think it would matter to my Dad, as long as I stay out of cat houses and don't vote Democrat.
See also: https://youtu.be/zI_SzCT2IR4
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