New V-100

[M813rc]

Still slowly adding all the details inside.

At this point, amongst other things, I have the seatbelts in, made some of the clips that the canteens hang on, the VIC-1 in and wired, the winch controls restored (working on the winch still), the fuel tank sight lines in, made a gun firing button, etc.
It doesn't show in the picture, but I put a metal cap over the winch motor opening (where the blue masking tape is in the photo) to seal off the hole until the winch goes in.

I have a little buddy who is very curious about what I am doing, he comes by most days to check things out. He will make his way all around the vehicle peering inside at me from different angles to see what is going on.

My Marine boy is currently training as an operator on the LVSR.
He is very pleased as he got the truck he wanted, and the duty station. He is top right in the picture.
Driving wasn't the MOS he signed up for (the Marines are good at the "as needs of the service dictate" MOS changes), but he doesn't have a problem with that. Several of the guys he went through boot camp with ended up (involuntarily) as cooks, and as he said "Now THAT would have pi**ed me off!!"

Cheers

 

[Pawnshop]

Not QUITE a fair trade for a CH-53, but still very cool...

 

[reloader64]

Ya think he could bring one of those with him next time he's home on leave?

 

[M813rc]

Not QUITE a fair trade for a CH-53, but still very cool...

I'm not sure why they do that. They had him on delayed entry to get his boot camp graduation and his helo aircrew school start lined up, then he gets orders to drive trucks. Oh well, so long as he is happy. He is currently licensed on armoured and un-armoured Humvees, the MTVR, and the LVS, working on the LVSR now (it is a separate school).

Ya think he could bring one of those with him next time he's home on leave?

I told him it would be nice!

I also told him the story from many years ago when a Ft Hood soldier decided to go home to Seattle, but not ask permission first. He just took his full Hemtt tanker and off he went, refueling himself along the way.
An Army-vet state policeman in Washington passed the truck, and looking at the markings said to himself "What is a 1st Cav truck doing here?!?". He decided to find out....

Cheers

 

[srodocker]

thats a funny story about a guy leaving with the tanker. is that on the net somewhere to read?

 

[M813rc]

It probably is somewhere. I took a quick look and didn't find it, but I am notoriously bad at searching for stuff.
I remember it from when it happened, which was probably 10 years or so ago (maybe even more?).

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

Here is the temporary cover for the winch hole.
The winch motor comes into the hull through a hole in the back of the box it mounts inside of on the nose of the V. There is a rubber seal that keeps water out when swimming. The winch controller mounts on the hull above and to the left of the hole and attaches to the motor via steel lines.

I don't have my winch installed yet, and having the hole covered in blue masking tape didn't look particularly good, so I capped it temporarily.
The cap is for 6" air conditioning ducting, picked it up at Home Depot. It was a perfect fit.

You can also see one of the high tech V fuel gauges to the right. Since the fuel tanks are rather V shaped (appropriately!) half way up the line wouldn't actually indicate half a tank. I am putting in fuel in 5 gallon increments and marking that on the line, which will give me a better idea of what fuel I really have on board.

I am amazed at how dirty the V is inside already. With as hot and dry as everything is here now, all off-road movement is accompanied by a huge cloud of dust, which penetrates and settles everywhere. Oh well, makes it look more 'realistic'!

Cheers

 

[Rickv100]

Rory,

It has been awhile since I have looked at my parts manuals/interior pics but I thought there were sight glasses on either side for the fuel tanks?

Rick

 

[B3.3T]

Actually putting a high speed fan in the hole helps a lot on hot days, moving slowly like in a parade. That's a pretty big dead air space otherwise.

 

[baseballump]

Rory I don't remember how we keep track of fuel we had. But, when there was gas around we put it end. This last week end we had an MP reunion of te 630th from Vietnam had all kind of picture and stories about V's.

 

[M813rc]

Rory,

It has been awhile since I have looked at my parts manuals/interior pics but I thought there were sight glasses on either side for the fuel tanks?

Rick

You are right Rick, there is a tank on each side, and each with its own sight gauge. I have both plumbed and usable, but currently only carrying fuel in the right side as I can't see me needing more than 40 gallons at a time and I don't want any going bad in the tanks. I will occasionally put some in the left tank and run it through just to keep that side 'excercised'.
I included the comments on the right side just because it was in the picture, and the left side one is mostly hidden behind the steering gear/instrument panel. I edited the original post to be clearer about there being two tanks.

Actually putting a high speed fan in the hole helps a lot on hot days, moving slowly like in a parade. That's a pretty big dead air space otherwise.

Sounds like a very good idea!
I will have a winch in there soon, or I would do it. I am exploring other fan options beyond a clip-on hanging inside. I do have several armor cooling vests, I was looking at high volume fans to push air through those.

Rory I don't remember how we keep track of fuel we had. But, when there was gas around we put it end. This last week end we had an MP reunion of the 630th from Vietnam had all kind of picture and stories about V's.

I bet y'all used a lot more fuel than I will though! Fortunately for me, I will only use part of a tank on any given event. The bigger worry for me is not using the fuel fast enough and having it go stale.

Wish I could have been a fly on the wall and listened to that reunion! I bet y'all have some photos the rest of us would love to see too. Ever thought of getting together and putting all y'alls stories in a book? It would great to preserve your history.

Cheers

 

[baseballump]

Rory One of our guys lives in Dallas He was a driver and he did alot of our repair work. I told him about what you are doing In the next couple of weeks he my be trying to get ahold of you.

 

[M813rc]

Excellent! He is more than welcome to come visit one of his old war horses, I would be delighted to meet him.

I have PM'd you my contact info.

Cheers

 

[T. Highway]

Rory,

This has to be the best restoration thread that I have seen in a long time. I have read every post (38 pages) and studied every picture in great detail for the last three days. You have done an outstanding job with your V and have motivated me to get back to work on my MV. Thanks for sharing the ups and downs of your project.

Bert

 

[M813rc]

Thanks Bert. I had a chuckle about you signature line, my girlfriend calls the V my mistress.

She says it has to be a girl because-
1. It took so long to get ready to go out
2. It has so many accessories that have to be 'just right'
3. I wouldn't spend so much time with it if it were a boy

Cheers

 

[B3.3T]

4. It ended up costing a lot more than you ever dreamed.

 

[M813rc]

4. It ended up costing a lot more than you ever dreamed.

Aint that the truth! I even built the V its own house.

But, a world without V100s and girls, well......

Cheers

 

[baseballump]

A V for every home

 

[Danger Ranger]

I'd sign up for that!

 

[T. Highway]

Thanks Bert. I had a chuckle about you signature line, my girlfriend calls the V my mistress.

My wife came up with that in a round about way, she was on the phone with my mom and mom wanted to talk to me.
That's when my wife told her I couldn't come to the phone because I was out in the polebarn with my mistress. It's a fun story now but it wasn't so funny when mom showed up initially.

The name stuck.