Working On The M561 Gama Goat

[Another Ahab]

We've gotten 5.5" of rain since Thursday so no chance to do any more tinkering on the Goat. The next big project is redoing the turn signals once I've got all the pieces together.

Are you in the same general area of Texas as ColdWarrior?

I'm hoping the rain is good for you all, though that sounds like a little too much all at one time. Hope it's all good, though.

 

[mkcoen]

Are you in the same general area of Texas as ColdWarrior?

I'm hoping the rain is good for you all, though that sounds like a little too much all at one time. Hope it's all good, though.

In TX everything is relative when talking size or distance. He's closer to me than Houston or Dallas but not close enough to meet for lunch (unless we left about breakfast time). After 5 years of drought we'll take the rain but it'd be nice to spread it out a little. All the roads into our subdivision were closed due to a couple of feet of water over the road. Down now but missed church this morning.

 

[mkcoen]

I was pawing through some stuff I plan to take to the convention for the swap meet and found 4 straps that I decided I could use for the Goat. The first 2 went to tie down the water can on the left rear fender and work great. Looking at the other 2 that I need for the ammo can holder on the right rear fender I discovered that they were 6 footers. A little long for four 30 cal cans. I might have some more laying around. Just need to keep digging.

I also pulled out the pioneer tools I bought a couple of weeks ago in Gatesville. I picked up 2 shovels as they were different styles and that made me a bit curious. I'm not sure if you can tell in the photo but the black one appears to be an older style and has more of an arched neck. The green one is the standard M-series pioneer shovel. It's fortunate that I bought both as the black neck fits the pioneer rack on the Goat much better than the green one does. Just as well as I need everything for the deuce and the green one will work perfectly.

Now to find straps for the pioneer racks too. Back to digging.



Oh, and if you haven't done so yet I'd appreciate your vote for MV of the Month: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?139849-Steel-Soldiers-MV-of-the-month-2015-May-VOTE-HERE

At least I'm not having to raise money to campaign (yet).

 

[Another Ahab]

I was pawing through some stuff I plan to take to the convention for the swap meet and found 4 straps that I decided I could use for the Goat. The first 2 went to tie down the water can on the left rear fender and work great. Looking at the other 2 that I need for the ammo can holder on the right rear fender I discovered that they were 6 footers. A little long for four 30 cal cans. I might have some more laying around. Just need to keep digging.

I also pulled out the pioneer tools I bought a couple of weeks ago in Gatesville. I picked up 2 shovels as they were different styles and that made me a bit curious. I'm not sure if you can tell in the photo but the black one appears to be an older style and has more of an arched neck. The green one is the standard M-series pioneer shovel. It's fortunate that I bought both as the black neck fits the pioneer rack on the Goat much better than the green one does. Just as well as I need everything for the deuce and the green one will work perfectly.

View attachment 560696

That Goat is shaping up fine, isn't it; real nice!

That black shovel looks in the picture like is't forged, and all one piece (handle and all), which would make that sucker nearly indestructible; is that so?

 

[mkcoen]

That Goat is shaping up fine, isn't it; real nice!

That black shovel looks in the picture like is't forged, and all one piece (handle and all), which would make that sucker nearly indestructible; is that so?

Thanks! I'm trying to get as many accessories as possible to make it stand out at shows. We have an event at the Audie Murphy VA Hospital on Jun 20 and I'd like to have it near completion by then. I'm getting the 30 cal cans from a friend tonight but still need to finish all of the M60 mount for the right front fender.

Here are a couple more shots of the shovel. I sanded off the paint where the head and handle connect. It's not forged but it does pin differently than the other shovel and there's a steel bar running through the 2 piece grip versus the one piece grip on the other shovel.

 

[mkcoen]

Ok here's a little more on this shovel. Looks like it is a #2 shovel from the Wood Shovel and Tool Co. of Miami, OH. They did make tools during WWII, Korea, and beyond. Based on the grip I'm guessing this is an older model. The only examples I've found online so far have a metal portion coming down from the grip just like a M-series shovel. This one is all wood from the shovel head to the grip exept for the metal bar and end tabs of the grip. I'm going to have to consider whether I want to use this on the Goat if it's a WWII relic.

 

[Another Ahab]

This one is all wood from the shovel head to the grip exept for the metal bar and end tabs of the grip. I'm going to have to consider whether I want to use this on the Goat if it's a WWII relic.

View attachment 560708

As shovels go, that is one very solid looking shovel.

I don't want to dig too many holes anymore, but if I did that's the tool I'd want to have for the job. iI's a nice item, for sure.

 

[mutt_r]

(...)Oh, and if you haven't done so yet I'd appreciate your vote for MV of the Month: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?139849-Steel-Soldiers-MV-of-the-month-2015-May-VOTE-HERE
(...)

Done. One point from Germany for you from another M561 lover.

 

[mkcoen]

One third of the way to the turn signal replacement. I got the wire loom that goes between the wand and the flasher unit in the mail today. I haven't decided if I'm going new or used on the other parts. New should be dependable but used fits the wallet better at the moment.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Go with the most expediant. I am sure you will make it work and that is what is important.

 

[mkcoen]

Getting back to the tail light issue, NDT was probably correct in NAPA not having 24v bulbs. I simply took the original burned out bulb in and they matched it saying it was the correct one. The numbers were the same so who am I to argue? Well today I pulled the lens off the working tail light and guess what? Different bulb. I put it in the other lamp and it works fine (ML 623 for the curious). I went to Erik's to order some, minimum $20 order so I pieced together some little M-specific items to have spares around the herd rounding out to $21. That's when he tried to hit me for $16.50 in shipping on a handful of bulbs and 2 battery terminals. Back to the google machine and I got them at BulbTown.com for .66 each. I decided not to try for the $50 order to get free shipping and just paid the $5 instead.

I'm all for supporting the advertisers here and mil-veh vendors in general but I really have a problem when folks try and gouge you on shipping.

 

[Rmtaunton]

Napa has gotten me several bulbs all within a day and all the right 24v ones

 

[TexAndy]

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to look at my remaining deuce parts. Do you still need anything?

I'm probably going to be over there sat or sun.

 

[mkcoen]

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to look at my remaining deuce parts. Do you still need anything?

I'm probably going to be over there sat or sun.

Don't worry about it. I went ahead and ordered the other 2 pieces. Electrical gremlins are plentiful enough without chancing the import of new ones with used parts. Knowing that we have to make 2 trips with the trailer to cover the Audie Murphy event makes me want to be sure I can just drive at least one of them to a show in the future (new tires first).

 

[mkcoen]

Got the final 2 pieces of the signal upgrade in the mail today. Unfortunately it's 85 out with 80% humidity so my wilt factor is high. I may try starting on it in the morning when everything is a bit cooler. With the amount of rain recently the humidity is going to be a bear for a while.

I was happy with everything that came other than the flasher unit being made in Taiwan. Guess there's no getting around some things.

 

[Barrman]

Lens covers. I am sorry Mark. I was so happy to make it home from the air show that I forgot all about them until reading this thread today. I will look at home and send you pictures. Sorry.

 

[mkcoen]

Lens covers. I am sorry Mark. I was so happy to make it home from the air show that I forgot all about them until reading this thread today. I will look at home and send you pictures. Sorry.

No hurry. Those are just to go on the dummy black outs. I've got good lens for the turn/brakes.

 

[Tornadogt]

At least the Goat Floats, with all the rain hope you don't have to put it back into Temporary government service.

 

[mkcoen]

Started working on the blinker change over today. As noted earlier I did find some additional yellow paint and more of the beach has washed ashore.

Have I mentioned how much I hate electrical work? The -20, as usual, is about as clear as translating Greek to Latin to German to English. It tells you which wires from the old distribution box to connect to the new loom but doesn't tell you what to do with all of the other wires. There are 6 connections on the new loom and about double that coming out of the distribution box.

Anyone done this before? Do I just lop them off and tape them over? Try and unspool them from the entire wire loom? Say "screw it! Who needs turn signals?"

 

[cpf240]

If you don't have extra parts when you are done with the job, you didn't do it right!