M216 Cdn

[Ken Smith]

Another thing with the old girl is, when I was looking at the rebuild tag on the back axle again yesterday I noticed that the convoy light is still in good order and tucked up in the rear cross member.
I brought the truck home last week from the wrecking yard, where I have had it for sale for 10 years without a nibble, as I was going to fit a 4 cylinder Isuzu diesel in it and use it as my yard crane. Then as discussed in my above posts I thought no just pretty it up put markings back on it and use it as a talking point and something for the grandkids to climb over.
So drawing a line in the sand I made the decision that after owning it for 20 years and never having turned the engine over, that if I could turn it over, I would keep going with it and at least get it drivable enough, so that it can go in my ANZAC Day display. I tried it, and it does turn over and even has compression on a couple of cylinders.
I guess next is to see if I starts.
Ken

[Ken Smith]

This old truck sucks you in, today I was converting it back to left hand drive, which is as easy as I thought it would be except for the usual mixture of Whitworth bolts, UNC bolts, and of course the mix of Whitworth bolts with UNC nuts and vice versa.

Anyway I thought I should see if it turns over on the starter, so a chucked a 12 volt battery in even though it is still a 24V starter. There are pitfalls with that as 24V starters will burn out on low voltage, but I didn't want it spinning over too fast until I check the oil and filters in the engine and transmission.

So after a good read of the wiring diagram and how to start a M216, as shown on Steel Soldiers forum, I pushed the lever and eventually she gave a little turn over.

Todays photos are not of a DND, CMP, or SMP Vehicle but the remains of a Ex US Navy M211 W/Winch cab, this cab with fenders and grille came as part of the deal with the M216.
The M211 cab is half way through a horrible attempt to convert to right hand drive, but it will provide seat mounts which haven't been converted, a right window winder, a left door latch, the correct UNF dash bolts and the passenger dash grab handle. All the M211 gauges have been smashed but the gauges in the M216 all look good. I am going to give them a clean with window cleaner as soon as I can.

The hood for the M211 went to the scrap man, as the fellow who threw it on the truck, told me the people doing the clean up at the yard had a discussion about what it might fit before they threw it on the load.

Interior from right side
USN Registration #
Front view showing some of the bits that are modified.
M211 US NAVY (3) big interior from right side.JPG

M211 US NAVY (5) Right door.JPG

M211 US NAVY (9) Front Left quarter view.JPG

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

This old truck sucks you in, .....

The hood for the M211 went to the scrap man, as the fellow who threw it on the truck, told me the people doing the clean up at the yard had a discussion about what it might fit before they threw it on the load.

.....

When my wife was a child, she and her siblings would go to visit their mother's brother and sister on the Saskatchewan farm. In winter there wasn't much for the children to do until snowmobiles were invented. Since then youth and brainless adults have been killing and injuring themselves driving their snow machines beyond safe speeds. But for the little kids, it was a big thrill to be pulled behind the snowmobile riding on the upturned hood of any old car or truck. For a while, there was a 1950s farm truck saved for that purpose, and it would have looked identical to your 2 1/2 ton truck's.

[Ken Smith]

Terry, That immediately brought up visions of Chevy Chase in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, doing his slide on the big dish in the snow. The only time I have ever seen snow was for a day in June 1974 when I visited some freezing cold place in Victoria Australia.
The other thing is maybe here is something civilian in the hood department that can be changed to fit the M216, it has given me something to think about.
Ken

[Ken Smith]

Some photos of the engine bay, or what remains of it. There is enough bits to make it possible to getting it going.

I pulled the distributor out and was prepared for it to be some exotic Chevrolet, General Motors rare as hens teeth item. When I checked the numbers on google I found it was a good old 1948-215 to 1956 FJ General Motors Holden grey motor distributor. While they are not plentiful anymore there are a few on ebay and condenser and points are available. The same distributor with a different suffix was used up until 1963 by Holden.

M216 Cdn Engine (1).JPG

M216 Cdn Engine (2).JPG

M216 Cdn Engine (3).JPG

M216 Cdn Engine (4).JPG

M216 Cdn Engine (6).JPG

The plan is to set up two 12 volt car batteries in the right hand battery box for the starter and set up one 12 volt battery in the left hand battery box for the ignition. All this is very temporary just to get it going, if it starts and runs then I will look at doing something more permanent.

Ken

[Grant Bowker]

I believe that the original distributor has been replaced by a "will fit" unit. Originally, the whole M133, M135, M207, M211, M215, M216 M220 etc. series were fitted with waterproof electrical systems in line with the thinking of the period that MVs should be able to be driven submerged. In these systems the coil and distributor were in a single unit with waterproof enclosure. Similarly the spark plug wires had screw down connectors at each end with gaskets to keep out the water. All very nice while it worked but awkward and expensive for people using the trucks after purchase from the government so often replaced with the equivalent parts off a similar civilian motor (and a pain for restorers who seek original). Bottom line, the system on your truck isn't original but will make it easier for you to maintain in the short run.
It also looks as if the sealed voltage regulator has been removed, perhaps for similar reasons. Maybe more of the electrical system too. If they did gut the electrics, they may have substituted 12 volt civil equivalents which might make the original 24 volt gauges read wonky.

[rob love]

The installation of a civilian distributor is quite common on all the M-series vehicles such as the Dodge, the Jeeps, and the 2-1/2 ton. Not so much for the points or rotors, which are relatively common, but more-so for things like the 24 volt internal coils, the military distributor caps, and those expensive shielded spark plugs. Remember that before the days of the internet, you did not simply hit a buy it now button and your obscure parts were there a few days later....you had to send letters, or stay up until 2 in the morning to call some foreign country.

Easy enough to make right, once you find out if the motor is still good. There is plenty of the M135 stuff around...nobody really wants it anymore.