M216 Cdn

[Ken Smith]

Dropped the sump oil today, first out came 20 litres of water then 10 litres of oil. I think the crease in the hood which has some small rust holes has leaked water into the distributor or oil filler, as both were missing their caps. The distributor is really rusty in the top around the points. The dipstick was also out about an inch so that is another possibility.
The oil filter oil is clean and shows no signs of having been run with water in the oil.
I added 30 litres of diesel and oil mixture so that it is above where the water level would have been.

When I drain that out I will pull the little sump off and give everything a good clean.

While I was underneath or getting out from underneath, I should say, I noticed that the little bolt in filler plates in the ends of the bumper are still in place and in fair condition.
This truck continues to amaze me.

I have been searching the internet for something on the name on the door, but it is almost as if they never existed. I am going to phone the local historical society and see if they can give me some leads.

I was checking some things in the M211 cab today and found the previous owner had made battery boxes set up under the right hand seat. They had cut the under bonnet left hand battery box off, I think that shows in the photo of the cab.
Ken

[Ken Smith]

Today I took out the brake and accelerator cross shafts and thanks to a wonderful tool called 4 inch cordless cutting disc, I had most of it out in no time at all. One bolt couldn't be reached by the disc so I decided to do the correct thing and got out the vice grips and 1/2" socket and ratchet but after a half hour getting in the cab, out of the cab, and under the truck a dozen times I ended up cutting the cross shaft and that's when the battery went flat on the 4" grinder.
I started on the seat removal and there will be a couple of bolts to cut off there tomorrow as well.






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These photos should be the right hand seat on the left.
The drivers seat hold down clamp.
Brake pedal cross shaft .
Accelerator cross shaft.

[Ken Smith]

A few more photos.

A stencil about batteries.
Not sure what it says as the middle bit is covered up by a second badly put on stencil.

The huge annoying crease in the hood, I now have a cover over the engine.

The civilian number plate holder removed today with thanks again to the 4 inch.

[Ken Smith]

Good day,
After work, I cut the accelerator modification plate off the pedal, the 1/4" plate had been welded to the little pivot point ears at the bottom of the pedal and about half way along the pedal, I have no idea how the fellow welded the plate to the ears without destroying them, but he should get a medal. I cleaned the remains of the weld off and then bead blasted the bottom of the pedal, I also gave the hard rubber a very light touch and it came up very nice.
I made a pivot pin out of a 5/16" bolt that I had brought from home. It is interesting how GMC solved the problem of making the pivot pin a fixture in the pedal, and pivoting in the bush located on the floor. They simply ground off the sides of the pin at one end, and it fits into a hole with 2 flat sides so that it pivots with the pedal movement.

I gave the dipstick tube a very light blast, and a then a blow off with a lot of air. I have pushed a piece of rag through the tube a lot of times, I freed up the nut at the bottom so that I could put the tube back in the engine without having to turn the whole tube.The pedal and the dipstick then got a coat of red oxide.

When I got home I gave the 2 pieces a covering of olive drab. This was very rough as I have had the spray cans for a fair while and they block the little directional fan nozzle very easily. Because I don't like wasting money I pulled the little fan nozzle out and just used the main bigger nozzle which then dribbles a little bit, I didn't mind a lot of paint under the pedal. The dipstick tube faired a little better as the drips fell on the gravel.

Next was getting the remaining 4 seat mounting bolts out which took a little bit longer than planned, it was a nice surprise to find that when the drivers seat was shifted from left to right they had managed to use one of the floor plate captured nuts, so it undid nicely, the other bolt got the 4" cutting disc.

A photo of the rough underside pedal paint job, and the dipstick tube.

[Ken Smith]

Did some measuring on the Holden distributor today, as I have had the feeling it is a bit short, it appears that it only just enters the slot for the oil pump. Even though it will never do many kilometres I would like it to be a bit more reliable. I will take the distributor out of my CCW 270 and check it for length.

Went to the panel shop to pick up a ute today, and talked to the manager about the hood, had to call it a bonnet. He assured me that he had a old school panel beater that takes pride in working on heavy metal and not letting any job beat him, I will be interested to see if the M216 beats him.

Ken

[Ken Smith]

The panel beater didn't turn up for work today, so I thought about all the other things that need doing. I know it will be a long road.

This afternoon I didn't get much done, my nephew lends me his brother in-law's Ex Army Land Rover 110 every year about this time, for a week or two. I give the grandkids rides and do laps of the main drag, they get a kick out of waving to their friends. I had to give it back this afternoon, so it was 1 last drive up the main street then back to nephews house, then a 2 kilometre walk home. He did offer a ride back but I am a stubborn old sod, and pride wouldn't let me accept.

I pulled the distributor out of the CCW 270 and it is the same length as the Holden distributor. Tomorrow I will measure down the M216 distributor hole with Vernier calipers and see what I have got, and what I need. Probably an idea to measure the 270 distributor hole and compare measurements. Anyway it is all part of the fun. The easiest would be if I had the 302 distributor and could compare the lengths side by side.

Now for a bit of comedy, some photos of fitting the temporary International bonnet.








A bit untidy but another part of the end goal.
Ken

[Ken Smith]

I took the hood to the panel works again today, the tradesman doing the job is away for another week.
When I threw the cover back on the ute, the laughter was almost uncontrollable and there was a lot of the rude word used.
After the fellows settled down and helped me lift the hood off the ute they tried to reassure me that the panel beater would have a go. Considering all the praise they heaped on him at the beginning of the week, I am concerned maybe this job will break his I can fix anything record.
It was hard to walk away and leave it sitting on the ground outside the shed. One of the young labourers is just as likely to throw it in the scrap metal.

I didn't go on about how rare the hood is in Australia, and please treat it with extreme care, in case it affects the price

The engine distributor worry is over, a Canadian forum friend measured an original 302 24 volt distributor and it matches in length exactly the Holden and the GMC 270 units. I can now get back to doing my engine job list, and try to get some noise out of her.

Ken

[Grant Bowker]

I'm glad the distributor is working out.
When I saw the hood/bonnet I admit to thinking it might be possible for an amateur to fix it. One of the cardinal rules is stop and think before beating away on the metal. Then decide what order the damage happened in. Last damage in is the first you take out - reverse the damage process.... Use enough force to do the job, but no more than absolutely necessary. Both to save your arms and to avoid causing accidental damage you will have to fix later.
The thicker metal of the older trucks does take more energy on your part - I spent a large part of a summer fixing a CMP roof (both dent removal and rust repair). I'm a slow, amateur bodyman but can live with the result.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Really glad to see the results of the panel beater's skills. That big complex rounded curve is distinctive.

[Ken Smith]

Floor plate out and I gave the transmission a scrape and was amazed to see that it is painted deep bronze green. It is the brighter green that I have seen on some Australian vehicles. So I don't know what that means, transmission rebuilt in Australia?

You know the old saying if you don't want to know the answer don't ask the question. I decided to ask anyway or drain in this case. I dropped the transmission oil and the rear housing oil both had a small amount of water. The magnetic drain plug only had the normal amount of fur on it that I have seen on most other transmissions I have worked on. I am looking forward to checking the front band adjustment.

Talked with the panel beater today he is very polite and I could see he isn't pleased with the quality of the job I want done, sorry I should say half done. The manager reckons that for the amount I offered they could turn the bonnet/hood over and get 5 blokes to jump on it.
I will see what he can do for the amount offered, and then get him to do little bits as I can afford them.
Panel beater told me of a 1956 F100 that had the roof caved in the same as my bonnet/hood and he had fixed it. I have seen that truck and it is perfect.

Ken

[Ken Smith]

I have had some contact with the previous owners family, the news wasn't good. Money was not wasted on maintenance on any of the machinery in the fleet. I think I already worked that out, going by the colour of the engine oil and the amateur painted sign on only the right hand door.

A few photos,
The deep bronze green Hydramatic.
Looking across the floor to where the dump lever was repositioned.
The original shaft with the RH extension shaft and the LH shaft stub where the dump lever had been gas axed off.







Ken

[Ken Smith]

Two nice things happened today, my Baldwin P52 engine oil filters, made in USA arrived. I ordered 4 as they will also fit my WW2 US trucks.

My problem with fitting the M211 dash grab handle to the M216 sorted out. I bead blasted and undercoated it, immediately it became obvious that the bar was bent just a smidge in the middle. It wasn't obvious when it had the rust and paint on it. I worked out a complicated system to press it straight, then didn't get time to do it at work. I was a bit annoyed, so I stuck it between the rear wheels on the M216 gave it a pull and it bent back to straight, didn't mark the bar and when I put it up to the dash both bolts went straight in.
Ken