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Updated July 13th, 2008
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There
is a fine line between a
Hobby and a severe mental illness
The
thought of 'sitting
in my basement surrounded by solvent fumes while drinking beer
and building
scale-model plastic aircraft' for the next couple of years
seemed harmless enough, but this solipsism was rudely side-tracked
one evening when one of the 'voices inside my head' instructed
me to rebuild a Dodge M-37 3/4 ton cargo truck (#34594, 1952).
The project subsequently bloated into a frankenstinian transmogrification
of my childhood preoccupation with erector sets and tinker toys,
all now mixed liberally with alkaloid toxins, assorted pain
killers, and a wide range of hops & grains. Not sure what
to make of this collection of bolts and sheet metal, but it's
dripping with something (but not quite) akin to charisma. |
List
of things replaced/added on this M37:
brake lines, master cylinder, brake cylinders, carburetor,
exhaust manifold, plugs, fan belt, all gauges, all senders,
speedo-cable, entire electrical harness (retained 24V system),
coil, distributor, generator, generator power cable, voltage
regulator, throttle/choke cables, fuel-filter, cowl-seal,
vacuum lines and wiper motors, turn-signal switch/additional
indicator light on R. rear, all draft seals, horn/switch,
seat covers, emergency brake lever/linkage, mirrors, all glass
and weather-stripping, 5 tires/tubes/wraps, fender welts,
tailgate/chains, gas tank filler hoses, reflectors, 24V Siren,
and lock-out hubs.
John Bizal
and his parts, advice (& patience) are excellent!
Great thanks are also due to GP-Auto & NAPA-Auto!
I
wish to extend a well-deserved thank-you to the following
businesses that provided
critial how-to advice, parts, NOS parts, and boundless sympathy
throughout the project.
If
you have questions: Scott_Pedersen@sdstate.edu
In
progress: Frame-off
restoration of a 1942 Dodge WC-51
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No brakes and
tailgate
was a disaster. Original bed
had been modified to carry a water tank, but was
replaced with an intact bed by Gronevelt
before sale
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Arrival
in Brookings, ready for breakdown (Dec. 2005)
Note replacement bed and 'carbon-monoxide generator'
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Back from
sandblasting, ready for new brakes,
brake lines, tires, lights, & electrical harness
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Not an
off-frame restoration by any means,
but enough to get at the few problems that existed
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Looks
thread-bare, but everything solid, little or no rust
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The careful
observer will notice that this M37 is not painted Military/Olive
Drab. Tail-gate
is a reproduction and required
some grinding to fit into original hinges/braze-ons.
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New glass
all around, gauges, senders, boots,
seat-covers, horn button/wiring, & info plates
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Note:
solid state volt-reg. + new carb
Purred like a kitten, at first...
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However,
this truck is possessed by an electrical ghost that has an
appetite for voltage regulators.
First and second solid-state regulators = RIP.
This truck
ate the original mechanical unit and has chewed its way through
two additional solid state voltage regulators as if they were
Oreo cookies.
Of course, the truck chews its' food very carefully
and it takes about 6-8 months for it to process each
regulator in turn.
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Currently
working on a 'fix' that will utilize a different solid-state
unit/relay switch combination that fits neatly into the
cast housing I salvaged from the original mechanical voltage
regulator. General appearance will look "original".
If the truck eats through this 'fix', it will be well on
it's way to acheiving 'ACE' status with regards to volt-regulators.
Stay tuned (13 July 2008).
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The name
"VOGON"
(vanity license plates) on my M37 was inspired by Douglas
Adams' book,'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. The
book begins with Earth being destroyed by an alien race (Vogons)
to make way for a Hyperspace Bypass. Their huge yellow spaceships
aredescribed as...
'large yellow slab-like somethings
which hung in space in exactly the
same way that a brick doesn't.
You
can work out the rest yourselves.
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Report Dead
Links to Scott_Pedersen@sdstate.edu