Jessie The Jeep Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 (edited) The filter has had several coats of paint over its life but around the mounting clamps, the paint was worn away down to the metal. I needed to do something about that before the freshly repainted filter is refitted. With the filter housing moderately clean, I used a rotary wire brush to strip away the green Hotchkiss paint back to bare metal. I wanted quite a hard finish on the paint, so opted for giving several sprayed coats of smooth Hammerite first, baking the paint between coats. Later, and while the top coat was still at the 'green' stage, several top coats of satin black were sprayed with the paint bought for the Ford engine bay components in 2012. The filter housing is baking in the curing cabinet once more and will stay there until fully hard. Once properly cured, it will then be ready for the decals. Once it is ready for refitting, I'll look for something to fit inside the mounting rings, to protect the paint from damage. This may end up as simple as electrician's tape. I'll have a think about it. The last picture shows the filter in its Hammerite undercoats just before it went back into the curing cabinet. This was before the satin black was sprayed. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) February 18th - Fuel & Oil Filters Between decorating sessions in Lynne's study , I thought I'd take 10 minutes out to apply the decal to the top of the oil filter. It actually took 90 minutes!! As I've just discovered, the Hotchkiss design of oil filter has a much greater double curvature on the lid compared to the wartime filter lid. As soon as the decal was applied, it was clear I had a fight on my hands to get it to settle onto the double curvature. The decal is printed on quite thick carrier film, which makes a strong decal, but difficult to apply on double curves. The Microsol was having little effect on the decal film so I had to resort to something stronger......much stronger. Acetone. Normally, acetone would destroy decals in seconds. Since the film was so tough, I was able to apply a little at a time, mixed with the Microsol. Using a cotton bud, slowly, very slowly, I was able to shrink and distort the decal to conform to the shape. It was a long battle and I was still left with a few tiny wrinkles, but I can live with that considering how it started out! Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) Later in the afternoon, I applied the other oil filter decals. Since they were all on single curve surfaces, they went on without problems. Once the oil filter was complete and set aside to dry properly, I refitted the fuel filter to the Jeep firewall. Finishing the Ford filters with the replacement decals will be the next job. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 (edited) March 1st - Fuel and Oil Filter After refitting the fuel filter, I tried using the hand operated fuel pump to pull the fuel through the system and fill the filter bowl. It didn't seem to matter how much I operated the pump, I couldn't get the fuel through. Now the tank was almost empty, so I did wonder whether the fuel level was lower than the tank feed pipe, but my gut feeling that the problem lay in the filter. So the filter was removed again and I cut a new gasket for the main lip of the bowl. It was refitted again and this time, the pump worked to pull the fuel through to the carb. I couldn't run the engine however as the oil filter wasn't yet fitted. Before I could refit the oil filter, there were a few jobs to do. The bolts on the oil filter clamps have always been tight, so I decided I'd use a tap and die and clean up the threads. Upon close inspection of the bolts, one didn't look right. It turned out, that some numbty French squaddie long ago, had replaced one of the UNF bolts with the closest he could find, a metric M8 bolt! The threads must be fairly similar however and I was able to re-tap the correct thread without too much debris. A replacement UNF bolt was found in my old tobacco tins of nuts and bolts etc., and the new bolt screwed in firmly without play. The three other holes were tapped to clean the threads and the bolts screwed into a die for the same reason. The oil filter mounting rings were quite tatty so they were repainted the day before and baked in the curing cabinet over night. Fastening the oil filter back on was a bit of a struggle to hold everything, get the bolts through the brackets and the oil filler pipe bracket, line them up with the holes and do it all without scratching the new decals. None of this was easy with the bottom oil pipe connected, but this was necessary due to the space limitations caused by the huge Hotchkiss alternator. Anyway, with everything connected up the engine was given a very short test run and all seemed well. Before running the engine any further, I bought five gallons of fresh fuel, and split it between the two Jeeps. The Jeep was started up again and driven out of the garage, turned around and parked up inside again. Having the Ford facing outwards and Jessie engine in to the garage, gives just a little more room between them to squeeze through. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviem Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Great work once again, i have much to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted March 18, 2020 Author Share Posted March 18, 2020 (edited) Test Drive - March 18th By mid March 2020, the coronavirus had caused the cancellation of the York Crank Up, "Against the Odds" at Elvington, Blyth Battery Goes to War, Heugh Battery and Barnard Castle 1940's Weekend. Many more would likely follow. As the virus spreads, the chances of a more severe lockdown increase, so I took the opportunity to take Jessie out for a short test drive, to check for leaks after the work on the fuel and oil filters. It was only a short trip out, but enough for a test and to get some fresh air and exercise. Jessie was still in the Airbase Medical Unit markings from last year; somewhat appropriate considering what is currently going on. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david1212 Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 I will be surprised if any planned events can go ahead before at least July. If you can't get your vehicles out for a run occasionally to use up the fresh petrol it will have deteriorated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 I just put two and a half gallons of fuel in a couple of weeks ago. Normally over the winter when there's no events, I either get them out on the drive once a month, give them a good warm through, exercise the brakes and clutch etc, or so long as there's no salt on the roads, go for a short drive. I'm probably going to be doing this over the Summer. So long as we aren't all confined to barracks, I may take them out on the date events were to happen and dig out some old event photos from that show. We can have a virtual season. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted April 13, 2020 Author Share Posted April 13, 2020 (edited) Here's a flashback to today in 2008, part of my virtual 2020 MV season. While I bought "Jessie" in April 2005, this thread didn't start until I began the conversion to a follow me vehicle, which started part way through 2008. This event in April was before that conversion began. So on April 13th 2008, we headed down to the Hartlepool Historic Quay for the classic vehicle show. We met up with a few others on the way and convoyed the rest of the way. HMS Trincomalee can be seen peeping over the top of the historic quay buildings. There were eleven military vehicles on show including Bob's newly purchased Dodge WC7 Command Car, which I think was out for the first time. The weather forecast predicted light showers all day and got it completely wrong as we had sun all day. There must have been heading towards 100 vehicles in attendance, the military section being only a small proportion of the overall turnout. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviem Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Hopefully we can get some sort of normality soon and such events will allow us to enjoy these iconic pieces of history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 (edited) April 24th - VE Day Preparations With the loss of so many events already this year and particularly the Yorkshire Air Museum's "Against the Odds" V.E. 75 weekend event, I decided I needed to do something at home instead. So my VE Day preparations well underway now. I've got an order in with the quartermaster for some sandwiches and some red, white and blue cup cakes. My daughter wants Red, white and blue ice lollies too. I got a VE Day banner made across yesterday evening and finished today while also being class teacher this morning. Flags and bunting arriving any day now. Just got to work out how to fit both Jeeps in the front garden. It could be the biggest event of the year!!! For that matter, it's probably going to be the only event of the year!!! Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 (edited) It's the big day! Peace at last. USAAF on the left and RAF on the right. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Nice 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 We'll both started batteries charged my effort 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 That's brilliant! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviem Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Great work guys they certainly look the part. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) Our VE Day display preparations started in late April with the banner. The next step began the night before, with the baking of some VE Day cupcakes. The following morning, icing the designs began. I specified that they needed to be appropriate and so we settled on US Star roundels, RAF roundels, the Union flag and the flag of St George. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) The two cars were moved off the drive and then the bunting and flags went up. What followed next was lots of shuffling of vehicles, trailers and stuff in the garage, to get both Jeeps and the Jeep trailer out and the big trailer and wheelie bins in the garage. I hadn't tried the big trailer in the garage since reworking the storage shelves in there and it took a couple of goes and moving things around inside to get it in far enough to shut the door! Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) Eventually, a little after 9am, the Jeeps, trailer, table and banner were in position. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) Once everything was set, we all got changed for some pictures. I hadn't got my proper boots on at this point and forgot to hide my foot for the pictures! Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Nice one very impressive those buns look very tasty if it wasn't for the lockdown I would have called by but I bet there all gone 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) By now we were being noticed, with walkers stopping to take pictures, followed by drive by shootings. I have a feeling we'll be all over local social media. Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 1 minute ago, private mw said: .....if it wasn't for the lockdown I would have called by...... Only two left now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 We had same response yesterday people walked past took many photos and bought many smiles to the street all social distancing of course was a great little military show of our own while the sun shone down we really enjoyed the day 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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