CMP-Phil

Hi Bob You asked: Knowing nothing about these tools my thoughts are: are they worth the money in terms of making life easier when doing a restoration? are right angle impact wrenches effective? would I be better off buying a less expensive right angle wrench and also buying a normal impact wrench as well? what budget would I be looking at for any of these options to ensure I bought something that would work and not be a source of frustration? have I missed something that would be a better option? I'll start by saying I've been playing with restoring military vehicles for something like 45 years, from that perspective one bit of advice protect your ears and eyes. Now to respond to your questions; 1. Yes they are worth the money, I have regular 1/2 air impact moderately expensive still using the same one I bought 40 years ago. You will be able to get bolts off with out breaking them that you will never get off with a regular wrench. 2-3 I have gone through 2 inexpensive right angle impact (nut spinners) they do wear out but they will save you a hell of a lot of time, as you can get them on to bolts or nuts that you will never get a regular impact. 4. The impact wrenches are the inexpensive part of the deal it is the air compressor. But with both the compressor and the impact you can start in expressively work your way up. For about 10 years I used two small air compressors hooked together to get more volume. Both of them were used when I got them. The one air tool type that I have found not to go in expensive on is sanding equipment they just don't last as in some of them will not last through one project. On air sanding tools I go professional grade I've got one orbital air sander which is now 50 years old and still in use. The combination orbital rotary seem to have the shortest life. After going through 3 of them on warranty the store stopped replacing them and gave me my money back (basically said go away) 5. As to other options for impact wrenches there are a lot of electric/battery powered ones out there but I don't have any. Cheers Phil

Hi Transmissions have individual personalities, I have 3 CMPs all of them have the same 4 speed crash box transmissions, and each of them shift differently particularly shifting down through the gears. The pause as you move to neutral, the throttle blip, then the move to the next gear lower. Some of the problem I think comes not from the transmission but from the carburetor how quickly does the engine pick up. One of my trucks doesn't like the cold and won't shift right until the transmission is warmed up, shifts up Ok but won't shift down easily until 10 or more miles. As others have said if you are used to driving sycromesh transmission you will tend try and shift to quickly. Read the manual for the shift speeds put a little dot on glass of the speedometer. Did this when I was teaching my kids how to drive the trucks. There is also a driver relearning each spring after not having the trucks out on the road for several months. Cheers Phil

Hi What type of canvas were you using? Was it new or old stock? I've had problems making canvas covers for generators, modern canvas just not as good as canvas from 50 years ago. Have had the same problems making seat covers for my MVs until I went over to using Dupont Cordura fabric which seems to have much better wear and sun rot characteristics. I made a penthouse cover like you show which has stood up well but my.truck is garaged and I remove the penthouse fly when not in use. Wonder how boat canvas would work? Will be interested to hear what you find. Cheers Phil

Hi If the temperature gauge you were testing is brand new, when you dip the end in boiling water it should read 100 C or 212 F but if it doesn't, try dipping the sender end in cool water then back into boiling back and forth a few times. I've had one of these direct tube type where the gauge just needed to loosen up. But more important do the same with any new thermostat. With a thermometer, kitchen type, in a pot of the water heat the new thermostat and watch as it opens and at what temperature. I've had 140, 160, and 180 F new thermostats not open for the first time until the water was at a rolling boil. Once they have been cycled from 100 F to 212 F a couple of times they start opening and closing much faster. More important they should open at their rates temperature. Having thermostat in old or new engine is particularly important if they vehicle doesn't get driven enough to drive the condensation out the engine and the oil. Cheers Phil

Hi Peter Perhaps to widen the stance of the vehicle, to improve cross slope performance. It would take some measurements and calculations to see if there would have be a meaningful change to resisting side roll over. Or might it have been the result of changing tire profile for better traction? Cheers Phil

Hi All Setting up for a short video. Cheers Phil

Hi I really like your post, had been thinking of doing something similar, and your post got me out of the house to do it. Started all three CMPs and drove them out of the shop to warm up then it was drive the HUP out down the drive, walk back 600 feet, drive the Pattern 12 3ton out, walk back, drive the Pattern 13 Radio Truck out. Take pictures, the repeat the process backing each of the trucks back up the drive. I shot some gopro of the fun which needs to be edited and uploaded. Cheers Phil

Hi All When US went over to E10 gas years ago it had a dramatic and problematic impact on MVs. In as little as one tank full, fuel pumps failed, flexible fuel lines leaked or swollen to the extent they didn't pass fuel, gas cans started leaking around the caps. The first couple parades that year it was not uncommon to have a truck fail, often the story went like this, "well I filled the tank this morning on the way to the parade". The thing noticed was the drop in power and fuel mileage. Once people, in our MV Club figured out what was going on, it was a race find the actual ethonal resistant Gates hose. Fuel pumps were more problematic. Good luck on the change over. Cheers Phil

Hi Back to the original question how can we keep our MVs running particularly the WWII gasoline powered? For years I have suspected with the changes in gasoline we will reach a point where engines with carbs will simply not be practical. All ready in the US the Ethanol gas has caused many problems (which is a different topic) but the result is going to make it more of a problem to keep running. So what do I plan to do, answer LNG or propane the converstion units are out there, lots of forklifts us them. The only thing will be where do we put the tanks? Cheers Phil

Hi Josh Here are a couple of photos of the hinges that I fabricated, the size of the bolt pin was dictated by what size tubing that would be a snug fit. Hope it helps Cheers Phil

Hi Josh Do you have the hinges? My Pat 12 hinges were so bent that they were unusable, made some up when I first restored the truck as an expedient but they have worked so well they're still on the truck 10 years later and working fine. Approached the problem from the point of view of a REME mechanic out in the desert. Parts list, couple pieces of scrap diamond plate, four 3/8 bolts for the pins and a couple of inches of 3/8 ID pipe, weld and drill to suit. Will dig out some detail photos an post them. Keep us posted on your progress. Cheers Phil

Hi Josh Have a look over on, http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/index.php several of us have basically end up building new ones by the time we finished replacing all the rust. The doors are really pretty simple and straight forward sheet metal work. Have some photos of sheet metal work on my Pat 12 on my website http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/SheetMetalWork.html I happen to have my Chevy Pat 12 drivers door off at the moment if you need any measurements? Cheers Phil

Nicely done, good idea, nice prsentation. Nice bench mark for each of us to consider, what did we do this year. Cheers Phil

Hi Andrew Peter is correct about the normal temperature ranges. One of the thing that is often forgotten about having an engine running too colds is condensation inside the engine. If the engine never gets up above 140-160F it will have a hard time getting rid of the condensation (water) or un-burned gas that is going collect which will in fairly short time building sludge in the engine. That you have noticed an improvement in the truck's performance when you block off a little of the radiator says that it is happier as well. Keep us posted on what you find. Cheers Phil

Hi Johann Great to see the progress you have made and all the hard work you have put into your HUP. Cheers Phil

Hi Jon Very neat additions to the space, does add a lot of atmosphere. Cheers Phil

Hi Mark First how much have you driven it lately? All of my Military Vehicles of that and early vintage tend to leak more when they haven't been run for a while . But it seems to slow way down after they have been driven for a couple of hours. If it is not running out in a steady stream, I'd check the oil level and take it for a drive. Checking the oil level in the crank case is also important, is it overfilled, does it smell of gas, does it feel thin? You probably guess what I'm getting at gas getting into the crankcase and dilution. Let us know what you find. Cheers Phil

Hi Paul Once had similar issue when overhauling a CMP, almost hate to say it but installed clutch disk backwards, are Dodge clutch disks clearly marked so this can't happen? Cheers Phil

Hi Look for Pat 13 CMPs can be like looking for the Holy Grail, or you may get luck and find some looking for a home. Have you considered using canvas doors as used on some of the Australian CMPs as an replacement, paint the truck sand color and get on to driving and enjoying. Also as soon as you have the canvas doors on somebody is going to come up to you and say "I've got a couple doors for that kicking around the shop, want come get them" There are some photos and information over on http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/. Strangely you may actually have more problems finding the hinges in usable condition. Cheers Phil PS - CMPs have been part of the family for about 40 years, you can't have just one. Once you have them restored then keeping all three of them running and happy is the issue. If they all don't get driven regularly they get sulky and won't come out of the garage to play. Thanks to the members of MLU for finding the information on Canvas Doors that I was thinking of. Here is the Thread that includes photos of Canvas Doors http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12788 Keep us posted on your progress Cheers Phil

Hi Looking for Pat 13 CMPs can be like looking for the Holy Grail, or you may get luck and find some looking for a home. Have you considered using canvas doors as used on some of the Australian CMPs as an replacement, paint the truck sand color and get on to driving and enjoying. Also as soon as you have the canvas doors on somebody is going to come up to you and say "I've got a couple doors for that kicking around the shop, want come get them" There are some photos and information over on http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/. Strangely you may actually have more problems finding the hinges in usable condition. Cheers Phil PS - CMPs have been part of the family for about 40 years, you can't have just one. Once you have them restored then keeping all three of them running and happy is the issue. If they all don't get driven regularly they get sulky and won't come out of the garage to play.

Hi Recently on MLU there was a thread and link to the Commonwealth Vehicle Data Book prepared for the D-Day Invasion to give a basic guide. http://wartimecanada.ca/document/world-war-ii/driving/vehicle-data-book You may find what your looking for, if that fails there is a book that covers all the different CMP bodies. Cheers Phil

Hi David May I ask a couple of posibly silly questions? I'm not familiar with DAF but have been playing with MVs for lot of years on and off road. Does the DAF have different tyer pressures for listed for on and off roads? One of my MVs a 3 ton cargo when running empty and road tire presure will not climb one hill on my property. But drop the tire preasure down to the off road presure and it climbs out. When the same truck is loaded with couple of tons of fire wood it doesn't care what tire presure it just climbs the hill. Non-directional tires as used on US and Canadian trucks seem tobe very sensitive to tire preasure in mud and snow. Unplowed two feet of snow my trucks in 4x4 just plain go, plow it down to a smooth snow surface they will slip. Cheers Phil

Hi Paul First do you want the paint to last or do you want to repaint every 5 to 10 years? The problem is the flattener used in OD is a porous matierial that lets water into the paint. Hardner make the paint dry quicker, get hard quicker and hardner by itself tends to make the paint shinny thus figthing the flattener. One approach that I have been using for nearly 40 years is as follows: First color coat is NON flattened enamal of chosen color with hardner added. Gives good sealer coat and shinney finish. Second color coat is where you add the flattener, the trick is to put the second coat on at the minimum time between coats this give a very good bond of the two layers. Now having said this and gotten very good results on a number of trucks over the 40 years, I've also used very good paint mostly Dupont Centary. I've gotten a very close match to the original colors on my CMP HUP, if anybody wants the Dupont paint mix numbers will be glad to share them. One last point with this approach is that the color match is from one batch to another is very good, even with paint 5 years apart. One of the advantages that I have noted with using this approach is that the paint jobs with hardened first layer seem to resists scratches from brush on trail rides. Hope you will this information helpful

Many thanks for posting the link to SAAF web site, tons of interesting photographs, besure to follow the links back to the main page of the site for even more photos and information. If you are interested in CMPs there are lots of great photos showing them being used. Most important the whole site gives you a rare glimps into how these men spent the WWII and how hard the living conditions were this was not living in an nice baracks. These young men are our fathers, grand fathers. Cheers Phil

Hi Nick Photos please, love this type of event. Here in New England we call them Fall Foliage Tours. Cheers Phil