Dominoes and sequences.

[Jay Turnbull]

Yo Fellow M- truckers.
Great weekend getting things done on truck. Brake project getting to the line bleeding part.
Trouble is, a slow gas drip resulted from brake line installation. The gas line was moved up a bit to get a brake line through and the connector began to drip,drip drip. Tightened the connector and the line twisted and REALLY leaked...more like a small stream.
After the momentary panic and appropriate catchment in place. line was crimped. In the clean container was a surprising amount of RUST flakes and pieces.
1/2 tank of gas and a leaking line is NOT what I want sitting in my shop...sooo,finagled the tank out from under the truck, in the process getting a faceful of rodent nest material and discovering the rodent(s) enjoyed the electric lines and tape through out the rear area of the M43. Even the sender wire was shredded.
The new gas line kit meant for the other M43 with a Bubba-ed fuel system, was taken out of inventory and put in place. The tank was drained and rinsed with mineral spirits through a funnel filter to see how bad the situation.
Surprising practically none, so the snooper scope will take a look around inside after the sender and fuel tube is removed.(And tank aerated)
Now to the wiring. Thank heavens for rat pack tendencies.
Several years ago, I bought several wiring harnesses for M43s, old stock and new manufacture. Why? I work on M-trucks, I'm "tetchded".
Sooo, started the install of rear harness, discovered patient compartment heater compartment with everything chewed , shredded,compacted and otherwise rodentified.
Figured,the lines all drained and secured, brake lines done and wiring started is a great way to say ENOUGH!
Went to the lubricant shelf and discovered all my anti-seize compound is used up. Decided to check on the fuel pump kit...needs the new style seals.
Thank heavens the carb rebuild kit is from Midwest and COMPLETE. (Next month's project.) Horn kit needs insulator...from Midwest. I needed a cup of coffee and the only left was decaf. The only beer left in the fridge was Select 55. Could not go for walk with my dog... she ran into a porcupine when the kids took her out for a run whilest I worked on my truck..
Next weekend I am spending honoring the mothers in my family. Any bets there will be a made for TV movie event forthcoming?
I think I am on the event -horizon of a M-truck black hole.
Regards and keep wrenching.
Jay (mobilized medic) Turnbull

[Cav Trooper]

Sounds like all of my adventures with the M and other vehicles, one thing leads to another plus a few bucks/many bucks thrown into the pile to fix it. My only savings is no rodents which I have dealt with not so much with chewing but hoarding hickory nuts, dog food and bird seed into the nests all stashed in the heater ducts or intake. Funny how they know right where to get the most out of their destructive tendencies. Good luck with the restos. Holidays and special events and people time always seem to break up a project just when you're just getting up to speed.

[Kaiser2boy]

Mice, too funny ,,well sort of. I noticed a strange sound every time I lowered the tail gate. It sounded like it was full of rusted metal falling back and forth. I took off the gate and stood it on end. It was then that about 2 pounds of dried corn cam pouring out, no rust just corn.
I thought that was odd. Then I found some more on the floor on the pasenger side after hitting a bump. Found more corn packed up in the dash over the map box.
I found more under the drivers seat . I made a intensive search to find who was stowing the corn and where they were. It turns out there were two mouse nests. One up inside the box frame that runs from side to side under the cargo bed.
I found one more over the transfer box. I am glad they had the corn because they never got into chewing the wires.....YET.

[Jay Turnbull]

Thanks for the feedback;
I think you are right about having a sacrificial pile of walnuts or some such "goody" that the little critters will exhaust themselves transferring from there to their stash point, of such a size they cannot move it through the little crannies in the truck and be "encouraged" to stash the stuff in a more innocuous place... like a sticky board lined "Mouse Motel". ( Heh,heh,heh. What evil conjured by creatures of inconsequence.)
The Zen of Powerwagon restoration leads me to calmer places, though. I feel empowered to the work the Bubba'd truck right along with this one. I always forget the nuances after awhile if I do things like this in a sequence of completions. Usually a year or two separated giving the memory cells enough time to burn out their interneuronal connections thereby erasing ANY AND ALL learned expertise gained in the initial restoration. Thank Heavens for PWA forums.
Anyhow,the family get-together this weekend to celebrate the women who basically make my PW pursuits possible.
To my mother whose heritage of expert and creative hand labor gave me the desire and skills to meld creative thought with knuckle-abrading handiwork , to my mother-in-law who taught her girls temperance and understanding when the men in their lives pursue the most crazy of avocational endeavors, and to my wife who has refined the definition of tolerance.
THEN its back to mayhem and giving my wife the opportunity to roll her eyes
and shake her head.
Such are sequences and consequences.
Regards, Jay Turnbull

[Cav Trooper]

Jay, my inspiration isn't quite a noble a yours. I started when the other kids in the neigborhood got new bikes or whatever and I scrounged and used my paperboy money and built my own bike, go carts, etc. First car was a '50 chevy deluxe with supposed almost 300k miles, babbit bearings repoured after each 100k by an old farmer. Next was a53 Dodge Meadowbrook which I think may have had the same engine as my M37, blew a rear brake line from rust and ran into my Dad's cement block garage, not too much damage to either car or building. From there, if I wanted it, I had to find a way to work for it or swap, etc. My wife now does the same eye roll after 43 years and I'm too set in my ways to do anything differently. Just getting a little too old to roll around on the floor under the truck then jump up and mow the lawn or other Honey Do list stuff. I have to pace myself a little more. Darn, where was my interest in these when I was in my 20's?? Oh ya, I was driving them for the good ole US Army, never had to wrench on them back then, just jump in a drive. A lot more fun now and a lot of recalled memories.

LOL
CT

[Kaiser2boy]

Thanks for the feedback;
I think you are right about having a sacrificial pile of walnuts or some such "goody" that the little critters will exhaust themselves transferring from there to their stash point, of such a size they cannot move it through the little crannies in the truck and be "encouraged" to stash the stuff in a more innocuous place... like a sticky board lined "Mouse Motel". ( Heh,heh,heh. What evil conjured by creatures of inconsequence.)
The Zen of Powerwagon restoration leads me to calmer places, though. I feel empowered to the work the Bubba'd truck right along with this one. I always forget the nuances after awhile if I do things like this in a sequence of completions. Usually a year or two separated giving the memory cells enough time to burn out their interneuronal connections thereby erasing ANY AND ALL learned expertise gained in the initial restoration. Thank Heavens for PWA forums.
Anyhow,the family get-together this weekend to celebrate the women who basically make my PW pursuits possible.
To my mother whose heritage of expert and creative hand labor gave me the desire and skills to meld creative thought with knuckle-abrading handiwork , to my mother-in-law who taught her girls temperance and understanding when the men in their lives pursue the most crazy of avocational endeavors, and to my wife who has refined the definition of tolerance.
THEN its back to mayhem and giving my wife the opportunity to roll her eyes
and shake her head.
Such are sequences and consequences.
Regards, Jay Turnbull

Zen, very good. I some times go out to the garage and take my trouble lamp and slide under the truck and just look around to see if there is anything I can do. I make mental note of things and it is relaxing.
My wife will come out and ask "what are you doing?" I say , "nothing". I cant see her but I can invision her shake her head as she mumbles and walks away.