My M37 Restoration Thread

[JStinson]

I've taken to cutting bolts off of the bumper. I generally try to salvage one of each type of bolt and nut used, but this is beginning to be a pipe dream. Some of these bolts haven't been off in 58 years, and they're stubborn. I expect this will be a recurring theme throughout much of the project. I used a hefty Snap-On pull handle for one of the bolts (not the ratchet handle pictured), but only ended up bloody when the bolt wrung off.

Hilarious attempt:



Labeling parts:



Attempting to salvage one type of each bolt and nut doesn't always work. In these cases, I'm just taking the bolt specs and writing them down so I'll have a guide when I go to buy new bolts and nuts.

[jrodjared]

Looking good, keep the pics coming.

[jrodjared]

Dumb question, you are using PB Blaster, right?

[JStinson]

Dumb question, you are using PB Blaster, right?

WD-40. The issue with most of these nuts is that they've been wet and have rust on them. Any amount of penetrant can't free them.

[gusbratz]

seemed like my front bumper bolts were the worst on the truck so far in the work i have done to mine. they take a lot of weather out there. mine were all NF thread.

[JStinson]

I managed to get all the extra stuff off of the bumper. I had to cut all of the bolts all off, it was the fastest thing to do.

All the bumper extras, fresh off of the truck:



I didn't think to do a before shot for this next picture. I wish I had, the bolt hole had been cut out for some reason, the hole was destroyed and completely open. This is the patch that I welded in:



Getting there:

[Chris Olson]

I would suggest at leat trying PB Blaster or Kroil before you say the bolts can't be free'd up... once I used PB Blaster I wanted to throw the WD40 out....

[JStinson]

Here's a shot of the underside of the hole patch:



Hole filled in and ready for a new bolt hole:



Pilot hole:

[JStinson]

Due to the setup of the drill press and the funny shape of the bracket, I had to drill the hole all the way through, then flip the bracket over to complete the hole with a bigger bit:






Finished product:

[JStinson]

Finished product of all the extras on the bumper. I did all of this with the blasting cabinet. I wish I could put the whole truck in the blaster and go from there.

[JStinson]

seemed like my front bumper bolts were the worst on the truck so far in the work i have done to mine. they take a lot of weather out there. mine were all NF thread.

I don't know what "NF" means. Can you explain?




Edit:

Nevermind, saved by the wonders of google. I've always referred to that differentiation as either "fine" or "coarse" as opposed to NF and NC. I didn't realize that there was a huge history behind it. Neat stuff.

[jrodjared]

I would suggest at leat trying PB Blaster or Kroil before you say the bolts can't be free'd up... once I used PB Blaster I wanted to throw the WD40 out....

yup, same here. spray, soak, remove.

[Desoto61]

Edit:

Nevermind, saved by the wonders of google. I've always referred to that differentiation as either "fine" or "coarse" as opposed to NF and NC. I didn't realize that there was a huge history behind it. Neat stuff.

There is also an SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) thread designation that is different from the National stuff, too.

[JStinson]

Updates

I'm making slow progress on the de-build. I haven't been back to the shop to check on my engine, but need to go to town soon anyway so I'll probably stop by. I've been taking the truck apart, piece by piece, however slowly. I'm taking my time with it.

Here are a few pictures, relatively uninteresting to most, but quite exciting to me.



Most of the bolts, unfortunately, look like this one:

[JStinson]

I found the seriel number plate. It was totally unreadable, under at least three layers of paint. It was an interesting find because the color layers were my coat of OD on top, then a coat of yellow, then a coat of OD. The OD seems to be the original. I thought at one point that the original color was blue, because that's what I found on the bumper. I would assume that the seriel number plate would have been with the truck more reliably than the bumper. Maybe it was a bumper off of another truck? I dunno, this truck has a fascinating history that I really wish I could read about.



After a bit of super strip:



So, there it is. Does anyone know where I can find information on this number?