I recall reading (I think in the List archives, but I forgot to bookmark)
about the material used for the sleeves around the base of the gearstick
levers on the GPW/MBs. The mailers spoke about when the material changed
from rubber to leather (or vice versa...). However, the sleeves on my GPW
90216 are light brown canvas, very similar to the seat coverings. Although
I know (thanks to Listers) that the d.o.d. of the GPW was January 1943, the
body is WIllys, added who knows when, so presumably the sleeves were added
with the 'new' body.
Q: Were the canvas sleeves introduced when both rubber _and_ leather
became more difficult to obtain, or is the canvas just a 'random'
replacement and not necessarily an original feature?
Q: Also, I'm having trouble locating my engine number. The engine has a GPW
block and a WIllys cylinder head, with WILLYS stamped into it, which is
apparently a late war MB head since it doesn't have reinforcements running
between the holes for the cylinder head studs (thanks Todd Paisley) Can
someone tell me exactly where to look? Many thanks.
Sad Jeep story follows:
I decided to take my GPW/mb on its longest run yet under my ownership (6
months), since I figured it would be the last run before winter (not too
pleasant in Ireland). The round trip was about 32 miles. After about 24, it
sputtered and refused to go any further. It was an electrical problem, but
nothing I did could help -- waited an hour and a half for the Automobile
Rescue. Then it stared to rain. Turns out I have a dynamo in serious need
of replacement/reconditioning, and after a boost, had to be followed home
by the Rescue guy with his yellow lights flashing as darkness fell. Not the
kind of 'look at me' attention I ever anticipated while driving an MV...
Q: Anyone got advice on whether it'd be best to replace instead of
recondition the dynamo?
Go raibh maith agaibh
(Gaelic for 'thanks all')
Mick O'Farrell
Miss J -- Jan '43 GPW/mb
===
To unsubscribe from the mil-veh mailing list, send the single word
UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of a message to <mil-veh-request@skylee.com>.