Having changed the cable positions to get them in the right order - see previous post on this -
http://fredsjeep.blog.co.uk/2008/06/22/toolkit-update-aamp-dashboard-4347214

I decided that the repro choke cable and the old M201 hand throttle cable (which has a brown knob and is marked "starter") needed some looking at. I got an original choke cable from USA via the famous auction site and a repro hand throttle cable from Beltring. The photos show how different they are in colour. The original choke knob is a very much darker green than the repro version.
With these in place and in the right order, the dash continues to move closer to an original look.
Fitting the cables is a fiddly job. They have a securing nut which is up behind the dash and very difficult to get a spanner on, I ended up just leaving them hand tight but that seems to be fine. Both cables had to be cut to length as they're generic pieces which can fit many vehicles. I used the old cables as a guide but left plenty of spare wire and shroud over, just in case I got it wrong. I'll leave them long as it makes it easier to draw the cables out for lubrication. There was also a bit of calibration to do on the carb once the new cables were in - this done, it all runs pukka.
I now have the right knobs!

I class myself as lucky, because getting hold of an original cast pintle hook for the MB is not so easy. This one came from my friend Charlz over in the Philippines - thanks Charlz . It wasn't in great cosmetic shape so I stripped all the old paint off and ground out some rusty spots. It took a while to free up the moving parts as there was a great deal of crap accumulated inside it. 4 hours submerged in white spirit saw most of that off and I finished off the prep with a coat of Owatrol Oil (Penetrol in USA). Owatrol Oil direct to metal protects from rust and makes an excellent base for paint application. The hook has been very well used, the markings in particular have suffered lots of wear and are quite shallow. To avoid reducing them further with thick layers of paint, I just used the Owatrol as a primer and then went straight on with a coat of flat Olive Drab (Dallas Autos aerosol). Results in the pictures. Haven't replaced the existing M201 pintle yet, will need to get a trailer first!

Before I set off on my hols for two weeks I just thought I'd post a few pics. Some are of the jeep out in the New Forest and the rest are my favourites from the Beltring show last month.
I should be doing lots of other stuff on the jeep, but right now driving it about is much more fun!

More photos at:
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=498
Jeep details:
http://g503.com/serial-numbers/view.php?record_id=3205

Canvas and jeep just go so well together. I wondered for a while if I actually needed a windshield cover, after all how many times would I be driving it with the windshield folded down? - well after this, as many as possible!
The cover came from Worthing Canvas at the Beltring show, well done to them, it's a great piece, fits great, looks great. Driving the jeep like this necessitates the use of at least cool shades, if not a set of proper goggles - it ain't half windy!

Now that the jeep is running so well I decided to give it a little test as a delivery vehicle. A short trip (14 miles round) to drop off a vintage Seagull outboard bought off the famous auction site by a colleague. Lovely job! Utility 4x4? It certainly is.

For military vehicle canvas:
http://www.uscanvas.com/

Whilst at the Beltring show I bought a nice repro grease gun bracket, the locking type for lever guns used on later jeeps. Have been waiting for one of these for a while to test my theory that the four welded up holes I found in the side of the hood were in fact for the grease gun bracket

When the bracket was offered up, the welded up holes all lined up very nicely indeed with the bracket holes. Good news, so I drilled out four new holes right over where the welds were. The new bracket was then given a coat of Dallas Autos flat Olive Drab.

Once the paint was all dry I fitted the bracket using 4 machine screws with nuts and lock washers - very smart!

Final job, fit the gun - Happy Days, it fitted lovely and looks wicked.
I'm pretty proud of that job since the last time I drilled metal on my own, was just before I got thrown out of metalworking class at school (and that was way back when...)

more photos at:
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=498
All your jeep needs at:
http://dallasautoparts.com/index.htm

Some of the stuff you can see at the biggest historic military event in Europe - Not a bad day out really

Thought I'd post spome pics of today's ride out to Bramshaw in the New Forest, very nice indeed.
Met some of the New Forest ponies, Jeep was more scared of them than they were of her
This is what getting the jeep mechanically sound is all about.

Been busy grovelling under the jeep to fit in several more sets of nice new bond straps. I left these until last as they are in pretty inaccesible spots unless you garage has a pit or or a hydraulic lift - sadly I have neither. So that means schooching under, lying on your back and getting covered in crud whilst practising contorsionism - great fun!
I fitted 3 sets - body to transfer case and frame to engine right and left side. Very hard work but some good results. I found a number of original bolts and star washers were still in place making the fitting a bit easier and I found out the transfer case was made by Ford - that means whole drivetrain is courtesy of old Henry Ford - well thank you sir!
Photos of the various strap sets and how they got fitted below:

Transfer Case

Engine to Frame via Engine Mounts

And Finally......

I'm doing OK for replacement gauges at the minute. Today I got an originl NOS (New Old Stock) oil pressure gauge. This came from the famouus auction site from a seller in France. Beautiful, brand new, marked lb/sq inch, made in USA by AC - not bad at all! So I took out the repro one and fitted it in. Sounds easy but it was a bit of pig to do. The fuel gauge had to come out and it was very awkward to access the pressure pipe when fitted to the repro gauge, but it got done.
The original gauge clamp is much easier to fit than the repro (it goes under the pipe not around it) and the fitting on the gauge is located at its base, not the centre, this makes it so much easier to fit - clearly better to have the original!
Once it was in I ran a test, lo and behold, it works first time! A little stickier than the repro but gives very much the same readings - Happy Days!
Photos below illustrate the job. Only need a speedo, amp gauge and temp gauge now!

Jeep details at:
http://g503.com/serial-numbers/view.php?record_id=3205
More photos at:
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=498

First off I added a picture of the Jeep's rear - no particular reason, I just thought I would. The canvas top is very nice apart from it really shouldn't have the plastic glass window, it should be just a hole - a little modern addition I can live with. Generally the jeep looks good like this but I still prefer to drive without any canvas.

Next a picture of the latest bond (ground strap) addition. This one earths between the starter and the generator. As I've added ground straps I've noticed a distinct improvement in the "oomph!" delivered by the starter, this was also much helped by changing the spark plug leads to ones of much lower resistance (courtesy of Dallas Autos!)

Next series of pictures are of the front and rear differentials. I opened these up today to check the level of the gear oil in them. You can see in the pics that the oil level should be just at the lip of the inspection plug. Happy to say they were both good, no additional oil (Hypoid type) was required.

Then I had a look at the transfer case oil level. The inspection plug is high on the side of the case. Oil level should be at the lip of the inspection plug as with the diffs. Photo is great, you can see the oil level and nice shiny gear teeth inside. The oil level was a little short of the plug - there's a small leak at the main seal - but it was a minimal addition - 50ml at most so I'm very happy with that.

Just waiting for the arrival of an original oil pressure gauge I acquired from the famous auction site, installing that should provide a bit of challenge!

More photos:
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=498
Dallas Autos, Jeep Specialists:
http://dallasautoparts.com/index.htm