ford gpa g504

Saturday I had my first dive try out.
All went well, but as to be expected, a lot of leaks :(
I was better if I filled the hull with water at home and see where the leaks were.
Anyway, she didn't sink joker
Coming saturday, Ad and I will fill at my place and fill the tub with water
and do the repairs.
When there are no more leaks in this way, we will try again in the water.





Bob
Ford GPA 12350 DOD: april 4th 1943
Willys MD M38A1, A13817 1952
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last leak test and building up!
So, after filling the tub several times with water, every time with a higher level, finaly no leaks
Last saturday the last test with the vehicle in the water, deeper, and with water pressure from the outside.
Some leaks appeared, but only drops, and they are all repaired now.
All this testing and filling is not a nice job.
So to set my mind on something else, I start working on my spare GPW transmission and transfer.
I installed my spare unit in the GPA, but I like to have a spare unit on the shelf.(so the one inside don't get broke )
I had a extra GPA front transfer case unit with the vehicle and a PTO.
Aranged a Ford transfer and recently a Ford Transmisssion.


Now I started with building now the last leaks are closed.
Installed the wooden rear floors and battery trays.
As on my first GPA, I installed one 12 volt battery on the right, and one wooden fake on the left site, for spare parts.
Installed the rear deck and the left and right deck pannels / battery covers.
Spare wheel, anchor, lights, licenceplateholders and lights, rear seat and side pannels.
Now I am waiting to receive my missing parts.
The special oil drain plug for the engine is still missing , so I have to improvice for this.
Also my mufler brackets for the deck.
There was a small leak in the petrol tank, and I hope to get this back this week.
When the engine is installed, I have to work on the winch drive.
The Winch dog clutch, I could borrow from a friend to reproduce the drive shaft and engage shaft.
My good Texas friend arranged a two way bilge valve for me, and I hope to receive this comming days.


All and all it goes well and I am ahead on schedule sunny
I hope to be official in the water this year.
Thanks for all the friends that helped me with awarding parts for me.
I realise that I am just in time, because today the GPA market for parts is terrible crazy
Bob

Man o man I am glad.
That's where friends are for sunny
My good American friend David arranged a NOS Two way bilge valve for me.
My good british friend Bob arrange the front rope guide for me.
Thank you guys.
My list is becomming short now.( and I don't mind )

Bob

The finish line is in sight
I installed the original engine in the hull / frame and made it work.
I had a lot of problems with pressure group and clutch plate
Both items seem to have a problem world wide.
A lot of aftermarkt parts have a unknown quality problem.
You don't know which / what is correct.
I installed a new clutch plate in my other Jeep, and after 1000 mls two of the four springs broke out.
Now I installed a other brand with six springs, and the seller told me that he never had any complains
about those.
I couldn't get the correct distance between the clutch fingers of the pressure group and the clutch bearing.
There is a difference in thickness of the after market clutch plate and the several pressure plates.
The normal adjust distance is 21,5 mm of the three fingers on the pressure group, but on the new one's
this is not the same anymore.
After 6 times of removal and installing the engine, I finaly have a correct working clutch.


Now I can start working on connecting all parts, cables, electric etc.. etc..
A big problem was the main waterpropellor bearing and holders.
Now the help came from the Netherlands
My GPA friend Peter was willing to borrow his spare to Leo Combee, an other GPA friend, and
he was willing to fabricate a perfect replica for me.

Still missing the hand cranck gear on the water propellor shaft, but I can solve that problem for so long
with an extra bushing.
If anyone has a gear, or the hand cranck unit for sale, I am very interested!
And after weeks of Corona delay, finaly my firewall issolation material arrived from the US.
Another part that pleases me, thanks for my American friend David!

Now I can finish my dash unit and install this.
I am working hard to make a new capstan drive shaft and the engage shaft, thanks for the borrowed
capstan drive unit from my Dutch friend Cees.
Will be continued.....
Bob

Hi (GPA) friends,

Holiday for me and the work goes on at GPA 12350.
Made a lot of progress the last weeks
I installed a not original extra 12 volt electric bilge pump,

Also an extra brake-booster, also not original, but the GPA is 500 kg heavier than a normal Jeep,
and when you come out of the water, brakes are more bad!
When your engine will fail, no pump !, and when you have a leak, I think you
are pleased with an extra 12 volt pump
The dash is now installed and the front deck.
Installed the engine lid and left and right covers.

This is done after I made the dog clutch drive shaft and the dog clutch engage shaft.

This could only be done with dash on it and engine in it.
Luckely all works fine.
Now I am conecting all wires and all the extra wires and units.
I installed also a not original over pressure pump on the breathers of front and rear axle.
Yes, also not original crazy joker
I hope this will keep water out of the axles when I am in the water.
A small leak in a seal or gasket, and water will come in.
In this way I hope in that "hole"now air push out the water.
Then it was time to start the engine again, now with dash and instruments installed.
I was very pleased that there where no oil leaks, and my original generator was charging.


I have installed the main water propellor bearing (Thanks Leo), and the drive shaft for this,
and water propellor works great!
Also installed the exhaust pipes and mufler.
For me unknow, because my first GPA didn't has this unit, the extra grill and rod on top of the mufler.
After some "finding outs" I managed to get this installed in the correct way.

Also installed some extra's already on the vehicle.


Now I am working to get the wiring system complete, and I am working to get the indicators and brake light good.
Then I have to fill the braking system with flued and test this.
Then floor pannels can be installed and seats.
Indeed: will be continued!
Bob

Short update;
I filled the breaking system with fluid (silicone) and waited until the master cilinder was full, and all air bubbles were out.
I inspected the master cilinder and the whole floor was filled with flued. crazy
The after market extra plastic cilinder was leaking because of a crack.
Hopeless with a lot of after market products.
I ordered a new one, hopefully better quality.
So now I started again with filling the master cilinder, and bleeded the system.
Only two minor leaks that I could easily solve.
I finished all the electric wiring with all extra's for getting my licence plate and papers for the Dutch law.
Licence plate lightning, two breaking lights, two indicators, small "town" lights and the electric pump for the axles,
the 12 volt bilge, compass light etc etc...
Also made four springs for the lifting eyes.
Made some new breakets for the pick pole on the right side, and installed the pick pole.

I tried to adjust the sealed beam headlamps for both on the correct level.
When I pushed the foot switch they were working the other way arround???
I thought I had made a mistake in the wiring, although I worked carefully on this.
Red wires together and also black wires.
I lifted the front deck and discovered everything was O.K. ????
Then I checked the plugs / connectors in the headlamps and all the connections were ok ????
It turned out to be an internal mistake in a sealed beam unit!
In my whole career of working on vehicles, I never experienced this.
Will be continued.....
Bob

BTW :
Not a GPA story, but in the meantime,(some may have notised),
working on GPA 12350, I also did the complete retoration of a SAS Desert Ford Jeep.
Now also ready :




should be possible :

Finaly the finish line is in sight!
I made final adjustments to the brakes, and now she is braking fine,
I am pleased about the extra brake booster.
I made the air intake grill under the hatch with special wooven wires.

And together with Ad we made the finishing work on the surfshield.


Made my first small test rides and see how everything works.




Look for the differces joker






In Oktober I have to go to the Dutch trafic agency, to get my licence plates.
When the vehicle is approoved, I will go for road tests and water tests.
Bob

Yes !!!!
Today I went to the Dutch road traffic agency for getting my papers and licence plate
on my GPA.
The people were very enthusiastic about the vehicle.
Only the original frame number was not clear enough, so the stamped an new, better legible number
but left the original one.
So within five days I hope to receive my papers and will order the historical blue number plate.
Then I will start drive test and water tests
Bob

Super Bob sunny

Yes, I got my papers,
Now I 've ordered the blue historical bumber plates and I am allowed to drive and swim.
I did first some test drives close to my home and the trips longer.

Then the first trip to the boat ramp;

Then the first water test.
At that trip my horn kept blowing several times :?
I already had a lot of attention from public with the car, but now a lot more than I wanted.
Beside some small leaks the trip was not so bad, and we both enjoyed the first swim.



Bob

Hi friends,
After months of trying out GPA 12350, most of the beginnings faults are solved.
I was for three days on the water and didn't have to use the bilge.
A good friend of mine, also GPA owner, recently bought an other GPA in the U.S.
This GPA was for years owned by the chairman of the French military vehicle club.
He replaced the original engine into a Hurricane engine, and fitted the deck-plates with
teak hold, and made it like a Italian Riva sport boat.
Then it was sold to a French military vehicle dealer.
That man sold it again to an American collector who owned it for many years.
For several reasons he put it on E bay for sale.
Finaly my friend Wibo bought the half restored and half complete vehicle.
When, after months this GPA arrived at his place, he mailed me this picture, with the question:
"does this extra part ring any bells for you? "

This part was extra with his GPA, and was cut out of mine
My friend Ad and I had to do a lot of work to reconstruct this for mine.
I got it from Wibo as a souvenier.
Small (GPA) world
Bob
Ford GPA 12350 DOD: april 4th 1943
Willys MD M38A1, A13817 1952