Aberdeen MV Rally this week

[CGarbee]

Loading the trailer for Aberdeen. Does anyone need M37 parts? Previously enjoyed 900x16 or 1100x20 tires? I'm in my usual spaces, Yellow T11 (back row). BMAN will be with me and will have Convoy shirts for the Friday night BBQ.

[Carter]

I need a wheel Cabell.

[CGarbee]

Tossed some good brake drums on the trailer as well. Took them off my truck when I installed disc brakes...
Put a wheel on for Carter...

[Carter]

Thanks Cabell, appreciate it.

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

I went to Aberdeen this morning hoping if I got there early on the first day I might catch some of the good deals only the vendors get from other vendors. Such was not the case. First off, the rally website showed just about every vendor space being filled. That might be the case tomorrow or Saturday, but it sure wasn't the case today. I'd estimate about 20% of the spaces had vendors in them......which made for a LOT of walking. M37 parts were tougher to find than Tiger Tank parts........so it wasn't a fun day. There were 2 M37's there, one for sale and one freshly restored.........or at least freshly painted.

On the parts front there was one trailer down at the second to last row that had some M37 parts tossed in it, a gas tank, cab top bows, grilles and some other stuff buried underneath. But the owner of the trailer never showed up to sell the parts, so that was a no-go. One guy had set of running boards, one NOS and one well used. I bought the NOS one, but passed on the used one. A guy from Georgia brought up a bunch of used M38 parts, so I got a few parts that are common to the M37....nothing to get excited about. I did manage to finally buy something from Pete DeBella for a decent price..........I swear he sees me coming and doubles his prices. He's got a nice NOS generator to regulator cable that he always lays out on top of his M37 parts table. Last year he wanted $95 for it and I passed. This year he wanted $150 for it.........or at least that much from me. But........I did get 4 pieces of NOS weatherstriping for $10 a piece. Wooo-Hooo!

I spend most of my money at Brian Asbury's table. If you don't know Brian he's the MVPA expert on anything electrical, especially wiring. And he's a hell of a nice guy. He always brings lots of NOS electrical stuff....but he makes sure it's useable, not all dried up and cracking. Chatting with Brian always makes the trip worthwhile. Other than that I picked up a few odds and ends, and a set of brake drums from Mr. Garbee.

I might go back on Saturday, but not tomorrow. Oh....I didn't see any of Carter's blue G741 hats.....but maybe Saturday. So in summary.....Friday was a bust at Aberdeen for anything M37, but the weather was beautiful and the porta-potties were always empty when I needed them......so all in all not the worst Friday I ever had.

later,
bob

[Carter]

I was there in the afternoon, 3 til 5 and did not see any G741 hats either except for the one on my head which I could not see from my vantage point. Saw that repainted M and another with much surface rust that needed a lot of help. Very few parts because Bob bought them all. I will be driving my truck tomorrow and will have time to take pix, forgot the camera today. Every year this thing gets smaller and smaller, in 10 yrs. it will be an empty parking lot!

[rickv100]

I am heading down tomorrow, I usually try to go on Friday. I do not have an M37 hat but know Carter from past years.

I will stop by and say hi.

Rick

[Carter]

I am heading down tomorrow, I usually try to go on Friday. I do not have an M37 hat but know Carter from past years.

I will stop by and say hi.

Rick

And get a hat.. Looking forward to seeing you again Rick, I should be on site around Noon.

[w30bob]

Hi Carter,

Heck no, I didn't get all the M37 parts. I didn't touch the pair of rusted out fenders that were so rusty I had to look close to make sure they were M37....a real steal at $299 each. Or the bucket of carburetor parts being used to support a tent pole stake. I did forget to mention there was an unusual amount of nice used NDTs this time around, usually there are none. Please let us know how today goes......I'm on the fence about going back tomorrow or not. If today was better I just might make the trek.

And I did leave that M37 wheel at Cabell's table just for you!! I hope you have a great day today.

regards,
bob

[Carter]

Saturday turned out to be a sunny and humid day. I'd decided against buying the rim from Cabbell, it was just too banged up. There seemed to be about the same amount of vendors as last year, and a few M37 parts I found were not in the best of condition but the price high enough that the vendors were able to take them home with them. I bought a few things, a nice 28 volt 100 amp. gas powered 4 cylinder generator set with a military standard 4 cyl. engine made by Wisconsin as well as a full spool of new half inch winch cable which only cost $30 and a dozen 4" dia. 28 volt flood light bulbs that I can use as spares on convoy light which burned out a bulb on the way to the show Friday. Sandy and I were able to take a number of good photographs of the trucks in the display area to be judged as well as the awards ceremony including a shot of me being awarded M37 Factory Class First prize. I will create an album in the picture section under my name, Carter Davidson, which will give you an idea of what the show was like.

[w30bob]

Carter,

Congrats on the award!!! You really do have one of the nicest M37s I've ever seen. Great find on the winch cable. I was overtaken by events on Friday and Saturday so I couldn't make a return to Aberdeen......but on the bright side I didn't spend any money! So that's less I have to save for RedBall in the fall...or I could be mature and pay some bills. Yeah, RedBall it is!



I'll check out your album ASAP.

regards,
bob

[Carter]

Thanks for your kind words Bob, sorry I missed you but I am sure there will be another get together soon. I did run into jrodjared, he and I walked thru the show and I introduced him to Cabell and then we had a great time talking M37s.

The winch cable was an unexpected find, the vender was packing to leave and I saw a full spool of new unused cable and ask price to which he said $50, I could not believe it but said "take 30? " and that was a deal. Save that $$$ for Red Ball and we can try again to get together.

My truck trip to and from the rally was uneventful but a hot ride home with outside temps in the upper 70s and although the engine temp. stayed just below 180F the cab was hot even though I had windows and the cowl vent open.

Jared and Carter

[rickv100]

i went to the rally Friday and Saturday. I must have missed Carter on Friday as I left about noon on Friday. Saturday I was back in the morning with my son. it seemed like some vendors pulled out Friday night. On Saturday it just seemed like there were less vendors.

My only puchase was a rim for the truck. Not really much else there I was interested in.

I saw the trailer with the buried M37 parts never understood what was going on there.

Rick

[Carter]

...."I saw the trailer with the buried M37 parts never understood what was going on there."

I never could find out who owned that trailer, saw several items I was interested in. Oh well.

[T. Highway]

Hey Carter,

Congratulations on the first place prize.

Bert