Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number 7373

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sly22
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by sly22 » Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:55 am

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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by sly22 » Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:55 am

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sly22
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by sly22 » Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:55 am

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sly22
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by sly22 » Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:56 am

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sly22
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by sly22 » Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:56 am

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sly22
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by sly22 » Sun Oct 30, 2016 11:00 am

Green is an original

I made reproductions

I have to finish washers

normally this is a pin which enters a tube

I have 2 more if you want. They are 1mm larger

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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by Big D » Thu Dec 01, 2016 11:00 pm

Hi all,

Sly – thanks for those pictures. I’ll send another PM soon.

Here a few progress photos along with a quick update.

The hatches are on now but I am still working on the hatch locking levers. The one that was still on the hull is being as stubborn as the other, and is seized. I did the same as the other side and cut a piece out of the top so I could access the workings, without removing it from the hull. I freed up the latch itself but the actuating rod (the one you pull to release the hatch) is seized into the sleeve in the side of the hull so I am still working on that. The hatch locking lever on the driver side is now fitted, although I haven’t yet finalised the actuating rod on that either.

The mine racks are now fitted to the hull and I’ve fitted a strip of folded steel on the left side of the hull for the tool locker mounts. I’ve also fabricated some new mounts for the protectoscope boxes and drilled out a lot of the broken bolts around the hull and tapped new threads where necessary. A lot of the captive nuts around the hull are history, so I need to work out what to do with those.

I removed what was left of the rear of the original floor. The cross member below that looks to be in pretty good shape. As you can see, there are still some remnants of the original front floor under the armoured floor. The sheet front floor I have coming arrives in 3 weeks so I will look at that piece before deciding what I do with the front floor.

Can anyone give me some dimensions and close-up photos of the mounts for the engine cover support rods? These have been removed at some point. I get the impression that the mount has an angle greater than 90 degrees, but it is hard to determine. I thought with a 90 degree bracket, the angle of the hull mightn’t set the support rods up high enough. Can anyone confirm this for me please?

There are the remnants of a bracket near the floor on the co-driver side, as per the photo. Does anyone know what this bracket was for? Am I right in saying this was for a Signal Projector? What is that, exactly?

Cheers
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Darryl Lennane
NZ

1943 Willys MB
1941 LP2A MG Carrier
1943 White M3A1 AOP
1942 Willys MBT
1944 Ford M8 Armoured Car
1945 Ford M20 Armoured Car

sly22
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by sly22 » Mon Dec 05, 2016 10:18 pm

I saw your photos. It goes well.

I can make pictures but I'm not sure what you want.

Yes it is the signal projector I think. And on another I think it's the oil can holders ... I could make you pictures of mine. Radio, the year they were all different

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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by Big D » Mon Dec 05, 2016 10:55 pm

Hi Sly

I've attached a picture showing the engine cover support rod bracket. If you could supply dimensions, and the angle of the bracket please, that would be appreciated. I will make some up.

What does the signal projector do?
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Engine cover support rod brackets.jpg
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Darryl Lennane
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1943 Willys MB
1941 LP2A MG Carrier
1943 White M3A1 AOP
1942 Willys MBT
1944 Ford M8 Armoured Car
1945 Ford M20 Armoured Car

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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by SURPDLR » Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:04 pm

Big D wrote:Hi all,

Something I noticed today was that the two sets of turret seat mounts I have are two different lengths. One set is 3 “ shorter than the other. Was this a change made when the armoured floor was fitted?

Thanks
Yes, the "Shorter" front support with the "dog leg" in it is from an M8 that got a Mine floor in the rear section. I have seen this on several Ex French M8's including mine. The annoying thing is when the French put the floor in, they ramped it up towards the rear so it is not flat to stand on.. I am "adjusting" that ramp defect on my rear floor, but still will have the French mine floor since, 1. It is part of the vehicles history, 2. There is not enough of the original rear floor to save, and 3. I am drawing a line at un-Frenching my turret basket front and rear "legs"! ;)
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by Big D » Tue Jan 03, 2017 9:04 pm

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the confirmation. I figured that might have been the case. Unfortunately there is not amount of history left in the internals of mine!
Darryl Lennane
NZ

1943 Willys MB
1941 LP2A MG Carrier
1943 White M3A1 AOP
1942 Willys MBT
1944 Ford M8 Armoured Car
1945 Ford M20 Armoured Car

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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by Big D » Tue Jan 03, 2017 10:59 pm

Hi all,

I was asked about progress on the M8 so this is just a quick update.

For the last week or so I’ve been working my way through a pile of parts that I have had arrive from Europe for the project, cleaning them up and priming etc. I have the fuel line covers, rear engine mounts, fan shrouds and tunnels, some piping for the engine bay, oil breather, gaskets, clutch disc, protectoscopes and boxes, gearstick housing, shock absorbers, etc.

I got the front floor piece I was waiting on. While it is heavily corroded in some places, the diff bulge and stampings and steering box hole are all in one piece. I figure we can cut out these good pieces and weld them into a new piece of folded sheet metal. There should be enough left of the rear piece of the floor I previously removed to shape the rear of this front floor piece. I could have got away with the front armoured floor but it had to be repaired in places and a new diff bulge fabricated anyway, so this will give it more of an original look.

I received two gearshift housings, levers and pins etc and noted some differences. One of the pins is a nice fabrication and just needs the two holes drilled for the couplings. I see there is a difference in the angles of the gearsticks though. At first I thought the one in red primer was a fabrication, but there are some numbers stamped on the small plate at the bottom, so I’m presuming it is an original piece. The other gear stick with the gear knob on it is an original piece – it has its number stamped into the metalwork.

As you can see, there is a substantial difference in the angle of the gearsticks. I’ve tried both in place in the housings and the one that isn’t primed (the original?) is angled very sharply to the rear when the gearstick is to the rear in second or fourth gear.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
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Darryl Lennane
NZ

1943 Willys MB
1941 LP2A MG Carrier
1943 White M3A1 AOP
1942 Willys MBT
1944 Ford M8 Armoured Car
1945 Ford M20 Armoured Car

clintm20
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by clintm20 » Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:01 am

Really admire the dedication and work you are putting in to this project great job!
Green Trucks and High Tides Forever

Diamond T M3 Half-track Serial # M32971 USA 4045956
Autocar M3A1 Half-track Serial # M3A1-47825 USA 4053835
Autocar M16A1 Half-track Serial # M15A1-1945 USA 40150662

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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by SURPDLR » Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:55 am

Big D wrote:Hi all,

Can anyone give me some dimensions and close-up photos of the mounts for the engine cover support rods? These have been removed at some point. I get the impression that the mount has an angle greater than 90 degrees, but it is hard to determine. I thought with a 90 degree bracket, the angle of the hull mightn’t set the support rods up high enough. Can anyone confirm this for me please?


Cheers
These supports must have been a failure point. One of mine is broken off! conveniently I found this NOS placement a few years ago!
Image
All measurements are in INCHES!

Bracket is 1/4" thick.
It is bent at a 30 degree angle.
Short leg of bracket and bend area is 2" wide
CL of rivet hole is 1/2" from rounded end. At CL of rivet hole, bracket is 1 1/8" wide.
Overall length of the rod is 25 1/2"
Rod is 1/2" dia.

Ball end of rod:
Image

Rivet detail / side profile of bend end:
Image

Short leg of bend from CL of bend:
Image

Long leg of bend:
Image

Hope all of this helps!
Last edited by SURPDLR on Wed Jan 04, 2017 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
JEFF HAIN-MATSON
FRONT LINE MILITARY VEHICLES
WRIGHTSVILLE PA
717-252-4489

INDIAN 741
INDIAN 841
MATCHLESS G3
MATCHLESS G3L
AND SEVERAL OTHER WHEELED AND TRACKED TOYS!!

MVPA #1833
IMPS #1726
MVT #9362

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SURPDLR
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Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car U.S Ordnance number

Post by SURPDLR » Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:58 am

I saw you won the fight with the slotted screw holding on the brake drums!!!
Below is my "up grade" answer to that problem on ALL vehicles that I have to deal with brake drum retainer screws on:

Image

As a Dutch friend of mine once said "There are NO little men living in there to see that you have changed this". ;)
JEFF HAIN-MATSON
FRONT LINE MILITARY VEHICLES
WRIGHTSVILLE PA
717-252-4489

INDIAN 741
INDIAN 841
MATCHLESS G3
MATCHLESS G3L
AND SEVERAL OTHER WHEELED AND TRACKED TOYS!!

MVPA #1833
IMPS #1726
MVT #9362


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