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

Armor, Military Vehicles, Wanted, For Sale (NO AUCTION or EBAY), and Knowledge Base
Post Reply
Big D
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 788
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:22 pm
Location:

Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car serial number 7373

Post by Big D » Thu Nov 12, 2015 12:32 am

Hi Sly

Thanks for the photos. They are very useful. Willy is a clever man!

I am going out tomorrow to get some steel box channel to replace the seat tower channel. I will have to get it professionally cut and folded and the square holes in the back punched for the seat assemblies.

We will see if we can straighten the seat framework and the plate that holds the two foot levers. If not, a rebuild of the piped framework like you have pictured will be in order.

The seat height adjusting lever which is photographed; do you lift the lever to release the pin at the back of the tower?
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


dgrev
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 383
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:44 am
Location: Australia
Contact:

Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car serial number 7373

Post by dgrev » Thu Nov 12, 2015 12:48 am

Support your weight (otherwise you descend with an uncomfortable thud) then pull handle
outwards.
Ease weight, seat goes up, increase weight, seat goes down.

Spring moving in square tube makes a very distinct noise that once heard is forever
recognisable.

Regards
Doug

Big D
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 788
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:22 pm
Location:

Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car serial number 7373

Post by Big D » Fri Nov 13, 2015 8:43 am

Thanks Doug. That makes sense.

I've been tinkering away with a few small jobs on this. I am rebuilding the traverse mechanism with some new bearings and some fresh paint. Just awaiting a new hand wheel cover and shifter button coming from Brent Mullins.

I've also stripped down the brake slave cylinders and have been doing a tidy up of the brake parts. Doug - I see what you mean about the slave cylinders. Still lots to do on these.

I’ve also been experimenting with using a molasses mixture to remove some of the rust from the more heavily corroded items that I have here. I’ve attached some before and after photos. It does work and if time is not an issue and you want to save some money on sandblasting, it is quite a useful method. I’ve experimented with a 10-1 mix and an 8-1 mix and both give similar results. It takes about 2-3 weeks to get the results I’ve had. Once removed from the mix, you give it a wash down and dry it before painting. I gave the few bits I've done a light wirewheel after drying and it brings the steel up very shiny.

What I like about it is that it is non-toxic and you can safely leave it to do its thing in the garage. It also gets into places that a sandblaster can’t and it really leaves nuts, bolts and threads nice and clean. It will not remove paint or grease, but if the paint is flaking, I’ve found it will lift that flaky paint off. I have some bigger and more corroded items in the molasses now so I'll report back on how they go.
Attachments
IMG_0271 - Copy.JPG
IMG_0271 - Copy.JPG (130.06 KiB) Viewed 3439 times
IMG_0335.JPG
IMG_0335.JPG (126.74 KiB) Viewed 3439 times
IMG_0331.JPG
IMG_0331.JPG (190.98 KiB) Viewed 3439 times
IMG_0334.JPG
IMG_0334.JPG (141.78 KiB) Viewed 3439 times
IMG_0109.JPG
IMG_0109.JPG (104.74 KiB) Viewed 3439 times
IMG_0323.JPG
IMG_0323.JPG (152.42 KiB) Viewed 3439 times
IMG_0112.JPG
IMG_0112.JPG (113.44 KiB) Viewed 3439 times
IMG_0330.JPG
IMG_0330.JPG (158.43 KiB) Viewed 3439 times
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

Jim Gilmore
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1662
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2002 6:56 am
Location:

Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car serial number 7373

Post by Jim Gilmore » Tue Nov 17, 2015 8:40 am

"......This number is 8987E11. Interestingly, this number appears to have been stamped upside down?

So, from what I understand from Jim's post here, this is likely to be the Manufacturer's Serial Number? ...."



As others had said ..this is not the Ford serial number.

The numbers on the corners of your hull are the Ordnance Department serial numbers for the vehicle (7373).

In the center of the hull on the front glacis plate between the hatches will be the Ford serial number for the vehicle.

You may have to remove all the paint there to find it,

This number will sometimes be stamped in the center of the armor over the radiator between the tailights ( on the top).

It will be a four digit number.

While you are restoring your M-8 keep in mind that there were over 1,500 changes made to these vehicles during the production span. How other people's M-8 look or how their parts are, may not be the way your vehicle was when it was built.



Jim

Big D
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 788
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:22 pm
Location:

Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car serial number 7373

Post by Big D » Tue Nov 17, 2015 7:51 pm

Hi Jim,

Many thanks for the reply. That explains things for me about the Ford serial number. Clearly I will need to have another look at each end of the hull as you say and strip all the paint back. It would be nice to get to the bottom of this and I am determined to find all the markings I can!

Can you comment at all about likely manufacture date?

Yes, I am rapidly learning about all the changes these vehicles went through. I've collected a number of photos over the years and am amazed by all the subtle differences in how they look and how they were knitted out.
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

Jim Gilmore
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1662
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2002 6:56 am
Location:

Re: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car serial number 7373

Post by Jim Gilmore » Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:14 am

At this point in time my best guess based on production totals is December 1944 / January 1945.

I am working on a data base which is based on the Ford serial number that may be more precise .

Jim

Big D
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 788
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:22 pm
Location:

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

Post by Big D » Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:05 pm

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that. I had thought the manufacture date was much earlier than that so that is good to know. I had a quick look at the hull today and there is a number there on the armour above where the radiator would be but all I can make out at the moment is the letter 'C'. I'll go back when I have more time and clean that area up and see what it says.

By way of updates - I haven’t progressed too many things in the last few days. I am preparing some plans to get the seat towers laser cut and folded. In the meantime I have done some tidying up of some of the gun parts using the molasses mixture. It certainly saves some time and effort.

Next up is the turret support rollers. As you can see by the photos, these need a lot of work as the vertical roller and pins have been cut off all of them so I'll either need to find NOS complete units or see if I can scrounge up any spares so I can rebuild them.
Attachments
IMG_0363.JPG
IMG_0363.JPG (163.53 KiB) Viewed 3275 times
IMG_0362.JPG
IMG_0362.JPG (178.18 KiB) Viewed 3275 times
IMG_0354.JPG
IMG_0354.JPG (133.51 KiB) Viewed 3275 times
IMG_0242.JPG
IMG_0242.JPG (144.35 KiB) Viewed 3275 times
IMG_0352.JPG
IMG_0352.JPG (147.49 KiB) Viewed 3275 times
IMG_0350.JPG
IMG_0350.JPG (140.18 KiB) Viewed 3275 times
IMG_0292.JPG
IMG_0292.JPG (150.07 KiB) Viewed 3275 times
IMG_0291.JPG
IMG_0291.JPG (146.6 KiB) Viewed 3275 times
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

Big D
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 788
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:22 pm
Location:

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

Post by Big D » Wed Dec 02, 2015 11:26 pm

Hi all,

I am hopeful the M8 hull will be progressed in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime I have been working on tidying up small jobs like the grenade boxes, 37mm spare parts box, steering box and assorted gun parts.

I also rebuilt the 37mm elevation mechanism. Doug's suggestion that the turret was a range target at some point seems likely. The elevation mechanism has a small arms hole through one side of the casting, through the centre shaft and out through the other side of the casting. There is also some other bullet damage to it. Fortunately the projectile missed the gears themselves. I cleaned up the entry and exit holes on the shaft and replaced the bearings at each end of the main shaft. Although the main gear is now a little out of round, I got it all to work again. It is not 100% smooth and although I wouldn't trust it in combat, it is working.

I am looking for the knob that bolts to the large adjustment wheel on the side if anyone has a spare.
Attachments
IMG_0502.JPG
IMG_0502.JPG (126.7 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0504.JPG
IMG_0504.JPG (190.34 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0509.JPG
IMG_0509.JPG (179.33 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0506.JPG
IMG_0506.JPG (187.81 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0484.JPG
IMG_0484.JPG (196.18 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0475.JPG
IMG_0475.JPG (133.57 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0390.JPG
IMG_0390.JPG (117.34 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0463.JPG
IMG_0463.JPG (158.69 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0356.JPG
IMG_0356.JPG (144.25 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
IMG_0349.JPG
IMG_0349.JPG (116.41 KiB) Viewed 3197 times
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

Big D
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 788
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:22 pm
Location:

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

Post by Big D » Sat Dec 05, 2015 9:15 am

Hi all,

I've just received the new turret traverse handle I ordered for the rebuild of the turret traverse mechanism. However,I've realised I am actually missing two parts for the mechanism. I am missing the sliding gear and spring in the hand wheel assembly. I can probably find a spring to suit but the sliding gear might be a little trickier.

I've attached the diagram from the manual. Does anyone have any spares for the traverse mechanisms that they would be prepared to sell?

Thanks.
Attachments
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (167.15 KiB) Viewed 3133 times
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
G-Master Sergeant
G-Master Sergeant
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:43 am
Location: France

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

Post by sly22 » Sun Dec 06, 2015 5:40 am

hello

sorry i have only one, if you don't find perhaps i can made a copy but i don't know the price ...


bye

sly

sly22
G-Master Sergeant
G-Master Sergeant
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:43 am
Location: France

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

Post by sly22 » Sun Dec 06, 2015 8:30 am

my work today

Image

Image

Big D
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 788
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:22 pm
Location:

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

Post by Big D » Sun Dec 06, 2015 11:04 am

Hi Sly

Very nice. Is that the Jerry can holder?
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
G-Master Sergeant
G-Master Sergeant
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:43 am
Location: France

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

Post by sly22 » Sun Dec 06, 2015 11:21 am

hye Darryl

yes it's the jerrycan holder

sly

sly22
G-Master Sergeant
G-Master Sergeant
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:43 am
Location: France

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

Post by sly22 » Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:41 am

Big D wrote:Hi Sly

Very nice. Is that the Jerry can holder?

hi darryl

i have one for you :D

Big D
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 788
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:22 pm
Location:

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

Post by Big D » Wed Dec 09, 2015 1:32 pm

Hi Sly

Wow! Thanks. I'll send you a PM.
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


Post Reply

Return to “Armor”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Hammerhead and 50 guests