M3 Restoration

[spec4don]

I've had a couple down weeks after my surgery so I decided to restore a couple items on my HT



Restored my gauge cluster. New glass, cleaned and painted the cluster. Cleaned and service the gauges.



Had some metal bent and fabbed up some drip rails just for fun. The center two are the originals It was a fun project. Being around Steves M2 and watching it in the parades last weekend I really want to get going on mine.

Don G.



 

[Tapper02]

Nice job Don...how did you do the painting and get the lines so perfect?  I sent off my gauge cluster housing to Bob's SpeedO (I have NOS gauges for it that are perfect) and when it came back, initially it looked great.  But, on closer inspection, he had printed off a decal of some sort for the red/black center ring and glued it on.  The thing is, the cut around the ring isn't even smooth...it's very obvious that it's a piece of printed paper as opposed to a silkscreened or handpainted face....I was less than thrilled!  Especially for the amount of money that I paid for him to do a "professional" job.  Needless to say, I unfortunately won't be using his services again.

-Tom

[spec4don]

Hi Tom, the gauges are the original gauges from the cluster. Except the temp gauge is an NOS replacement. I just cleaned them up good. I guess I should of specified the cluster face was intact I just cleaned it up good then taped it off and painted the back side. I had it apart to put the glass in so painted the pieces of the cluster.

However I am restoring a second gauge cluster and my Dad the model railroader has made me some of the center decals for the other gauge cluster. So the second one will be a decal. My Dad also made up a speedometer face and a tach face. They came out really good. For the cost a gauge restoration I'll put up with a little imperfection.

Don G. 

[steve-0]

looking good don
that gage sure cleaned up. do you guys in oregon get rained out for the winter or do you have a shop so you can keep going?
once it starts raining here i loose access to alot of my stuff stored outside, unless i want to go mud bogging.

[spec4don]

Steve my shop is too small for the half track to fit inside but I have a lean-to next to the garage where it sits. Although it's out side it is dry and that is important. Steve is going to let me haul my HT into his shop to do the frame so it will be a nice flat area to put the frame back together.

Don G.

[steve-0]

i was recently at steve As' shop. that should be a big help. we used his new A frame hoist to unload some halftrack stuff.

[spec4don]

Here's a link to a video of Steve and I putting my frame into his shop. Got phase one completed. Airarced the out side frame rails off. next we cut out the 4' extension out. Then put it back together.

Steveo, you sent me a measurement from one of your frames from the revit to the bracket. Would you be able to give me an overall measurement from the front bumper or the end of the frame to the rear cross member? Mine is a roller model. If you have a bare frame? Thanks 

http://youtu.be/IuPqMXbMHaE

Don G.

[steve-0]

overall the frame is 18' 1 3/4" long, not including roller or winch attachments
http://halftrackinfo.com/index.php?topic=206.0

if you have a couple points you would like more measurements from let me know. i see your frame is missing the bracket that i took one of the measurements from.

[spec4don]

Thanks Steve I wrote down the measurement from the bracket to the rivit. Forgot you sent me an overall measurement already. I think it's old timers disease or CRS     Was from the front bumper or the front of the frame rail?? This will one of those measure like 5 million times before I start welding.

Don G.

[spec4don]

Well today was a good day, Steve and I cut the extension out of the frame of my half track. A couple of weeks ago we cut the outside frame rails off and today we brought it back to where it should be, I HOPE Anyway a buddy of Steves who is a body aand fender man who does frame work is coming over monday to check things out for us. We came back to 18' 1 11/16" Heres a couple of shots I have more posted on the G503.









With any luck we'll have her welded up next week, I can start going back up hill

Don G.

[Thomas]

nice job Don!!

[Outsider]

Don, Am I seeing it right that you are missing a small section of the original frame? I find it strange that they would cut out a piece of the frame when they stretched it.

Steve

[spec4don]

Steve, when they stretched the frame, they cut a 6"section out of the outer outer frame, then split the inner frame. I believe because of the length of the extension they didn't want the welds inline. Normally you cut the frame at a 45' angle not vertical like they did. Hence the outside frame acted more like a fish plate. That would be my hit anyway.

Don G.

[spec4don]

Well got the outside frame 2/3's welded. Decided it was ok to take it off the jacks.  Decided it would be easier to weld the inside frame with the transmission out. Easier to get my BIG A## in there and make a good weld. I weld mostly with wire now so I'm very rusty  on stick especially up hill and over head, just don't do it much any more Anyway Steve and I started preping the trans to come out last night, we were going to pull it Monday, so it just take one more thing loose an hour later Sheezam! the trans is out I like come on? thats it? It was cake I was really expecting a battle!



It's loose



out she comes



Were ready for the final weld and start restoring all the frame stuff then paint the frame and hopefully start putting armor back on

Don G.

[steve-0]

looking good don
is that a coating of cement on your trans? i have one halftrack that has a tar coating on it.