M3 Restoration

[spec4don]

Steveo that's just plain old grease and grime. I'll bring it home and give it a bath.

Don G.

[spec4don]

Well the frame is welded up, not pretty but should hold. Welded most of it with stick. My old wire feed gave up. But I went inside the welded and found a burnt connection. Cleaned it up and back in business. Sounds like detracking next.

Don G.

[spec4don]

Finally got pass the snow and floods and got some more progress on the track. Steve and I are rockin and rollin on the track this week. I'm glead Steve is letting me use his shop. I like being warm.










Having fun, did put a NOS pintal hitch back on. So some parts going back on

Don G

[KC]

Hello Don,
I noticed your rear idler braces are wrapped around the rear cross member, just like a M2. Usually the M3 idler brace is mounted on the side of the frame. Wonder why yours are different?
Keep up the progress, one piece at a time.
Karl

[steve-0]

i have only seen one other halftrack like that with the idler brace. it was at the littlefield museum in there bone yard. they said it was a 75mm gun motor carriage. i wonder if that was an early style type.

your going to have to remove your pintle again to install the rear bed.
http://www.cybermodeler.net/armor/m3/images/kruse_m3_20.jpg

[spec4don]

Karl  and Steve. Clint noticed that also. Here's my respo0nse from the "G":

Clint, I didn't even clue in on that But now that you mention that I remember seeing them on the side. Makes me wonder. My halftrack is a Diamond T M3
s/n M3 2705. According to Joe M. my HT was delievered in 1942, Now According to Hunnicuts book Diamond T built 324 T 19's from Jan of 42 to April 42 until the M7 Priest was built. After the T-19's were designated obsolete the rest were converted to M3A1s. I wonder if because the Diamond T chassis was used as motor gun carriage is why it has the old style wrap around turn buckels.

I'm just guessing here. But my HT also came with pedistal lights. the motor gun carriages were we converted to pedistal lights because the concussion would bust out the fender mount lights. My data plate says mine was an M3 not an A1.

Steve thanks for pointing out about the pintal. Now that I look at it that was a big fat Duh-h-h-h. Good thing it's only hand tight and can come back out.

Don G.

[Outsider]

Don, You were just to excited in starting the assembly faze!

Steve

[spec4don]

Not making great strides but still moving forward. Got the drive sprockets and idlers back from the sand blaster. Got the brake drums turned. Rebuilt the wheel cylinders and brakes on the rear axle.







Still overhauling the hydrovac.

Don G.

[spec4don]

Hadn't posted anything for a while been working on some small stuff so no dramatic progress. Rebuilt my hand brake. Small item but a lot of work. Progress ia progress

[Tapper02]

Hey, it's the small stuff that really makes a restoration come together...and you've got to work on what you can when you can.  Everything's looking great so far.  Keep it up!!

-Tom

[steve-0]

looking good don
do you have your halftrack back home from steve's yet?

[spec4don]

No the halftrack is still there. Still have some frame work to do then paint. But still plugging away. Home projects getting in the way right now.

Don G.

[Outsider]

One piece at a time will Get'er Done.

Nice work.

Steve

[PeteG]

Looking good Don, but the sign in the motel bathroom says not to use the towels to shine your shoes or clean your luggage. I'm pretty sure they meant parts too.

[spec4don]

OOPS