M3A1 AOP Scout Car Armour

Big D · #1 30-10-11, 05:26

Gidday all,

I am currently doing a restoration on an Australian M3A1 AOP Scout Car. The vehicle is pretty much complete but needs an engine rebuild.

My question is around the body and armour on the vehicle. The armour on the vehicle is basically original but it has a few things missing or still requiring work.

The armour on the back and the driver’s door is reproduction. The back armour is therefore bare and it has no back bumper, deck or brackets and it doesn’t have the handles or footman loops fitted.

The vehicle also doesn’t have the battery cover or front ammo box between the front seats.

I am looking to get all these missing items made up by a friend who runs an engineering business. I’d also like to get the repro back armour drilled for the handles and footman loops and get the correct placement of the rear bumper.

I am wondering if anyone has drawings or plans of these items as well as a plan of the rear armour which would show the locations and measurements of the holes for the footman loops, bumper and other fittings.

Otherwise, can you point me in the right direction of anything on line. I’ve searched the manuals but they have insufficient detail and so far my searches online haven’t yielded anything.

To my knowledge there are only 2 other M3A1 Scout Cars in NZ (both are many miles away) and so I don’t have one nearby that I can use for a template for these items.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Darryl Lennane

Mike K · #2 30-10-11, 09:48

I have the equipment memorandum that includes that vehicle. It's a booklet published in 1944 that reviews various equipments on issue . There was a whole series of the memorandums published , lucky for you I have the one with that vehicle in it . That scout car was fitted with a wireless set No. 11 ( Aust.) . I will try to find it and scan the relevant pages for you . MIKE

Mike K · #3 30-10-11, 09:53

I found this pic from the memorandum..i have the book here somewhere
The stick device mounted on the front is for laying out telephone line from a reel of phone line inside the car... the telephone line reel had a handle for retrieveing the line .

Mike K · #4 30-10-11, 10:19

You can see the rel assembly in this pic and the 11 radio set partly

Big D · #5 30-10-11, 11:18

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the replies. What you have sent through is very interesting. I don't have many photos of the M3A1 AOP and I had yet to see one in the flesh that didn't have the rear bumper.

From that information and the photos you sent through it seems like some of these vehicles did not have the rear bumper. The vehicle in the photo you have attached certainly doesn't seem to have one.

Is it possible that the rear armour on the vehicle I have is not necessarily repro? Perhaps it was supposed to be like that with no attachments?

What is the easiest way to tell if it is armour plated?

Is there any chance of you emailing me the scanned file of the view of the back inside of the scout car please?

Cheers

Darryl

Mike K · #6 31-10-11, 01:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big D

Is there any chance of you emailing me the scanned file of the view of the back inside of the scout car please?

Cheers

Darryl

Yes just PM me your email address ..no worries MIKE . I will scan a large size for you

daninnm · #7 17-04-12, 02:32

I have a 4 foot micrometer that will measure upthe various distances....My rear deck is complete and original.

Big D · #8 17-04-12, 10:56

Hi Dan

Will send you a PM.

Thanks

Darryl

Big D · #9 25-12-12, 00:00

Gidday,

Merry Xmas to all.

I have managed to ‘wing’ this and think I have all the measurements correct now on a new sketch diagram right bar one.

I am after confirmation of the measurement from the two outside skate rail mounting holes to the next set of four skate rail mounting holes. That is, on the sketch above, the set of two holes that are marked as being 2.875” from the right side; to the set of four holes marked as being 10.625” from those holes.

I believe this latter measurement is the one that is not right on this diagram I have. The diagram I have suggests this measurement should be 10.625”. I suspect the true measurement should be closer to 12 5/8”.

Can any Scout Car owners out there oblige please?

Cheers

Darryl

motto · #10 25-12-12, 05:22

Hi Darryl, on the two AOP hulls that I have here the dimension that you wanted checked measures up as 12.5".

Merry Christmas to all.

David

Big D · #11 25-12-12, 09:26

Hi David

That's great! Many thanks for the reply. I've been hoping to get this sorted for many months now.

That extra 2" per side helps explain things a lot more but I still seem to be between 1" and 2" out still on each side. Could I please trouble you to confirm the measurement between the other sets of skate rail holes? The measurement in the diagram I am wanting to confirm is shown as 8 13/16". I just want to be sure this is correct.

Merry Xmas!

Cheers

Darryl