How To: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car US Ordnance number 7373

[Big D]

Hi all,

I have now sorted the repro rear engine mounts. My engine crane didn’t have the height to get the engine block over the side of the hull, so I used a forklift to lower the block into the engine bay. After that I was able to use the engine crane to jiggle the block into place. I raised the engine into the front mounts, clamped the rear mounts down on the cross member, and once I was happy with the placement, drilled the mounting holes in the new cross member.

The repro mounts were about the correct length but the bolt spacing on the back where the mounts attach to the hull was well off. I chopped off the ends of the mounts and welded on the new bolt mounting plates I made. The hole spacing on the sheet metal plate that goes under the engine mounts was also out, so I have drilled new holes through that. Not sure why the repro mounts weren’t right but I guess there were differences in the hulls over time which could account for that.

I finished off the engine cover mounting plate by cutting and shaping it at the rear end to clear the radiator, and adding a few footman loops.

The hull and turret are booked in for the blasting and painting on 13th and 14th November so I am looking forward to that. In the meantime, I’ve started work on a few other things to keep me amused.

I am in the process of removing the recoil system from the mantlet. There are a couple of screws holding this in place so I will soak them with penetrant for a while before I try cracking them.

The generator will need a little bit of work…. It does rotate, so that is something. Hopefully the internals are in reasonable shape.

I’ve finalised the jerry can bracket on the driver’s seat and also completed all the tool lockers and lids.

I have started removing the end covers off the fuel tank. The wee screws and nuts are pretty stuck so each one is a battle, and there are a heap of them! I am still a bit undecided on what to do with the fuel tank. I have seen NOS bladders come up for sale but they are expensive (about 800 EURO from what I've seen). The vehicle will not get a lot of use and I am reluctant to spend that sort of money if I can’t maintain the bladder, so at this stage I am inclined to make (or find) a fuel tank that will go inside the original enclosure.

What are other’s opinions on this?