Ryan's M3 medium

[Ryan]

Once again thanks for the advice guys.
Adrian, here's a couple of pics of the tracks. I'm pretty sure that they are original. The tank I'm now told has been sitting in the same spot for between 10 and 20 years.
Bob I'm not sure I'll find a bucket big enough to fit the tank in.

[lynx42]

Nice tracks Ryan, looks like fairly good rubber on the wheels too. Well done. Does it have an engine fitted?
Regards Rick.

[Ryan]

Hi Rick, no it doesn't have an engine fitted. Just a big, stuck garden ornament.

[tankbarrell]

Ryan, that's T49 track and it will not be seized. It is, as is all other M3 track, rubber bushed so it will be a brake or transmission issue.

[cantankrs]

Well Adrian's right (as usual) - the track frames for that style of track still have rubber donuts in the guts, so your problem moving it is not seized tracks - if it were a Matilda or Valentine or Bren Carrier then yes they rust up.

If anything in the bull gears or tranny is jammed then you may have to split the track front and rear and anchor the top track in place so it doesn't damage anyone and tow the hull onto a float. Then try and drag the remaining two bits of track up underneath the hull onto the floor of the float so you can get it home. Splitting it after all these years is the next problem as you probably don't want to cut it cos then you need some bits to replace it. Phill and I know a chap who winched (dragged) a Grant hull onto a float and then had to get it off later. Heavy metal can slide scarily easily on a steel deck but the owner of the float may not be interested.

Can you post some pics of what's left inside both engine bays and the rear of the hulls at some point so we can try and help identify what engines they probably had?

As far as I can gather, depending on the manufacturer there may be a number stamped into the top edge of the towing eyes at front and rear of the hull. I've read that only 1 in about 3 manufacturers did this. Since many of these did a lot of towing in private use the towing eyes may instead be mutilated. If the diff housing has been swapped out then the numbers would be different front and rear.

If either of the hulls is a Petrol radial then it has twin doors or at least a square opening you can step into at the rear. Look centre top edge of that back lower hull corner casting and there might be a number stamped into it with letter punches - I'd be interested to know what the number is cos I'm trying to find if it's a part number or whether some hulls had their number stamped there.

Alex

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Ryan - firstly the seized track. Depending on how much room you have on your property, you could dig a tranch to accomodate the track. Line the trench with heavy duty plastic sheeting and then immerse the track in the molasses solution. Ensure the plastic wraps across the top of the solution to stop it evaporating. It would be better with the tracks off the tank but you could do the same if they were still fitted. You would need to dig the trenches underneath the tank and then lower it into the trench. This however would only do the lower portion of the tracks.

Secondly the rubber donuts. If you need new ones, the industrial rubber factory I get my Carrier wheels re-rubbered should be able to manufacture new ones providing they obtain a template. The only problem I envisage is whether the donuts were inserted between the links when the tracks were assembled or whether they could be inserted after market.

Bob

[D Ellery]

Hi Ryan. Awesome project you have there. I visited John Belfields Museum early 2000 and fell in love with his M3 as with all the M3 parts out the back, actually I think I spent more time out the back climbing over all the rusty steel than inside the museum. My great uncle trained on these in Egypt prior to the Italian campaign so please continue with the posts and plenty of pics when you can. Cheers David.

[tankbarrell]

Originally Posted by Bob Moseley

Secondly the rubber donuts. If you need new ones, the industrial rubber factory I get my Carrier wheels re-rubbered should be able to manufacture new ones providing they obtain a template. The only problem I envisage is whether the donuts were inserted between the links when the tracks were assembled or whether they could be inserted after market.

Bob

The pins are pressed into the links after the rings are moulded onto them. However, at the risk of becoming repetative, it's all academic as the track will not be seized......

[Ryan]

Thanks Adrian for the ID.
Alex, thanks for the tips, will post your pics when I get it home.
Bob, thanks for the idea, hoping it's just the brakes.
David, plenty of pics will come, I enjoy posting them as much as I enjoy seeing other peoples pics.