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

[Big D]

Hi all,

I am at the stage where I am fitting and wiring the BC606 interphone boxes and the wiring to the FT237 radio tray and I’m hoping to get some advice from the M8 gurus out there.

I have the TM 11-2702 manual for installation of the radio and interphone equipment. I also have all the other drawings and plans for the wiring of the interphone and radios, as per the photos.

What isn’t clear to me is how the BC606s for the commander and loader are connected.

The plans would suggest that the BC606s for the commander and loader each terminate at the terminal boxes in the sponsons, which I have fitted. It is not clear though how those two terminal boxes are connected. The BC606 for the commander is not the problem, as it has a direct connection to the FT237 through the terminal box in the sponson on that side. How does the BC606 for the loader connect to the commander's side though?

I’ve seen many photos of M8s (like the photo attached) that have the BC606 for the commander and loader connected by way of CO213 cable that is strung along the back wall of the interior of the hull. There is no indication of that method of connecting them in the manuals that I have found. I can see the ease in doing it that way, but is it correct?

I know there is conduit that runs along the side of the hull for each terminal box through into the engine bay. I figured this conduit just carried the 12 volt supply from the engine bay to each of the terminal boxes, for the power supply to radios on each sponson. Does that conduit also carry the CO213 cordage that connects these BC606s?

I don’t have the original conduit that goes through the channel from the engine bay along the side of the engine hull to the terminal boxes (as pictured). I also don’t have the conduit/pipe that runs behind the hull interior back wall in front of the fuel tank, so I am running a little blind on both fronts.

If you have any ideas, I’d be keen to hear them please.