T-16 "Luba"
 

Hi! We are getting started on our our old girl! Will be sandblasting her for Xmas! Thought I would start a thread to share the adventure!

Sand Blasting,
 

,
Great looking machine, it will interesting to watch your progress,thanks for sharing those pics.
Regards Ron

From complete carrier to bare hull in the time it took to take five pictures! Great..it must be that Florida sunshine. Looking forward to more.

Another Ron

Nice project, interesting to note that many carriers you see have the track put on the wrong way round, the track must perform o.k. in either direction?, I have also seen track on the same carrier, one wrong one right way round.

kevin.

excelent project cant wait to see how this turns out, a fantastic hullyou have there too.

Hey Sean,

Looks like you are off to a great start. Have you done anything yet with the engine you picked up in Texas?

If you sand down the hull where the TD markings are located before sand blasting, you'll probably find a second set of markings. Seems they used a white self etching paint and it worked its way through the top coat, primer and into the metal on two T-16s I've seen including my own. Usually they will be higher on the hull and were painted prior to the wading skirt squares being welded on which required new number locations.

Your Comment Deserves a Thread under Restoration
 

David's point deserves a thread of its own under restoration. Before sand blasting explore normal locations that might contain markings. On different CMPs where might those locations be. David would you like to open this on the Restoration Section.

Cheers Phil

More Pix!!!
 

Getting the Hull out of the shop and ready to be blasted.......... Winches are mighty fine things!

Hull #'s
 

Dave,
Unfortunately, all that we could make out of the serial # is a "Possible" # 3 or 8.
As for the # on the left front tow ring:
FS 5445
Hopefully that can be tracked to some thing/place/time?

Other #'s- Painted.
Who ever did the original "Slap-a-Coat-a-Paint-N-Sellit" job, Marked it, "T.D. 97320" After sanding down I came across what looked like the same # on the right hand side. However, on the Left, it seamed to also have a T.D. 92020. Also, on the back I found near the bottom and partly covered up by the hitch bracket which seamed to have been welded right over it, T.D. ?, ?, 3or8?, 2, 0.

The Dirty work!
 

Well thank god for nephews! I had an eager 13 year old that put 2 solid days of blasting in! Unfortunately that was all he had time for :( But he did a great job!

Finally!... Back in the Shop!
 

Got her off our newly made beach and back in the shop!

At least it's cool in Florida right now so wearing a blast suit shouldn't be all that bad.

Based on your lift ring numbers, your hull was 43 ahead of mine which has a production date stamped with the serial number of 1-44. Guess that would make yours 12-43 or 1-44 depending on how fast they were cranking them out at the time. Unfortunately the TD number probably won't have any association with the FS number or serial number. The serial number will usually be lower than the FS number by about 100 in case you can make it out after blasting is done.

#'s
 

Cool! 43 units off?!?!?! ... They are practically Twins! Cool Stuff. Unfortunately the serial # is non existent
What is the significance of that FS 5445 number?
I also recall seeing dates on the road wheels of 43 and 44. I'll have to go through all of them and make a list.
Thanks Dave!

Wow...It has been a while folks but progress has been made. Too many other projects got in the way.

Update: The old crappy sponson repair done by random Stick Welder Magillicuty has been removed. And yes that sucked because it basically equates to 100 foot of welds to grind down!! The original pieces are actually channels that are welded on the inside of the tub where they bend down and underneath where the lip runs even with the bottom of the armor sides etc. We are using a special wire which is a bit pricey so it they are just tacked in at the moment.

Enjoy.

SD

Also, I will be making up new hull plugs complete with threaded rings to weld to the hull. I'll try to get some pictures to better explain what I mean. If anyone is interested please let me know.

Sean

sderen@mac.com

I am also looking for the oil bypass control for the T-16. It is located on the left rear of the engine. See picture below. Any leads would be appreciated..

SD