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

[Big D]

Hi all,

I am hopeful the M8 hull will be progressed in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime I have been working on tidying up small jobs like the grenade boxes, 37mm spare parts box, steering box and assorted gun parts.

I also rebuilt the 37mm elevation mechanism. It appears that the turret was a range target at some point. The elevation mechanism has a small arms hole through one side of the casting, through the centre shaft and out through the other side of the casting. There is also some other bullet damage to it. Fortunately the projectile missed the gears themselves. I cleaned up the entry and exit holes on the shaft and replaced the bearings at each end of the main shaft. Although the main gear is now a little out of round, I got it all to work again. It is not 100% smooth and although I wouldn't trust it in combat, it is working.

I am looking for the knob that bolts to the large adjustment wheel on the side if anyone has a spare.