Restoration of Canadian Scout Car Ford Lynx I, Mk.III No.1726

[lynx42]

FINALLY I received word that the sandblaster was ready for the hull.

It was 232 days, or 33 weeks or 6 months and 8 days, since the Lynx was pushed into my shed on the 10th March, but who was counting.

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Off the stands and on to the trailer it went and off to Bairnsdale.

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A fork lift was arranged to get it off the trailer and into the sandblasting booth.

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A large wooden beam was placed onto the floor to sit the hull on. The forklift then went around to the front for the next lift.

Rick.

[lynx42]

The hull had to be turned around to get it into the booth.

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It was set up on my saw-horses from home so that it was high enough to get under it for sandblasting the floor underneath.

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Strong toms were put each side to hopefully stop an unwanted fall off the saw-horses.

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I would not work in there for all the money in the world.

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Finally things were happening to the hull.

Rick.

[lynx42]

Sand is no longer allowed to be used as a medium for blast cleaning so Garnet is the common medium now days.

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The blaster hard at work.

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Down to the left front lifting ring behind the left front shock absorber mount.

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Well on the way on the outside. The interior had not been started here.

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Rick

[lynx42]

The front windscreen armour is 1 1/4" thick.

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This is the drivers hatch with it's protector scope.

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The gun door is open here showing the thickness of the metal and that it is cut to a bevel to stop bullet splash from a direct front hit. There is a thin splash shield is also welded around the opening on the outside as it is an inward opening hatch. The outward opening hatches have the splash protection on the inside.

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Not only are the hinges bolts with especially shaped bolt heads to deflect hits but are also welded into place.

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The crew commanders hatch. You can see that there had been quite a few costs of paint applied over the years.

[lynx42]

Sandblasting uncovers all sorts of markings.

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The hulls for Ford Lynx Scout Cars were manufactured by International Harvester Co. and their trade mark is stamped in a couple of placed.

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They were then taken to the Ford factory and fitted to the Ford chassis.

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1726 is the hull number before sandblasting.

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Part numbers are also found in a few places.

Rick

[lynx42]

Two weeks later, 31st. October 2015, I was back to pick up the sandblasted hull.

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A couple of blokes carrying it out of the booth. It is not as heavy as you think. (No! they are just balancing it on the fork lift forks.)

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The forklift was pretty light on the steer end.

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On to the trailer.

The chap near the trailer wheel, leaning on the mudguard, lost a leg in a motor accident years ago. He is in demand for an extra in action movies. In the movie 'The Pacific' he is seen being blown up and his leg blown off. A bit of stage make-up and an extra bit of leg lying nearby and you would swear that he had actually lost his leg.

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Ready to tie down and take home.

Rick

[lynx42]

Whilst the hull was at the sandblasters work continued on with the front end.

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The front diff was dis-assembled and apart from needing new bearings and seals throughout was not in to bad a condition.

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As I said in post #16, the front shock absorber mounts had been cut off and used under the boat trailer. I was lucky to find a set in SA.

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Here are the originals on the boat trailer.

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The pivot pin cap shims were measured and carefully put away for later.

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These are the bearing spacers between the front wheel bearings found in the front hubs. These spacers are important.

Not having tool No.XA-3363-A available, I had made up a pivot pin removal tool and was able to remove the steering knuckle. The tool was made from a piece of 1.5" inside diam. tubing 1.25" long and a large washer bigger than the tubing with a 1/2" hole in the centre. A 1/2" x 20tpi. bolt 3" long was put thought the washer with a nut on the outside. The bolt was screwed into the pivot pin and by screwing down the net the pin was extracted. This idea would work for any Blitz pivot pins but you might have to change the measurements.

Rick