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

[Big D]

Hi all,

I was looking to get some opinions on how best to sandblast the M8 hull.

I figure there would be some advantages in having a nice clean, blasted and primed hull for when I move onto fabricating the floor for it; thus my desire to get this next step sorted in my mind before I proceed any further.

My original plan was to get the hull welded, and then fit the axles and springs once they were restored and etch primed. This would could get the M8 mobile and make it a bit easier to get the hull to and from the sandblasters.

It’s been suggested to me though that even if I get the blasters to cover the wheels and axles, I run the risk of getting the grit into all the wrong places - especially those nice restored diffs and hubs!

I’ve talked to the sandblasters and they say they can wrap the wheels and axles with plastic to avoid the grit getting into them. They would just need to be a little careful when it came to the blasting around the painted springs and the axles themselves.

I know the preferred course would be to blast just the hull minus the axles but the sandblasters say they would have difficulty moving a 2 ton hull around the yard. I’d also have the hassles and extra expense in getting it to the yard. That is, I’d need a truck with a crane to lift it on and off at each end, and then I’d somehow have to use that crane to put it in a place in the yard where the blasters could do the job.

I figured that with the hull being on the axles, it would give me the ability to roll it on and off the truck, which to me would be a darned sight easier.

I know the blasting is likely to hit some of the areas that are already primed, but they can easily go over those areas with etch primer while they are spraying the rest of the hull. Getting into and around the hull without a floor should give them plenty of access.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience on this? Am I going to lose much by going the way I have in mind? Am I wasting my time fitting those nice restored springs, axles and hubs with all that grit flying around?