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

[Big D]

Hi Tony,

Yes, that makes good sense. I will let the painter know that.

[Big D]

Hi all,

Here are a few more photos of the progress on the floor and rear wall of the hull.

The front floor diff bulge is now in place. I debated sanding back the weld around the flange but I think it looks pretty good as it is. It may not look quite right compared with period photos, but then what was right? I’ll complete the section over the front cross member once the centre part of the floor is done and I can work out how it will all meet.

I fabricated the rear panel in the fighting compartment using some sheet metal. In the end I opted for a simple flat sheet, rather than the original’s angled pressed shape in the middle. Some heat was required to straighten the cross member in the engine bay to get the panel to sit flat. The panel should do the job and look good but I’ve yet to weld on the threaded fixing points for the grenade and flare boxes.

Using a pattern I made up from photos and measurements from the hull, I cut the rear floor piece. With the aid of my engineering guys we have folded it up to the right angles of the floor. It looks like it will fit nicely, although I didn’t quite get the shape of the rearmost mounting fold right. The corners should have followed the angled sides of the hull, but overall it is not too bad so far.

I still need to cut the centre of the rear floor next and build it up to the right height and angle to meet the centre floor section. To do that though, I need to work out where it will meet the centre floor piece, so I need to get onto cutting, folding and welding that centre section up next. To that end, I could use some assistance with the dimensions of that centre piece.

I’ve attached a picture of the centre floor piece I'm going to fabricate. I’m not sure where I downloaded the the picture from now and in fact I think it is an M20 floor, but hopefully the owner doesn’t mind me using it!

Can anyone give me the dimensions of this piece please as shown on the photo? I know this section doesn’t totally follow the shape of the cross member underneath it. From what I can see it is angled to follow the shape of the cross member on the co-driver side and flat where the water jerry can will sit on the driver's side. I'm just not sure of the width and angles on this side though.

Where does the rear section of floor meet with the centre section? I like the idea of being able to remove the floor pieces so I’d like to bolt the rear and centre sections together if I can. I get the impression that they join just rearward of the cross-member, but I'd like to get confirmation of that please.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks.

[Big D]

More photos.

[Big D]

Hi all,

A few pictures added just to show the completed floor pieces.

The centre floor piece has an interesting shape to it and I figure the original manufacturing would have involved some complicated pressing. I had to get my compass out to get the folds right for some of the angles, but it is not looking bad. The fit is pretty good. Thanks for the measurements David.

I had to improvise a little at the front where the centre floor piece meets the front cross member. The front of the original centre floor piece was pressed such that it has a step at the front and I wasn’t easily able to recreate that. Also, because there was nothing useable left of the old sheet metal front floor that the centre floor piece would normally bolt down on top of, I had to make up some packers to lift the centre floor piece to the right height up off the cross member. I also had to make a small false floor for the gearstick housing mounting. I think it all looks pretty good though.

I’ve made the floor so that I can take out the centre section relatively easily. That is, the fixing points between the centre floor and rear floor pieces are on the rear floor, rather than the other way around. I’m not sure when and if removing the centre floor will be required but I figure it could be handy. With that centre floor piece coming out first, I figure the rear floor could be taken out underneath if required.

I’ve extended the front armoured floor back to the area over the front cross member, where it originally would have been. I’ve also made up a small surround around the area where the gearstick housing is. I’ve followed the original shape of the armoured floor in doing this. Most of the pictures I’ve seen of armoured front floors have a circular cut-out around the gearstick housing, but I have seen one other photograph of an armoured floor with an angled cut-out like my one has.

I don’t have the correct fixed driver seat, nor do I have the correct mount for the co-driver seat. In the end I fabricated two mounts from photographs of the originals to mount the two seats I did have. I need to get some torsion springs of the right size though for the locking plate that holds the seat back up. I don’t figure the driver’s seat will be folded back too often, and I guess you have to work with what you’ve got. I’ll keep an eye out for the correct driver’s seat and hopefully one will turn up one day.

The pictures show the seats and extinguisher mount just sitting in place for the moment. I still need to finish the drilling and tapping for the seat bases as well as drilling the holes around the sides of the floor pieces for the securing bolts.

In between time on the floor, I’ve done a few repairs on the inner and outer front guards. The inner ones are just about done now but there is some work in the outer front guards. There are some tricky folds in these and the rust appears to have developed in the hardest folds to create.

I think I’m getting there…..

[Big D]

More photos.

[super dave]

Looking good, You have come along ways

[Big D]

Hi Dave

Thanks for that. It feels like quite a journey so far. I feel like I'll be able to breathe a sigh of relief when the hull is done and off to the sandblasters.