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

[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.