M16 Halftrack joins the family

[emptyhead]

I think that’s was mine r racing I finally got it home to ny a little over two years ago I’ll post some pic of the progress. Thanks again for the haul

 

[M543A2]

I always wondered how the steering reacted when the outer dual on front hit a rock, etc. on trucks with no power steering! I would think it would be a thumb breaker if you had your thumbs around the wheel as the wheel was spun in your hands. When cranking the old tractors by hand we always made sure not to grip the crank handle with our thumbs wrapped around it, palm only so if it kicked back it did not break your thumbs. I would think it would be hard on the king pins also because of the extended forces put upon them by the outer wheel being so far from the proper location. Anyone on here drive one with dual fronts to tell the story of how well it worked? Just curious-----!

 

[Tracer]

Mike, how about a pipe cutting & junk removal party. Have Alan and Randy come over and grill some tri-tip and we'll help ya remove all that excess weed killer stuff. Anyways, it'll give me an excuse to come out to Dixon and see it. Also need to talk to you about Behr paint. I want to paint my deuce the same color as your wrecker. Thx.

 

[bigmike]

Mike, how about a pipe cutting & junk removal party. Have Alan and Randy come over and grill some tri-tip and we'll help ya remove all that excess weed killer stuff. Anyways, it'll give me an excuse to come out to Dixon and see it. Also need to talk to you about Behr paint. I want to paint my deuce the same color as your wrecker. Thx.

Tracer, I’m all over having a cutting party. I’ll even smoke a brisket. Call me anytime and we can talk specifics about painting your truck. We can plan a painting party.

 

[Tracer]

Tracer, I’m all over having a cutting party. I’ll even smoke a brisket. Call me anytime and we can talk specifics about painting your truck. We can plan a painting party.

Sounds good Mike. I'll be in touch...……..by the way is the halftrack home yet??

 

[bigmike]

Sounds good Mike. I'll be in touch...……..by the way is the halftrack home yet??

She will be here Saturday the 8th in the morning.

 

[bigmike]

Update 9-23-18

Got her home and started removing all the piping and crap. Got a bunch of stuff cut off and the tank removed. Believe it or not but I just scored another halftrack last week. It was caught in a brush fire and had parts robbed off. The good news is that it has many of the parts I’m missing.

 

[Tracer]

Mike, now that you got most of the weed killer stuff removed, it's starting to look like a halftrack. Post some pics of your second halftrack when you can.

 

[bigmike]

Second halftrack

Here is the 2nd halftrack. Has many much needed front parts, two combat wheels and I scored a motor.

 

[Tracer]

Mike, looks like you have most of the major body parts but the rear box. How are parts for the White flathead six? Also I love the markings on the cylinder head, "Super Power".

 

[NDT]

What model is the burned one? You have the SUPER HARD to fabricate sub floor boxes there. Have fun sandblasting those. Did you score the yellow 275 in the background as well?

 

[bigmike]

Mike, looks like you have most of the major body parts but the rear box. How are parts for the White flathead six? Also I love the markings on the cylinder head, "Super Power".

Tracer,
Yes, i scored a bunch of front body parts i was missing or were really rotted out. I also have a complete grill guard with louvers. In regards to the motor, it's laying on it's side, no head, under a tree. laying on it's side kept water from accumulating on the pistons. It has a tranny attached as well.

 

[bigmike]

What model is the burned one? You have the SUPER HARD to fabricate sub floor boxes there. Have fun sandblasting those. Did you score the yellow 275 in the background as well?

NDT,
Not sure the model yet. It's early since the headlights are not fender mounted. Finding the subfloor boxes today was a nice surprise. Most of the metal is a bit tweaked from the heat but I should be able to get it looking close enough. The yellow M275 was a county truck and has the 6 cylinder gasser motor. No, I didn't score that. I have plenty of projects on my hands at this point...unless I find me an M342A2.

 

[Tracer]

Tracer,
Yes, i scored a bunch of front body parts i was missing or were really rotted out. I also have a complete grill guard with louvers. In regards to the motor, it's laying on it's side, no head, under a tree. laying on it's side kept water from accumulating on the pistons. It has a tranny attached as well.

Mike, you'll have a bit more grey hair when your done with this project but it'll be worth it.

 

[whatadeuce]

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder...Wasn't it General patton who said that?

 

[bigmike]

I scored another halftrack. It was in a brush fire 20 years ago. I bought it along with another set of boggies , and another engine. Got her home today. How do you pick up a halftrack???...with a Vietnam era wrecker...of course. BTW, the wife named the second halftrack “marshmallow”.

i gotta tell ya, using the wrecker today was just about one of the coolest things I’ve done in a long time...way fun!

 

[Tracer]

Good Job Mike! The sheet metal looks to be in pretty good condition. Lori named it Marshmallow? Mike, the wife and I visited 49er park in Plymouth last weekend. Nice park, but it looks like another pain in the _ _ _ to get to like Petaluma. Twisty two lane road Hwy. 16 to the 49 for about 30 or so miles. I'll give ya a call later and fill ya in on the details. Congrats again!

 

[bigmike]

Good Job Mike! The sheet metal looks to be in pretty good condition. Lori named it Marshmallow? Mike, the wife and I visited 49er park in Plymouth last weekend. Nice park, but it looks like another pain in the _ _ _ to get to like Petaluma. Twisty two lane road Hwy. 16 to the 49 for about 30 or so miles. I'll give ya a call later and fill ya in on the details. Congrats again!

Yea, marshmallow because it was in the brush fire.

 

[dmetalmiki]

Lovely finds. And a great project for you.
(seeing your wrecker in action (now motivates me into action with mine..but..that's another story..bad))

 

[8madjack]

Wow, that is so cool! Congrats!

There used to be one on static display a few miles from my house but one day it was gone....