MY TURN.. 42 white M2.. Start project

[poof]

Well I have read quite a few others projects..
now its ny turn..
The week before Poofstock. I received a halftrack.. and parked it on the old corn crib slab..
Now here are some pictures of my progress..
the engine and trans are frozen solid... armor plates on driver side as well as the dash have been cut... this was one of the rotater crane after service conversion...
i got it with crane removed.. and only one track inplace... driver side track was on a pallet... driver side drum was froze in place....
I have taken off the front armor plates and removed the Radiator...
taken off the tention springs both sides... removed passenger side track....
got the idoler wheel arms so the move on back...both sides..
taken off the passenger side drum... succesfuly removed the driver side drum... today and pulled the Power PAC.. today also.
steering is working I just need to reset the steering idoler arm back to center as it was positioned to raise the steering collum for clearance of the rotater cab...of the crane. hope this is making some sence...
any way if I can load pictures from my phone.. you can see...
I am looking for some measurements of the armor plates .. Doors.. front wondow frame and small thin tall piece that connects from the doors to the back box armor..
right now I plan on having some plate cut to fit... ..
unless some one is giving some of these pieces away ...
ok ...
seems like a big bite project.. but relaxing so far...
Ya Right...
J.P.

 

[poof]

and a couple from the camera before it crapped out..
from its parking spot in the woods. to my slab.
this came from a SS member here in Wisconsin..
so for now... untill I change my mind..
Thanks Ron.. your the Best

 

[68t]

Well its a start, You now own a halftrack. but it can be restored. Just think of all the fun your going to have.

 

[papabear]

You have my utmost respect Sir...that's gonna be one heck of restoration!
And expensive

 

[battlecr]

Just remember there is only one way to eat an elelphant one bite at a time. Papabear is right it will be a heck of a restoration. Keep us up with your progress. You might check over on the G-503 Forum lots of good help over there also.

Don G.

Oh by the way I was in A Co. 12th Engr's attached to the 1st Brigade of the 8th Infantry in Mainz GY; Spent a lot of time up by Hanau and Lamperthiem. 1975 to 1978

 

[jets1959]

Great project!! Subscribed.

 

[NDT]

Looks like a great start! The nice thng about these is all you need to make body parts is some 1/4" steel plate, a drill press, and a plasma cutter!

 

[poof]

well the engine is scrapola...took as many parts off as posible will use for trade fodder...
here is one pic.. ports are solid full..

 

[Danger Ranger]

I am watching too...this looks like a good one

I want to see one with the crane restored...I am thinking that would be slightly more useful than the standard configuration.

 

[Torque]

I have bought 3 halftracks in the last month (wanted one for 30 years then got carried away) and two of them look just like yours, dash cut, fuel tank bracket on the right and the same crappy orange paint. Is your frame shortened? mine were M3's and had the rear of the frame cut off to about M2 length. Lucky me one runs! Would like to see a picture of one with the crane still on it.

 

[halftrackjack]

that one needs alot of stuff.

here are some links that will help you

ignition system parts numbers
ignition system parts numbers

m2 rear floor drawings
m2 rear floor drawings

M2 rear armor drawings
M2 rear armor drawings


dealers
halftrackinfo - Links - halftrack parts suppliers

there is much more on halftrackinfo but getting to know members of the sites and trading parts is half the fun..

 

[Wayofftrack]

Somebody asked for a crane picture. This was an M4 with a stretched frame. If anyone knows the Villages in Florida that field in the background is it now.
I've seen at least a dozen cranes that were converted from M4's. I have a theory that one of the companies that did these conversions bought a large lot of surplus M4's in the mid 50's since they were still in inventory just after Korea as substitute standard. I took this picture about 1983.



[imglink]http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/1007/medium/m4crane.jpg[/imglink]

 

[Wayofftrack]

Here is another crane job, this one converted from an M15. This is the second halftrack i ever laid eyes on when I was a kid, it is still owned by the same guy. It can be bought but the frame has cracks. Last time i spoke with him he wanted 2500.0 0for it but that was 8 years ago. It ran then. He has a nos track from the 50's but it was stored outside so its rotten. It's in Mt. Dora, FL.

[imglink]http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/1007/medium/crane.JPG[/imglink]

 

[maddawg308]

So sad to see these hacked-upon half-tracks. At the very least maybe they will lend some parts to those that are in better condition.

poof - you have your work cut out for you. The armor has been cut out already. But it's a process, work a little on it, take a breather, repeat.