New V-100

[M813rc]

Here are a few more pictures.

Pic 1- A bullet hole in the engine bay frame from when the V was used as a hard target . Thought it was a significant part of its history, so it stays. It will be behind the engine bay panel anyway.

Pic 2 &3 - Self explanatory. You can see the inner hole in the mantlet for the .50 is bigger. The holes are just big enough for the guns so you don't get an incoming bullet or spall down one of 'em. There is an armoured diameter-reduction plug that goes in the .50 hole to adapt to smaller weapons when they are fitted to that position. The turret is traversed to the rear, the little rail on the deck behind the turret is a simple mechanical way to raise the guns and keep you from shooting yourself in the rear (that would be most embarassing!). Later V's had a larger rail type affair. There are also little ramps in the turret ring that raise the guns at certain points via a pin that sticks up and just pushes on the gun tube. Simple but effective. The little raised squares of plate in front of the guns are non-original and apparently serve to limit gun depression. Those are coming off.
I don't know what the small square bracket on the back of the turret is for. It is also non-original, but I'll leave it.

Pic 4- Gun mounts and handle. The electric firing switch goes in the left end of the handle at the bottom right of the picture, which, attached to your arm, is the elevation control!

Pic 5- looking down into the radio-mans hatch. The round thing on the back corner is the antenna guard.

By the way, I notice that in the pics showing the interior it looks a different colour in each one. I assure you, it is all the same! Just shows you can't really trust the colour in pictures. Pic 1 is the closest.

Cheers

 

[Pawnshop]

Thanks Joec.
Wish I could claim responsibility for that sweet looking interior, but all credit goes to Earl, the paint was done before I bought it.

Sam, is this the V100 with the 'deer hunter' light you were thinking of? Might be a tad large for the side of my turret.

Cheers

No, the one I remember seeing had a turret with one light on each side. I have scoured the www and have not found it yet, still looking!

 

[M813rc]

Thanks Sam. I went back and read the post, it was Elwenil who actually mentioned the M60 light. Still want to see the pic you are referring to.

I have also seen some Vs with lights attached in various ways to the gun tubes. One had a strip of metal welded across the top of both, with holes that I imagine were for lights.
I have talked to one of the guys at work who used to be a DOE site security team member. They used V100s and a V150. He says they put regular and IR spotlights on them, he is going to try drawing up some diagrams to show how. Taking pictures was strictly forbidden (or as he put it "frowned on kinda heavy"). He mentioned that all were painted in "jungle camo". I need to show him some pictures of various camo patterns and get clarification on which one he is referring to.

He also tells an interesting story of them doing some unauthorized testing of the amphibious abilities in a stock tank one night. Turns out they were not aware of that fact that there were five drain plugs in the bottom of the hull that should be closed while swimming, and also that you should check the bilge pumps to see if they work PRIOR to entering the water. Of course you know what happened next... In his typically quiet Texas drawl he said "Yep, there was some yelling over that".

 

[V-100 Commando]

Rory,
You're doing an incredible job with your V. Keep up the good work. I can smell the deisel smoke from the convoy in front of me when I look at it.
Jeff

 

[littlebob]

Thanks Sam. I went back and read the post, it was Elwenil who actually mentioned the M60 light. Still want to see the pic you are referring to.

I have also seen some Vs with lights attached in various ways to the gun tubes. One had a strip of metal welded across the top of both, with holes that I imagine were for lights.
I have talked to one of the guys at work who used to be a DOE site security team member. He says they put regular and IR spotlights on them, he is going to try drawing up some diagrams to show how. Taking pictures was strictly forbidden.

He also tells an interesting story of them doing some unauthorized testing of the amphibious abilities in a stock tank one night. Turns out they were not aware of that fact that there were five drain plugs in the bottom of the hull that should be closed while swimming, and also that you should check the bilge pumps to see if they work PRIOR to entering the water. In his typically quiet way he said "Yep, there was some yelling over that".

My Dad told me of a swimming story in a DUKW when he was stationed at FT POLK that had similar issues. Great job on the restoration and hope to hear its on the road soon.
littlebob

 

[EZFEED]

Rory you are kicking some azz on this resto! Great work!!!!

 

[M813rc]

Thanks guys. It is coming along, but slower than I thought it would. Who ever heard of a MV restoration going over the allotted time??

And Jeff, coming from a man who used these as a work vehicle, that is high praise indeed. I hope to do it justice.

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

It lives!!!

Today (Friday) the V100 was started and run for the first time with all it's own stuff (cooling, controls, fuel). Ran it for about 25 minutes, long enough to test everything. Restarted it several times just because I could. If you look at the attached photo, you can see the fan is going.

It got cranked a couple of weeks ago but with no radiator and getting fuel from a lawn mower can, so just long enough to see that it would actually fire up. Today it was running from its own tanks.

Long day/week, I'll post a detailed update Saturday after some rest.

Cheers

 

[EZFEED]

Good deal Rory!
I could have sworn you said you were repowering with diesel, what size V-8 is it?

You gonna put some M2's or some 1919A4's in the turret? Real or dummy? FA or semi?

 

[M813rc]

Progress report

Having never tackled a frame-off restoration before, I was a tad over optimistic (ha!) at the start of this one (hull-off??) when it came to figuring out how long it was going to take. The realities of life, being what they are, have a way of teaching a little humility from time to time.
This project reminds me of running in deep sand- after a lot of effort, sweating and some pain, you look back and think “I’ve only managed to get this far??”.
(My former Marine brethren, and no doubt a few of you former-Squids are probably wincing at this analogy, yes? ).

But my goal from the beginning was that quality of the work, as in getting it done accurately and correctly, outweighed speed.
Tie that in with all the complexities of living… Well, you get the picture.

But now, having made progress at the rate of a speeding glacier, I find the V at a point where an update actually has something to show.

Accomplished so far-
All the fuel lines, brake lines, clutch lines (clutch is hydraulic) are in, checked, and rechecked.
Engine bay fire suppression lines installed.
Fuel tanks descaled and lined, filler necks and caps installed.
All the control cables are run: throttle, choke, manual throttle, parking brake.
Electrical wiring finished, all electrical items installed and tested, including lights.
Radiator rebuilt, installed, found to leak, removed, repaired, reinstalled.
Bilge pumps rebuilt, installed, along with their dump hoses.
Previously installed parts found to show rust (it’s near the coast) removed, cleaned up, repainted, reinstalled.
Exhausts installed.
Everything that holds fluid filled- oil, water, hydraulic fluid, fuel. This is followed by leak check, bleeding, etc.
Brown Recluse spider in turret located and slain.

Meanwhile a multitude of small (and some moderately large) parts have been tracked down or fabricated. Finding items that match the originals closely enough can be a challenge, a good example being the rubber door seals.

But it is all a labour of love, and one day you are rewarded with being able to turn on the switches, hit the starter button and have the beast come to life exactly as it should. Very, very satisfying.

Okay, I hear you say, quit babbling and get to the pictures. Takes me a while to upload them, so they will arrive in a steady dribble. Some will be from along the way, some will be current.

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

1- Drivers position. And yes, the parking brake handle is mounted incorrectly, that was just to get cable length, it is on the correct side of the frame now.
2- Hydraulic reservoir and filter
3- Engine bay. Big hoses on the bulkhead are bilge pump vent hoses. The smaller line behind them is for the fire suppression system.
4- Repainted brake booster
5- Refinished radiator
6&7- Radiator installed. Had to move the fire line and one bilge hose during installation for clearance and to make sure they didn’t get crimped. They'll go back to their proper positions before the radiator shroud goes in. The front of the vehicle is to the right in both pics.
6- Engine bay top covers

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

1- Fan and exhausts
2- Mufflers mounted in rear scoop
3&4- Grill that covers exhaust scoop. You can see the deflectors that direct the exhaust up and over the rear edge. Pic 3 is the bottom of the grill. In pic 4, top is to the right, you are looking at the back .
5- All the lights and horn installed
6- Everything works, note right turn signal is on. Front wheels are off the ground so we can work the steering to make sure everything is aligned and get any air bubbles out of the hydraulic fluid.

.

 

[M813rc]

Thanks EZ. I am sticking with the stock engine, it is an M75, which is a militarized Chrysler 361. This one is completely rebuilt to 0-hour condition. It runs very smoothly and sounds great. With the dual mufflers it is not loud but has a deep rumbling throatyness to it, sounds like the old muscle cars.

The turret will have an M1919A4 (dummy) and an M2HB .50 cal. The .50 will be a gas gun so I can make some noise. The tanks will be in the spent-round box, the hoses will run up the big spent-round hose to the collection chute, should be an almost invisible installation.

Cheers

 

[EZFEED]

Nice work Rory!!!!!

You ought to at least put a semi 1919A4 up there That'd be a hoot with an Emory Jones crankfire installed! See www.1919a4.com

 

[M813rc]

Actually you could put a firing weapon in with no problem. You just elevate the guns, pull two pins on either gun and they slide out of the mount, you slide another gun in and put the two pins back. Depending on gun type, you might have to jury rig the feed chute.
I don't know how big the crankfire mechanism is (I can't open that site at work), might be a bit tight with the outer gun, but there should be enough room at the inner mount. It is set up for a .50, but a 1919 will still fit in the mounts. Sure would be fun.
But... I don't have such a gun.....

Edit- I looked at that mechanism, clearance in the turret is too tight a fit to work on the right mount, but you could work it in the left mount if the right gun was not installed

 

[vj]

v1oo

i think i got a telescope and aimsight for the v100 , that what, i was told it for. if any one need one. vj

 

[vj]

sight t-46

i got a [sight periscope t-46 ] so don,t know if it for the v100, or not. so if any know what it for let me know, vj

 

[M813rc]

VJ, your T46 (M28 ) should be the correct one for the V100. They were also used in other armoured vehicles. I have two already or I would be interested.

(Did you know that if you type 8 and ) next to each other the word processor will automatically change it to a smiley face icon, no matter how many times you try to change it back???)

Here are a few more pics-

1- Engine bay. The two batteries go in the racks barely visible at the bottom edge of the side hatch. There is a heat shield between them and the engine, attaches to the two tabs on the edge of the wheel well. The air cleaner is not installed in this picture, it takes up a lot of the room inside the upper part of that hatch.
2- Rear, lights are working, right blinker on (again)
3- Underneath, looking forward
4- Underneath, looking back

5&6- The T46/M28 periscope sight VJ referred to

The nice shiny patina and the towels inside are because we spilled the &^%$#@ hydraulic fluid all over the place. Doh!

Cheers

.

 

[Pawnshop]

Are you SURE that thing is not going to be ready for Temple

 

[M813rc]

Sure it will...Temple 2010! (hmmm, that sounds a bit futuristic). Temple '09, which is five days from now?? Well..... The Vietnam re-enactment will have to live without it one more time.
Lockhart maybe?

Cheers