M2A1 Halftrack restoration-- dialup beware

[alpaca andy]

Well I hope you enjoy looking at the progress of my halftrack restoration as I am building it.
Im trying not to replace every part but when you get in this deep its hard not too. every part is either reconditioned or replaced. Its like restoring an old car, but to remove and install some body parts etc a hoist/bobcat with forks is needed

Info:
History
This started life as an M4A1 81mm Mortar carrier in 1943, Built by White motors. This is the winch model. After the war is was surplussed and converted to the civilian market. The rear floor/armor was removed, and it was heavily modified with I beams. I believe it was used as a hydro truck carrying wire through the bush. In the 80s it was bought out of the US by a excavating company in Brantford Ont. I don't believe they used it for work. They eventually sold it to a fellow in Brooklyn Ontario who rented it out for work (I understand a movie in Montreal shot around 84ish called "day one" about the atomic bomb in WW2. In 1987 it was rented out for a tv show called Captain Power shot in a gravel pit in Brampton. It was used in a few episodes, one where they blew it up (i will include the clip)
It again transferred hands in the early 2000s to a fellow in Cornwall Ontario with the intention of restoring it. Alas it sat and not much was done other than pull the drive-train. Fast forward to Dec 2010. I found it on Kijiji, where it was for sale for some time. I contacted the owner but they didn't seem interested in selling. They eventually told me the sale was on hold. May of 2011 I got an email out of the blue asking if i was still interested. I made a deposit immediately without seeing it in person (it isn't easy finding something this big and cool in Canada) It came with NOS engine in a crate that was sealed in 1962 and never opens since. I was the first to open it. It was a complete power-pack from clutch/pressure plate to carb to oil pan. It was a complete drop in. It even included a new fan and fan belts

Once I got it home:
I had a local towing company pick her up on a flatbed. After calculating the weight It just was in limits of his truck.

I didn't touch it for awhile, sat in my shop and I did research all summer. During that summer I did locate NOS tracks that came out of Israel. They were made in 1994 (stamped on them) There military were still using half-track into the late 80s, and had bought the equipment to make the tracks. I understand the fellow who owns the molds will still make them for a minimum order.

I started to strip her down in the fall of 2011. I had to purchase a plasma cutter as there was way to much to cut off with torches.
Since last summer I also started collecting the parts I would need. Turns out there is still alot of NOS stuff out there, still wrapped in cosmoline. I'd say 70% of what I can get is NOS parts, with the rest being reproduction.

As i'm sure Claven2 is already thinking, enough talk more pictures


Here is a picture from Southern Parts in the US. They surplussed off alot of military parts/vehicles. Look closely at the doors! This was shoot circa 1970



and now mine

Not the same halftrack, but the doors did come from that one!



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Here is a link to the Captain Power clip


More to come!!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[AZPhil]

That looks like it is coming along pretty well. I love half tracks,but it looks like you need alot of heavy machinery just to work on it.
Good luck with the rest of the build. I can't wait to see that Bad Boy in full dress!!

[Peter Laidler]

Alpaca, I take my hat off to you. Incredible feat from what it was. We had them in the British Army until about 1968 when they were replaced by the 432 (a version of the M113) with a HIAB crane fitted). Ours had a jib that fitted to the front bumper and folded back over the screen and raised rear cabin space. I'd like to read it as a story in booklet form. I recon that if, when you've finished the project, that if you wrote the story, with pics etc etc as a paperback book, then everywhere you had it on show or where people could see it, they'd all be asking zillions of questions. Then, in a kindly way, just show them the book.

That's a real pleasure to see. Keep us all informed........... Forumers, if you want to see more, just add your thanks to his thread.

[Claven2]

Andy,

When you have a chance, you should post the before and after pics of the drum brakes and differential you posted elsewhere on the net. That's top notch work you should be proud of

[alpaca andy]

Some before and after shots

[Peter Laidler]

Do many of these still exist in the US/Canada Alpaca? Are there many restored? Are they derelict/scrap? Are many of the parts such as running gear - brake shoes, bearings seals etc etc still current? See there's zillions of questions....... put me down for that paperback book when you publish it.

A fellow local to me had an ex Greek Army 4 wheel version of yours that had been cut in half as a condition of sale/disposal being a lend lease vehicle. He got it in two halves but farmed the restoration work out! His had been in the sun and was well maintained (? well....., as well as they do maintain their kit.....) so it was good bodily and mechanically. He also said that most of them were not sold due to the strict conditions placed on the sale by the US Govt so they were stripped of the wheels and tyres and placed on the sea bed close to some of the islands to form a reef/barrier to prevent more erosion of the holiday resort beaches. Someone else here has a Sherman Firefly - got from Portugal

[blazer91]

Excellent pics of an awsome resto job, looking forward to seeing the finished living history piece. Are you going to "test" it once in a while? Take it thru the crap that little "toy" Blazer/Jimmy that shares the shop space can only dream about? lol
cheers, Jim

[alpaca andy]

There are not many in the hands of collectors in Canada. I'd say a handful. Parts are abundant as armys were still using these upto 80s and maybe still. Southern Parts in Tennessee is gone, Gary Hebring in NJ bought out all the remaining parts from them. Southern Parts sold all kinds of military equipment from vehicles to small items. They advertised that they would build a vehicle to suit your needs. Many half-tracks were converted to the logging, hydro,drilling business by Southern. This is one of their conversions.

The wheeled version of the halftrack is the m3 scoutcar. Not much interchanges body wise even though they look the same

Do many of these still exist in the US/Canada Alpaca? Are there many restored? Are they derelict/scrap? Are many of the parts such as running gear - brake shoes, bearings seals etc etc still current? See there's zillions of questions....... put me down for that paperback book when you publish it.

A fellow local to me had an ex Greek Army 4 wheel version of yours that had been cut in half as a condition of sale/disposal being a lend lease vehicle. He got it in two halves but farmed the restoration work out! His had been in the sun and was well maintained (? well....., as well as they do maintain their kit.....) so it was good bodily and mechanically. He also said that most of them were not sold due to the strict conditions placed on the sale by the US Govt so they were stripped of the wheels and tyres and placed on the sea bed close to some of the islands to form a reef/barrier to prevent more erosion of the holiday resort beaches. Someone else here has a Sherman Firefly - got from Portugal

---------- Post added at 10:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 AM ----------

oops I forgot to add the video, have to figure how to load it,, but in the mean time here is some upper halftrack eye candy I'm working on

[Claven2]

Looking great For those who don't know, that started as an M3 and Andy is in the process of converting it to resemble an M2HB. For whatever reason, dewat M3's are easier to come by here in Canada.

[Bill Hollinger]

Andy, that is some impressive work that you have done on this old girl. Congratulations of a wonderful job so far!