M29C3284

Found them.NO top bow plans.pdf

Here's a low res version of the norwegian made top bows. I have a higher resolution one on my computer somewhere. If i find it I will post it here. From what I have been told the original Studebaker drawings for the bows does not exists anymore so these are the ones that are closest to the original.

@Patrick Tipton 👍Nice! Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and go for it. That patch turned out great. Like your use of aircraft terminology in the latest video😊

Nice work there Patrick. A question. I can't really tell form the picture but have the radiator opening been enlarged on your hull?

I have the original Studebaker drawing, scaned to pdf, avialiable.

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I'm not sure that all the wiper motors where there to begin with, the weasels where is quite sorry state when they bought them. This picture and the one I posted before was taken in Sweden before they where refurbished in 1949. There are a few more m/48's out there, my weasel friend @jeep_tom owns and have owned a few. There are two museums actually, the Army museum in Stockholm and Arsenalen outside Strängnäs. The Arsenalen museum is where the vehicles are displayed. They do have a weasel in their collection, but it is a norwegian M29C, and I don't think it is on permanent display.

@OZM29C @F-D Zernia Thank you.

The next big modification work was ordered in 1953. These are the easiest way to identify a Bandvagn m/48. A second front seat was now installed. Because of the extra front seat a new engine cover was made. Also the fuel tank was moved to the rear float tank. With the tank in the back the fuel filter was also moved to behind the drivers seat, thus the spot light reel and handle was removed. The batteries needed to be moved as well, and was placed behind the right passenger seat with the cables routed in the center tunnel under the rear floor. A cut out was made for easier servicing of the axle transmission in the rear panel and floor. A cover was made to cover the cut out. A removable 3 mm thick steel guard/double hull panel was installed on the front float tank. The front float tank lid was also made lockable. The exhaust pipe was extended to the rear of the float tank because of complaints of exhaust gases entering the passenger compartment. Carriers for the windscreen was installed. A heat shield for the oil filter housing was installed. They where made locally so the design varied. A high/low beam switch was also installed on the instrument panel for the headlights. Seen here to the left of the temp. indicator. In 1954 the capstan winch drive shaft was removed to make replacing the fan belt easier. The winch was considered too weak and was not used anyway. I have also seen that the top bows have been slightly modified by lengthening the horizontal tube back to the rear bow, but I have not seen any official document that covers this. Sorry about the bad picture. Swedish made black out driving light was installed on some, but this was late in the 50's early 60's, near the end of the service life of the weasel in the Swedish army. Also all was sold as surplus in 1965-66. That is all the modification, so now you know what to look for I have also seen some weasels used by The Swedish Forest Agency know back in the day as Domänverket that have some of the same modifications. To finish this post off here is a picture of, now own by me, one of the most complete Bandvagn Bv m/48 survivors. @M29 I hope this post answers your question about the float tanks.

In April of 1950 the weasel was classified as a road vehicle and therefore needed two headlight, turn signals, rear view mirrors, horn, rear tail light and brake light. The headlights, turn signals, rear view mirrors and tail light where already installed during refurbishment so only a brake light system and horn needed to be installed. The horn is of Bosch production and was installed on the front tank, and a switch was installed on the instrument panel. The brake light system is very simple yet ingenious. A brake light switch, Bosch SSH3/5Z, was installed to the vertical hat channel next to the drivers seat. Then a chain was connected to each steering pushrod (one is missing on the one pictured) and a spring to keep the chains under tension. The switch is spring loaded in the closed position, so when both steering levers are moved to brake. The tension by the spring holding the switch in open position is released and the brake light switch would close and the light would light up. But if only one lever is moved to turn the brake light would not light up because the spring tension would still be retained by the other pushrod and hold the switch in open position.

So what modifications did they do to the weasels in the Swedish army? Lets start at the beginning, Sweden bought 108 weasels, all M29C's in 1949, after various testing the years before of both the M29 and M29C. Eight of these where dismantled for parts and the remaining 100 where made servicable. These weasels came directly from surplus depots down in Europe and had not gone through any rebuild program like the vehicles supplied to NATO countries under the military aid program. Therefore a refurbishment program was made which mostly covered basic repairs and adjustments. But some modifications where also made. The headlight was replaced and a one second was installed. The new headlights where of Swedish production and was the normal type with replaceable bulbs instead of the sealed beam type. A taillight was installed on the right side together with a licence plate holder. The black out marker light was removed. A rear view and side mirrors, on both sides, where installed. The location of the side mirrors differs a bit from vehicle to vehicle depending on which workshop that did the installation. Turn signals where installed. They where of the semaphore type and made by Bosch. The windshield wiper motors where replaced with Bosch made ones. The original instruction plates and data plate (unfortunately) where replaced with Swedish ones. The Swedish data plate was either installed, as pictured here, on the instrument panel or in the original position. A new top was made and installed. It is a much simpler design then the original. The whole vehicle was painted army grey both inside and out and then camouflage painted, with brown, black and green, on the outside. This was the first set of modifications made and all 100 weasel where approved for service in the first three months of 1950. I will end this post here and continue in my next post.

@Patrick Tipton I checked the drawing for the 15" grouser and I was wrong. The grousers are hardend, to 36-44 Rockwell C. But there is no mention of any specific type of steel alloy it just says "steel" as material.

Yes, I do.

Looking good👍 One quick question, do you know where the ground strap for the engine is fastened to the hull?

@OZM29CThank you for the kind words. Yes you're right about that, they sure do, but they are what really makes the restoration in the end. @OZM29C @Rob W Ok, then I will cook something up. To my knowledge this will be the only restored one in the world, kinda exciting when you think about it😊

I finally got to do some more work on my weasel hull. And with all the major sheet metal work done I tackled all the little details to get it ready for sand blasting. Most of the wiring harness retainers/clamps that are welded to the hull had been cut off so I made a simple little jig and bent up a bunch. This series of pictures explain how I made them. They are made from 0,7 mm sheet so they where very easy to shape. The jig is just two 9,5 mm drill bits. I did make the small type as well. New retainers/clamps installed. The top radio mounts on the bulkhead had also been cut, so new ones where made and plug welded in place. I also installed all the last of the missing footman loops. I had to make a few as I ran out of the once I got from @Byron on the old forum. I also installed the missing bow pockets. So now I consider my hull is ready for sand blasting. It feels good to finally be at this point after all these years. Though there are a few mods, that I have not shown in detail, that I will have installed that will make this weasel a Swedish army Bandvagn m/48 again. I will make a separate post about these I anybody is interested?

I could not find any imperial size split bushings when I did mine. So I used metric bushings, which I filed the split so the bushing would fit the hole and then reamed them to size.

The T96 is used in Studebaker cars from 47-57 and yours has the overdrive unit on it. You can see the build up in this catalog from Studebaker international. I you are not going for 100% originality, I would use the T96 but removed the overdrive unit. It's a better transmission than the T84.

I wonder if that switch could be a overdrive lock out switch. Your transmission is a T84, isn't it?

I would stop drill the crack and just leave it as is. As as you say putting any heat into the casting in not a good idea.

I will have to check the drawings for the grouser, but I'm pretty sure that the grouser in not hardened because the drive lugs are.

Just to confirm John's measurements. The dimensions on original technical drawing are; 690,56mmx403,22mmx6,35mm (27-3/16"x15-7/8"x1/4") and the corners have a 6,35mm (1/4") radius. And it's made from laminated safety glass.

Looking good. Can't wait to see you riding around in it.

A small correction to your list, hull number 3284 is a M29C not a M29. Also you can add my T24 to the list; Hull number: 197 Ord. serial: 191

No problem. I have been called many names before

The bell housing is not the same as the starter is mounted on the right side on the weasel.