Restoring M29C3284

[M29C3284]

17 hours ago, D.R.H. said:

WOW!!  Work on this level is hard for me to comprehend, however, I have to replace some panels on my Weasel. The flat ones are pretty straight forward and easy for me, the hard ones are the front and rear bottom panels that have the radii. Would I be able to talk you into cutting out one of each for me please? I will pay you for them, naturally. Thanks Dave.

Thank you. The front panel that I replaced I didn't use any fancy high tech tools to bent it. I bent it around a pipe to rough it in and fine tuned it over my knee to get it to fit properly. It's only 1,25 mm steel so it's not too hard to bend. 

I'm not sure if it will be cost effective for my to cut those panels for you considering I'm in Norway/Sweden. Shipping something of that size is not cheap. I can provide you with the drawing of the front panel piece if you like.

[M29C3284]

3 hours ago, M29 said:

Hi Alexander

The engine repair you did sounds like the same I will have to do on my T15 engine. I know the valves are all stuck and no1 cylinder is pitted. so a bore will be needed plus crank has some corrosion spots so that will have to be done as well. The dilemma I am having is I have a better engine from an M29C but it would not be the original. I wonder if the weasel gods would condemn me if I used the other block. I know I would still want to go through it as well so basically would save the bore  and crank grind work. I am really thinking that staying as original as possible is the best though. 

Dan

If I where you I would restore the original engine. It keeps it original and increases it's value.

[D.R.H.]

Hi Alexander. Yes please, a drawing would be perfect. I can take it to my sheet metal guy and he can cut it out with his plasma cutter. I can also pay for the postage to the U.S. through PayPal.

[M29C3284]

I reached a milestone on my weasel last week when I finished the last of the major sheet metal jobs, so now the hull is complete, just the rest to go. 

I was thinking about replacing the front top panel, but after seeing Patrick's work on his T24 i decided that I would try straightening it instead.

 

The panel was quite distorted, especially around the fuel filler opening which had been welded shut. I had to remove the reinforcement ring and straighten it first before I could work on panel itself. After an hour or two with the hammer and dolly, oxy/acetylene and shrinking disc I got the panel fairly straight, but I will have to do some lead work to get it where I want it. That will happen after I have sandblasted the whole hull. 

This was the first time I actually tried straightening a big panel like this, and I could only get it to the point where I could still feel some slight waves in the panel. Any further shrinking did not seam to help getting them to flatten out. I also tired stretching and then re shrinking but it did not help either, I only ended up at the same slight waves I started with. Being in uncharted territory I did not want to beat the panel too much, making it thinner, so I stopped there. Anybody got any tips and tricks on how to get it completely flat?

Anyhow the last pieces to "complete" hull was then installed.

  

A big thanks to John for supplying me with the coaming all those years ago. I now finally got to use it.

Now it's just all the little jobs left. Grinding weld, straightening the odd dent, welding up unwanted holes, re drilling holes that should be there, well the list is quite long..... 

Edited July 8, 2020 by M29C3284

[M29C3284]

After spending a half a day grinding welds I decided I needed to do something else, so I tackle one of does small projects. I only had one good top bow corner pocket so I decided I would try and make one. 

This was really a good job for the Pullmax. We picked up this P9 a few years ago for next to nothing. The steel it's made off costs more.

For those that don't know what a Pullmax is used for, it is used for either cutting or forming. In the case of the P9 model it can cut up to 10 mm mild steel and form up to 6 mm mild steel. It uses a reciprocating upper die and a stationary lower one to form or cut.   

What make a Pullmax so versatile is that you can make your own dies and form almost any shape. The dies I'm using for this project are plasma cut from 6 mm steel.

Then it's just a matter of running your material, in this case 2 mm steel, thru the dies while progressively lowering the top die until you have the shape you want.

This is the shaped piece. I always use a bigger piece then the final part, as there will always be some errors at the start. 

 

Finished part after cutting to size, drilling holes and bottom cap installed. I plunge milled the 5/16" holes with a endmill because a regular drill would not track straight.

Reproduction part next to usable original part.

Edited July 8, 2020 by M29C3284

[OZM29C]

Inspiration work. Well done👍👍 The standard of restoration workmanship that weasel owners aspire to nowadays is truly astounding. Keep the updates coming.

[Patrick Tipton]

18 hours ago, M29C3284 said:

Anybody got any tips and tricks on how to get it completely flat?

 

Looking great.  Love the work with the Pullmax - those corner pockets look awesome!

I know the feeling really well of getting a panel really close and then it seems to stop.  First step is to hang up the tools for the night and come back a day later.

As I am no guru, your mileage may vary but here is how I understand what is happening.  The panel can't go flat again until it is.  I know that sounds silly, but hang with me.  Shrinking alone will not get it perfectly flat - you will have to planish further.

I find that I get the best results with a slapper.

1.  Cover the entire area with your Dykem/Sharpie so you can see what is happening.

2.  Where you can see that you have a wave - planish the whole area with the slapper until you get a nice oil canning effect - pops in and out.  If there are any small ridges/bumps - you need to get them out now.  Use a body hammer/dolly if you need to direct the force into a small area.  I have a body hammer with a flat pointed edge - almost like a wide thick screwdriver (don't know the proper name) - it works great for this kind of work because it doesn't tend to mar the metal surface. 

3.  Be ready to experiment with on/off dolly techniques.  It often helps to put a heavy dolly in the center of your bump and then hammer on the "edge of the crater" with a slapper or a body hammer (carefully).  It often doesn't seem like much is happening, but we are only trying to move the metal a little bit so that is somewhat to be expected.

4.  Once the area feels totally smooth but rounded (gentle oil canning bump), shrink with the disc.  I find it works best to shrink on the protruding side.  If you have access issues, hit the protruding side with a big dolly (yep - caveman metalworking) - until it pops out on the side you have access to shrink.  If you go easy on the pressure with the shrinking disc in the beginng, the area with tighten up as the heat causes it to expand and you will be able to shrink it more aggressively without it "popping back".  I know it sounds funny, but when you get to this stage, you are really close....

You can move the metal faster with the torch, but don't get it hot or you will cause localized waves that you will have to remove with a hammer and dolly.  At this point I just heat until the steel begins to turn color and then cool.

I think the hardest part about this straightening is having the conviction to continue.  I find myself getting it really close and thinking - "good enough" but.... because I am scared to make a decent job worse.  I think the operating idea is to be bold here...you have gotten it this close and you can get it totally flat if you just go a little further.

Again - great work and thanks for taking the time to share your process!

[M29C3284]

Thanks Patrick, that is some great advice. I will have to try a slapper as I think I'm stretching instead of planishing with just the hammer. The off dolly technique is one that I really like. I have been playing around with who tight up against the metal I'm holding the dolly. Holding it with a small air gap really works well for me when I don't want to stretch the metal to much.

I guess I will just have to keep working at it.

Edited July 9, 2020 by M29C3284

[M29C3284]

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?

 

[OZM29C]

50 minutes ago, M29C3284 said:

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?

 

@M29C3284Great Work there, Its the small items that can take a lot of time to repair/replace. Looking forward to hearing about the Bandwagon modifications.

[Rob W]

Yes it would be fund to hear/see about the Bandvagn mods... will this be the only one restored like that in the world?

[M29C3284]

@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😊

[OZM29C]

@M29C3284Do you have the Swedish modified float tanks to go on your weasel?

[M29C3284]

Yes, I do.

[M29]

What are the swedish modified tanks?

[M29C3284]

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.

[M29C3284]

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.

 

Edited January 2, 2021 by M29C3284

[M29C3284]

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.

Edited January 2, 2021 by M29C3284

[M29]

Very Informative Response Alexander . Thanks for the reply.

Dan

 

[OZM29C]

@M29C3284That is truely a very intersting history of the Swedish Weasel. 👍👍👍

[Rob W]

Thanks for the education Alexander! That is now the definitive  published guide to Swedish weasel history! Lots of mods... I especially like that color photo of the two swedes eating lunch next to their weasel.  I wonder what happened to the 200 wiper motors? probably scrap 🤐  Sorry to put you through all that! Great job on the details and congrats your new  BV m/48!  Seems like you may have the only ones out there?...doesn't the Swedish army have any in a military museum?  Norway has a nice 106 Recoilless Norwegian Weasel in Museum.   

[M29C3284]

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.

[M29C3284]

Time for another update on the restoration. 

I've been working on getting the hull ready for final sandblasting and painting. And there was few areas that needed more straightening and using the tips I got from @Patrick Tipton I think managed to get close but not perfect. I'm not at his level of expertise when it comes to straightening sheet metal. So I decided I would tin those areas, Patrick have shown the process on his Youtube channel, but I just thought I would just show you the way I do it. It's more or less the same as Patrick, so if somebody missed it here's a repeat☺️

I start off by getting the area to be tinned down to bare metal. I prefer a sandblasted finish because the tinning compound grips the surface better, but a sanded surface works as well.

The tinning compound applied. It is used to pre-tin the surface so the tin/lead will stick to the surface.

 

 

The tinning compound is heated and it has to be brought up to the temperature where the it turns black/brown otherwise the acids in the compound will not be removed. The next step is very important; I spray on baking soda dissolved in water. I use this to removal all the acid form the compound. This is so important because if the acid is not removed completely the metals will start to rust under the tin.

 

 

Next step is to apply the tin. This is quite easy, on flat surfaces anyway, heat up the tin and the area to be tinned and then just paddle the tin out. The wood paddle is dipped in wax so the tin dosen't stick to the paddle.

I used the propan torch on the weasel, but you can also use a heat gun for this step. It is easier to use the heat gun when tinning on vertical surfaces as it is easier control the heat so the tin just dosen't melt off.

 

Last step is to file the tin, I use body files and an orbital sander for this. 

The tinning on this area turned out OK but I also used some filler on this area, but that came after priming. 

[Patrick Tipton]

@M29C3284Looking good my friend.  I did not know about the baking soda/neutralization trick.  I hope I don't end up with rust through!  I was under the impression that as long as you get the bright silver fluxed surface, you have removed all of the acid in the flux......, but I do like the extra protection idea. 

Keep up the good work!

Patrick

[M29C3284]

@Patrick Tipton Thank you. I learned the hard way about the baking soda trick. Then I used the heat gun to heat the flux so I'm not sure if it I reached to correct temperature to burn off the acid. 

One downside to using baking soda or any other alkaline solution is if you leave on bare steel it will rust very fast.