OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Back in 2009 Steve and I recovered the other Australian T24 from a rubbish dump near the snowfields. Unfortunately none of the original data plates survived and the Australian Army only catalogued it as a 'Studebaker Lorry ARN13999'. This weasel belongs to Steve so I am only going to post in this topic my involvement in it which was to rebuild the hull. There are many photos and it will take time to upload the full story. This T24 had a similar fate to the T24 I wrote about in another topic. The pictures better tell the story. The first photo shows this T24 as found 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Here are some photos we have of this weasel in the early days 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 The first tasks at hand was to remove both the Bubba engine and the scrap metal that adorned the hull. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 The original front cross tube was beyond redemption and had to be removed. Unlike the M29C, a T24 front cross tube is welded in position which makes for an interesting time to remove it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Time to fit some caster wheels to the hull 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 What was left of this T24, I moved into the shed and then removed the final drive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Now it was time to get serious with the repairs. I had to remove more scrap metal from the hull and then repair the rear transmission mount. I also started to trim the sides back to clean metal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 I tipped the hull upside down and continued with the scrap metal removal. At the end of this job, crikey there was not much left to work with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 It was now time to start the repairs proper. I started with the hull bottom. I also fitted the empty final drive housing back into position to help keep what was left of the sheet metal in alignment. I also took the opportunity to fit a final drive oil drain plug. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 I made some final drive outrigger tube retaining nut adaptors to help with the future installation of the final drive. I also repaired the sheet metal just behind the final drive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 I also finished off the final drive hull drain plug 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Time to start making new sponsons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 More sponson work 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Making the sponson cross channels/braces 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Continuing on 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 The sponsons are really starting to take shaper now 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Steve and I imported an M29C from Duluth Mitchigan in 2007 only to find that the hull was rusted beyond repair, even for me. Having said that, what was left of the hull was a perfect donor section for this T24 repair. I set about separating the engine bulkhead and rear uppermost hull from the donor weasel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 The new sponsons were ready to install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Now it was time to marry the red weasel donor hull section to the new sponsons. Hours of fun 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 The grafting continues. I also had to repair the hood bow retainers in the donor hull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 And more grafting work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 I then returned to the lower T24 hull and continued the repair work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Now repairs to the lower front of the hull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Continuing on with the lower front hull repairs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 And more hull repair work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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