New weasel project on the go

[Byron]

Hi Guys,

im Byron. I was on the old weasel forum and I cant seem to find it. Has it gone?

I restored a weasel roughly 6 years ago and kept a full diary of what I was up to. I also made a lot of hard ware for the weasels that a lot of guys liked bought.
 

I have a new weasel project and would like to post some pictures. Out of all the ww2 vehicles I have restored, this is by far the most complete.

Would be great to chat to you guys.

Byron, England, Devon

 

 

[OZM29C]

Welcome back Byron. Long time no see. Good to see that you have another weasel project happening. The old weasel forum is long defunct. Thanks must go to @Patrick Tipton for building this new forum. This weasel project seems to be in better shape than your first project. Don't forget to post your serial and ORD numbers for @Jim Gilmore

Cheers John W.

[Patrick Tipton]

Greetings Bryon and welcome!  That looks like a great project - looking forward to following along.

Patrick

[Byron]

Thanks guys.

nice to speak again John. Are you still working on your weasel? How is it going?

yes, this weasel is much healthier  than the one I did last time. And much more complete. The last weasel is still in full use by its new owner. I get regular updates of his usage.

thanks Patrick for setting this up 👍 it’s nice for us to congregate in one place.

Ahh what a shame.... I miss the archives of the old forum. It had years of posts and pictures which were great to refer to.

is Russ Morgan still weaselling?

Ill get the serial numbers up soon.

today was removing the old tracks and suspension.

 

 

[5280Beltfed]

Nice project! I talked to Russ a few weeks ago and still has weasels. Looks like he is selling the tank:

http://www.mvcconline.org/mvccCat4_resources for sale Russ Sherman.html

[OZM29C]

Byron, Check out my thread here on this forum;

The restoration is almost there.

 

[Byron]

Ahh I’m pleased he still has them. He used to have lots of spares for them but it was difficult to buy them from Russ. I hope all is well with him.

thanks for the thread John. I’m going to take a look.

I have a pair of brand new STAMAN tracks with the full hardware kit  that come with this weasel when I bought it but no installation guid. I have a fair idea how I think it should go. Does anyone have anything to help me?? Many thanks in advance

Byron

[Doug Mac]

Hi Byron, I messaged you on your birthday mate as I had an incline you started another weasel . 
I have the rubber track kit on mine, needs the new drive sprocket and the wider bogie wheel pins and spacers and run them TIGHT I can take photos etc for you if you need ? Or come and have a look . All the best 

 

Doug

[Byron]

Wow John, I’ve had a good look through your blog! Amazing work 👍 I’m going to find your engine Pannel pictures really helpful as a guid for all the canvas piping and webbing. Great attention to detail.

I have the two small peace of angles which have webbing stapled to. They were in the bottom of the engine compartment on the floor. I have absolutely no idea where they go. 😂 I’ve looked in the parts manual and normal manual.

Hi Doug, I hope your keeping well! thank you.

some pictures would be amazing Doug... yes please. Run them tight, yes boss 🙏 How do you find the rubber tracks? If I’m honest, rebuilding my last tracks gave me disappointing results lots of blisters. Do you want to add the pictures on here or send them via WhatsApp?

Thanks, Byron

[Byron]

All bearings stripped out, degreased and  cleaned, rear axel and components degreaced and the hull is pressure cleaned all ready for blast cleaning 

[OZM29C]

15 hours ago, Byron said:

have the two small peace of angles which have webbing stapled to. They were in the bottom of the engine compartment on the floor. I have absolutely no idea where they go. 😂 I’ve looked in the parts manual and normal manual.

@Byron They are radiator air deflectors. I will be installing mine very soon so I will take some photos for you.

[Byron]

Thanks John I would appreciate that.

 I actually went back through your blog and I can see where one sits from where your stripping your weasel down and haven’t removed this part yet. 
cheers

Byron

[Byron]

A few more pictures.

Head and sump off, bores seem very good valve seats seem horrendous.

I was surprised to see a T24 engine in her
 

Does any one know, are the UJ’s universal to another military vehicle? 
Thanks is in advance

Byron

[5280Beltfed]

I like your project!  Looks really clean. You probably already know this but I’d recommend hardened valve seats being installed because of today’s fuel. I’ve heard the number 6 exhaust on these get roached out from cooling issues? 

[Byron]

Thank you Beltfed.

the weasel was working before I stripped it down. Father bought this one in running condition, knowing it needed the Full Kay Restoration. We actually drove it to a local steam rally roughly 2 miles away from home knowing we may break a track..... guess what, we broke a track in the arena. 😓🤣

any way, it got put into the barn for a further 2 years with the new Staman tracks along side ready for one of our family members to tackle the restoration. Father and I come to an agreement for me to restore it, so here I am 💪

all noted with the hardened valve seats, this tends to be one of our standard upgrades. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated though.

cheers, Byron

 

[Byron]

Engine and bell housing split tonight.

the weasel come with 3 working jacks....... what we really need is some of the other Jack parts to work the jacks to tension the tracks

[OZM29C]

@ByronI fitted an Aluminium camshaft timing gear to my engine when I rebuilt it. Peace of mind! Also I would consider it mandatory to have your crankshaft Crack tested. I had 5 take out crankshafts fail crack testing before I finally found a good Crank, only because it was NOS.

[Byron]

Wow...... 5 cracked cranks. What had you been doing with the John 😂 were they all cracked in a similar place? Is this a common thing with champion engines? We’re they visible cracks?

[Byron]

Today was spray day, all these items have been blast cleaned, two pack primed using Sigma Cover 280 (best primer I can ever recommend anyone) and two pack top coated. 
 

im looking forward to the second batch of spraying. 

[Byron]

[OZM29C]

2 hours ago, Byron said:

Wow...... 5 cracked cranks. What had you been doing with the John 😂 were they all cracked in a similar place? Is this a common thing with champion engines? We’re they visible cracks?

I had three take out cranks sent over from the USA plus the original crank and a crank from a donor engine. I sent them all up to a good friend of mine that owns and operates and engine reconditioning business. Unfortunately he did not elaborate on where the cracks were, just that they were scrap metal. I actually had his shop rebuild my weasel engine as he said that the assembly cost is a fraction of the total cost as compared to the machining costs. He also mentioned that if there are any problems during assembly, they can rectify the problem there and then. My engine was no different to other engines. In my case they had problems with the piston pins. Anyway my engine was balanced and the lubricating oil system was primed before I took delivery of it.

[Byron]

That sounds like really bad luck, I’m pleased you got there in the end. 
Lovely looking Engine! I don’t blame you for letting them to do the rebuild. They are doing g it day in, day out I expect. 
For me, it’s the mechanics that I enjoy the most. Welding and the Electrics are my down fall

 

[Byron]

A few nice jobs done over the past couple of days.

I Blast cleaned the hull, curtesy of Our Family company, K Blasting, a couple weeks ago now and it’s a bit worse than we were expecting. But hey.... not as bad as the last weasel! Ready for welding.

I was surprised to see 3 different make marker lights on our weasel, Odd but I quite like it.

it’ll be nice to make the rest a kit form ready for the Hull.

Byron

 

 

 

[Byron]

This afternoon was a success getting the seized stater Motor stripped, cleaned and working. A wire had also broken off in the solenoid which needed soldering back.
Ready for som paint 🎨  

[OZM29C]

Hi Byron,

Outstanding work. You have not lost your touch with weasels🙂.

Attached a some photos showing a NOS Weasel marker lamp. I hope that it will help you to identify what you have got fitted to your weasel. Take particular note of the mounting base, it is unique to a weasel.