M3A1 Army Half-Track Restoration Project: IRON MAN

IRON MAN

Check out this Trooper's story below: Click Here

Scroll down to see the project progress - Click on a picture to be taken to a larger version

**Fighting Iron & Iron Man**		Iron Man is finished, scroll down to see a photo history of the project
	Ready to roar in 04! It looks rough, but it is all original!
		Good thing the barn has two bays, Hammered Metal is going to sleep with the dogs!
	No, it isn't trick photography.
		There really is two, and when Iron Man is done it'll rip!
	Note the command's staff caddy in the background, yes it is OD Green.		And so the obsession begins!
Starting to go back together!		Chrome won't get you home.
	"Iron Man" Coming back to life.		The Paint Master, Brian Cook, busy on another signature quality piece.
		The outside & inside of the box was blasted, primed, and the first coat of O.D. applied
	Mine racks fabricated and fitted
		Gun pulpit being fitted into place
	Roll out day for Iron Man
Ditch roller and insignias in place "HQ 5"		Ready for the final fitting
	Gun Pulpit installed		Ready for the Trip Home! Come and Visit

This Halftrack started his career as an artillery track in W.W.II, presumably seeing action in France, Germany, or both. A “T-19” originally, sporting a 105mm lead thrower for sending warm hello’s to the enemy, it was converted to an M3. This accounts for the 1 inch steel plate that lines the frame around the driver’s compartment to absorb the impact of the cannon going off. The vehicle was given to the French sometime after the war and they converted it to the M3 personnel carrier configuration.

The original manufacture frame number is T-19 0230….. Right behind this number is the conversion number * M-3 230 *. Not certain if the French added this number. The armor on the rear is original. New to the track is the window frame, windshield armor, and the perimeter rail from the rear of the doors forward. The perimeter rail is cracked and broken apart where the new piece was joined to the front and it was never connected to the windshield piece. This Halftrack has the early style idler spring setup and M2 headlights on the fenders. Probably a transition vehicle as Fighting Iron is the last style utilizing double loaded idler springs.

As the story goes, this vehicle was re-imported back to this country during the early nineties with four other half-tracks. The person who bought the five chose the one he wanted, and the current owner of this track picked up the other four. He chose this one and parted out the other three. Not sure if it is a "White". White produced half-tracks used locknuts throughout. Diamond T, Autocar, and I.H. all used hex nuts with lock washers, and from what we had understood all had "White" engines. However, thanks to our many fans we now know that all International built Half-tracks had the Red Diamond 450B inline 6. This vehicle has mostly hex nuts and lock washers. Being it was transformed to its current state the only part that would have "White" stamped on it is the interior axle on the bogies, and we are not taking that apart. There may be a manufacture stamp on the inside of the bumper but that is usually the first thing to weather away.

From T-19 to M3 to M3A1, Iron Man is back in fighting shape and ready to roll.

Drop me a line, Jon Philbrook: emptyriver@comcast.net Web Design: CPhilbrook