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1944 M4 High Speed Tractors


Jim Clark

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Ok here we go again, sorry for the delay but work is getting in the way of my own projects. I managed to find a NOS Waukesha motor for the HST in Utah. When I got it back to my yard I checked it over added oil and fuel and it ran as sweet as can be.

 

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I then gave it a fresh coat our dark olive paint added the new engine wiring harness and fitted it into the hull

 

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The large oblong tank next to the engine is the fuel tank which I had to weld in a new top and a couple of sections in the sides.

 

Jim.

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Above the fuel tank and to the offside of the engine sits a pod with three radiators, one each for the engine coolant, torque converter fluid and gearbox oil.

 

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I had to repair the bottoms of all three radiators we then pressure tested them to make sure there were no leaks.

 

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They were then fitted into their mounting pod along with the fan and fan shroud.

 

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The pod was then bolted into its mounting frame which bolts to the hull over the engine. If you look you can see half of the frame has been cut away, this was a field modification to allow removal of the engine without having to take the frame and radiators off .

 

Jim.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

Yes i know its beed over 18 months since my last post on this restoration, but work and other projects get in the way. I have been working on the M4 HST on and off over the last few months but dont seem to get time to comment on the progress.

 

Anyway here are a few pics of what I have done and where I am upto at the moment.

 

The radiators were fitted and all the fluids added we then fired the motor up and checked for any leaks, also I fitted mecanical gauges to the engind , gearbox and torque converter to check pressures. All were found to be spot on which was a good thing.Attention was then turned to the front panel and roof as these were dented and the roof was rusted through in places..

new steel was let into the roof and the dents in the front were pulled out with only a thin skim of filler to finish the job off.

 

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once the roof skin was repaired i then cut the welds holding the skin onto the skeleton frame, for two reasons. First so I could sand blast the inside of the frame and secondly I wanted to fit the roof lining on as it was done at the factory, between the skin and the frame. I could have lined the roof in sections but it would not have been right.

 

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We made the lining the same as original ie quilted vinyl and felt . This was glued onto the inside of the roof , then the frame was fitted and welded back in.

 

Jim.

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The rear cab panel was then refurbished with a new skin and first aid box holder, the center support was also repaired as required.

 

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The front panel, center support and rear panel were then fitted and the roof was trial fitted.

 

 

 

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Everything lined up as I had hoped.The roof was then removed again and the tool boxes fitted and the top coat of paint applied.

 

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Jim.

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The roof was then refitted and loosely bolted to the front,center and rear panels. It was not bolted up tight as the sides needed to be trial fitted next along with the wings and side panels. All are bolted together like a big Meccano set and from new the bolts never lined upproperly as you can see holes which were elongated to get it to fit together at the factory.

 

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Jim.

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After fitting all the side panels and wings etc they were then removed for final preparing and painting.

 

The next thing to fit was the winch assembly, this was stripped, refurbished and painted.I then decided to fit some spare tracks to make the M4 easier to move about, as pushing it around with the a frame and forklift was a pain. Also I could drive the M4 around to make sure all the drive train, steering etc was ok .

 

So one Saturday morning I fitted the tracks and by the afternoon I had the pleasure of driving an M4 HST for the first time. It was a real pleasure, so responsive and everything worked as it should..

 

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With a few runs around the farm drive it was time to check the gauges for pressures, temps etc, again everything was spot on.

 

Jim.

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Hi, RR, Tim, Bernard and Corbs thanks for the comments, hope to get it to A + E 2016, well thats the deadline anyway as long as all goes well.

 

Tim I think restoring WW2 stuff is far easier than the vehicles you work with as most of your parts are made from unobtainium , I stand in awe at some of the things you do, I dont think I would have the same patience.

 

Jim.

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One of the floor sections above the transmission area in the middle of the M4 needed to be made as the original one was rotted in a few places. Its made from 3mm sheet steel with ribs welded to it for stength, so easy to copy,

 

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One of the floor panels is on hinges to allow access to the transmission/clutch/torque converter area, also the battery which is mounted on the fuel tank.

 

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The two vents in the front panel were well rotted so needed to be made , again fairly easy to copy.

 

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Jim.

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