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1942 White M3A1 scout car project
- Thread starter PaFarmer
- Start date
AZDeuce
Active member
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- Tonopah, AZ
That's not even close to being "pretty far gone!" that's a diamond in the rough, I did a frame up restoration on a M3 halftrack in about that condition, would do it again if I could find one that complete!
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- Camp Wood/LC, TX
Far gone?? NO SIR, that is best case condition, consider yourself lucky! Most have no rear armor.
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- Hawthorne, NV.
What you have looks pretty straight. Better than most I've seen.
- 2,811
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- Mt. Eden, KY
If the drive train is still in it, that's a perfect starting point for a nice restore.
It looks decent, because the armor and rims are not heavily rusted. I have a good title. It is complete under the hood, as far as I can tell, but there is a lot of rust, for instance the spark plugs rusted off. The wires are attached to the top of the plugs and the ceramic insulator is there. The steering column rusted off at the steering box. The front axle looks complete and it rolls fine. The rear axle has no pinion, maybe it was gutted and has no rear driveshaft. The transmission goes in and out of gear, the transfer case is present.
There is clearly value, but my ambition has outrun my ability. I am thinking about a resto mod or selling it or yard art. I have an old corn planter in my yard as yard art, a scout car is cooler.
There is clearly value, but my ambition has outrun my ability. I am thinking about a resto mod or selling it or yard art. I have an old corn planter in my yard as yard art, a scout car is cooler.
Your machine, you paid for it, do what you want with it, but if I were you I would flip it so it can be restored properly to honor those who served. Besides, it is rare for scout car to still have the orignal armor, that adds value alone. Trust me, that is no where near "too far gone". If you make it "yard art" it is just going to rot into the ground and eventually end up in a scrap yard.
Is this from the Grove auction in OH. If it that one you got a killer deal on it.
Is this from the Grove auction in OH. If it that one you got a killer deal on it.
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GUNNUT in Iowa
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- Atlantic, IA
Yep, it is trash. Just throw it in the ditch.
(Please provide grid coordinates for the ditch and approximately 24 hours notice before you throw it.)
(Please provide grid coordinates for the ditch and approximately 24 hours notice before you throw it.)
dk8019
Active member
- 802
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- Lovettsville, VA
I'm sure there's many of us, myself included who would buy it right away, double or triple your money in it, and work to restore it. If you want to part with it, please PM me! I'll bring a truck and a trailer up this weekend.
It was from Grove City. It will take a lot of work and money to do it right. I do think it was well bought, but I would also be willing to see someone else enjoy it. If someone wants a project, send me a PM. If someone has leads on parts or parts vehicles, I would be interested in that info as well. There is an eBay seller with axles, transmissions, transfer cases and the like, so there are parts out there, but they are not cheap or close. It would be a shame to part this one out, but it is probably worth more as parts than as a whole. I am just trying to weigh all my options.
Generally ones that get parts out have been heavily modified and neglected in postwar use, not one that has orignal armor 
It will be a shame to see such a complete vehicle get parted out, then the residue scrapped. Put on the armored section of G503 and will be gone real quick in fact, I think there is a guy looking for a a scout car project on there right now.
It will be a shame to see such a complete vehicle get parted out, then the residue scrapped. Put on the armored section of G503 and will be gone real quick in fact, I think there is a guy looking for a a scout car project on there right now.
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Wayofftrack
Member
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- Sorrento, Florida
Knowing the guy that owned all that stuff I think his intention was to make one out of the two he had. The other sold for more even though the rear side armor was cut so perhaps the drivetrain on that one was better. Did you happen to see what the separate offline auction for the rear piece of scout car armor and the doors went for? I think the doors were off the car you bought and the rear panel had been bought to replace the cut one on yours. The other scout car at the auction came from out west and had a wrecker boom on it when Jeff bought it which is why the sides were cut down. I think he got yours in Kentucky or W. Virginia.
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Thanks for the info. I did not attend the auction. I am looking for parts and weighing options. I just spoke to Gary and he sounds like he has the axle and steering parts I would need. The rear armor and doors are easy to replicate.
i am not sure why they would have sold parts off line or not put them with the vehicles to maximize the total sales price.
i am not sure why they would have sold parts off line or not put them with the vehicles to maximize the total sales price.
Wayofftrack
Member
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- Sorrento, Florida
I didn't understand that either unless they didn't know what parts went with what or else they wanted the loose parts hauled off immediately or both. I wasn't there either just watched online. They sold some stuff like Dodge 1/2 ton seat frames offline for $33.00 per someone on the G503.
dk8019
Active member
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- Lovettsville, VA
Drove up today to meet PaFarmer, I think the Scout Car is in good hands! I'll post up some pictures I took today.
Here's a very complete manual I stumbled upon: http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/wwIItms/TM9_705_1942.pdf
Here's a very complete manual I stumbled upon: http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/wwIItms/TM9_705_1942.pdf
Wayofftrack
Member
- 171
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- 18
- Location
- Sorrento, Florida
I replaced the steering box on one of my scout cars with one from an Autocar M2 HT and the number on the housing is T265999. I checked the SC parts book and the only number I could find was T266000.
I'm not sure what the different numbers signify but I can verify a box from an M2 HT will work on a SC. I didn't realize there were so many different numbers. I have an NOS but its still in the unopened crate, I think it came from Gary so probably identical to the one he mentioned. Tried to post a pic of the number but SS says the file is too large. I can send it to you direct if you want it.
I'm not sure what the different numbers signify but I can verify a box from an M2 HT will work on a SC. I didn't realize there were so many different numbers. I have an NOS but its still in the unopened crate, I think it came from Gary so probably identical to the one he mentioned. Tried to post a pic of the number but SS says the file is too large. I can send it to you direct if you want it.
Hat City Express
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- Danbury CT
I have restored two M3A1s over the years and was looking at the one you won at auction good deal I converted one of mine to a chevy 350 with 4 seed and 203 transfer no problem other then exhaust which was not bad and the driveshafts which were expensive but overall a easy conversion email me with any questions