Halftrack floor

[Tony Read]

The following full size dimensions are taken from my M3, the M3A1 will be the same. The running boards and front section of floor will also apply to all White/Autocar and Diamond T halftracks.

Can someone please measure their Atek model and report any scale differences here and to Mike S please so he can work on sheet sizes etc? Thanks.

Please forgive the drawings, they were done in MS Word, therefore they are not to scale! I don't have a CAD package, but there should be enough detail here.

This is the overall floor plan.



This is the front center section in more detail.



These are the running boards.



Get checking those dims!

[Mike Stannard (toyrific)]

Here are the 6 scaled versions of the decking taken from Tony's measurements. These will require conformation of fitting the Armortek Half Track, but I think they are close enough to be able to quote a price. As I had guessed at it will require 3 sheets of 6" x 12" to produce the complete decking. The least expensive way of doing this would be to sell the complete sheets of 6" x 12" and you will have to cut to size and shape. This would cost $180.00 for three sheets. However I can etch them to shape and size with all holes as shown below. Estimated cost would be between $225 and $250 for a complete set. This of course will save you hours of work. To make this a viable product for me to make I will need between 15 and 20 firm orders for these, any quantity less than this can still be made, but would increase the price. Just to produce one sample set for testing will cost $500 which included the camera work for the artwork. Correcting errors would mean reshooting the artwork at additional cost. What is required here to hopefully get it right first time is for someone to make a metal or plastic pattern of each piece that I can work from. Better still, if there is someone in the US that has a Half Track I can loan to do my own measuring and fitting.

I have included in the artwork peddle plates, I believe the decking as used for these. However I do not have the correct measurements for them. There is also some spare space in the sheets, so if there are any other small parts using this decking they can be included.

Decking will be etched in .020" nickle silver. Fold lines cannot be etched on the reverse of the parts as the pattern is etched half way, to assist in getting fold in correct place the fold lines will run centered between the pattern as shown on the sample artwork. You will require some sort of brake to do this, or I can make the bends for you at an additional fee.

New 6 scale deck pattern.


Layout of all parts to be produced.


Sheet 1


Sheet 2


Sheet 3


Please e-mail, PM or post here if you have an interest in the Decking Set.

Mike

[Tony Read]

Mike, what can I say? Simply outstanding work, superb, magnifique!!!!

For myself put me down for a complete M3 set cut, folded and drilled ready to go. As you say this would save a CONSIDERABLE amount of time, they would fit perfectly and there would be no waste. Perfection costs, but in this case its definitely worth it.

Before you tool up I have a couple of comments to assist authenticity.

The bulkheads over the tracks (behind the front seats) are steel plate, not checkerplate as shown in this photo.



The step in the rear floor is flat plate, not checkerplate as shown here.



The clutch and brake pedals have this pattern.



The throttle pedal has this pattern.



Can't remember on the model, but the real front center floor plate is at an angle as shown here. This would make the middle slighly longer overall when compared with the two outer sections.



Hope this helps Mike.

Its over to you guys now. Can someone copy their model floor sections or lend them to Mike for prototyping?

Cheers all!!!!

[Tony Read]

As that great Greek philosopher Homer would say, Doh!!!!

David, you are spot on! That raised area is over the battery box. My old dad used to say measure twice, cut once. If only I had taken his advice! I measured the drivers side as that was off the vehicle so I could get to the hydrovac. Cutting corners, as you do, I didn't measure the commanders side. Whatamistakatomaka!

Anyway, after dodging showers I've measured up the offending side and here is the, ahem, accurate plan!



Sorry Mike!

[Mike Stannard (toyrific)]

Tony, have a couple of questions, if the track bulkheads are not patterned, is there a need to make these or will the kit ones work. Can you send me the sizes of the peddles as I can etch them the same as the real ones. Could you send picture of commanders side in detail, including height of area over battery box. Once I have the plates from David I may have more questions.

David, here are my addresses.

USPS
Mike Stannard
PO Box 98116
Las Vegas, NV 89193

UPS.
Mike Stannard
6360 McLeod Dr Unit 27
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Phone 702-523-1172

[Tony Read]

Will do Mike, we are in a bit of a weather storm at the moment, so it may not be for a day or two.

I drew the sloping bulkheads simply to show the reason for the cut-outs in the floor, only the horizontal surfaces have checkerplate. However, I don't know how Ateck have fabricated their floor - these areas may be folded up from the floor plates. Hopefully all will be revealed when David kindly sends his bits.

[Mike Stannard (toyrific)]

David

Got all the pictures from halftrack.com, great help. Will see what I think about parts when I get them. Could you e-mail me a tracking number for UPS.

Tony
No rush, this is not going to happen fast.

Mike

[Tony Read]

After studying several photographs of models there would appear to be numerous accuracy issues with the Armortek halftrack floor, especially the front compartment. The main issues as far as I can tell are:

1) No checker plate - Mike S can produce this but he needs firm orders.

2) The drivers side foot well is way too short, meaning that the bulkhead and foot pedals are in the wrong place. You may not be able to get a standard figure in there. What needs to be done is to extend the sloping bulkhead back into the engine bay as shown in the following sketches.

Atek bulkhead as viewed from engine bay.



Foot well area extended into engine bay.



Photo showing actual bulkhead arangement (the sloping area below the surge tank). This extends 10" past the armour.



Now, those of you building your halftracks can you check to see if the mod can be done AND still get the motor and electrics in there? The model may be a compromise here to get all the gubbins in.

3) The other big problem is the sloping bulkhead behind the front seats. It should only extend 14" (1:1) both sides, but would appear to extend all the way across.

Ateck floor.



How it should look.



Again, there may be a good reason why Atek have done it their way. Could someone check to see if it can be modified???

[Tony Read]

Hi David,

I have measured my T19 as that was easiest to get to. The dimension from the end of the sloping bulkhead to the chassis is 6". The following photograph shows this. The extra armour on the chassis on this one is to take the recoil from the 105.



This photo is more of a side view. It shows the rear edge support to the floor below the drivers seat.



Can you check your model to see if the problems can be corrected?

Thanks!

[Tony Read]

David,

Got this off Gary's website, shows the front plate (bottom part is missing) bolted to a cross frame member. Hope this helps. Will check mine when I get a mo. This halftrack had a winch as you can see by the hole for the PTO.



Can you check to see if the front bulkhead can be pushed forward in front of the driver?

Thanks!

[Tony Read]

David,

There is most definitely a front chassis rail inside the engine compartment as you can see from this view of my T19 halftrack.



It is not an equal channel section. The bottom is 1", the top 2" and it is inclined at the same angle as the radiator louvers.





Hope this helps.

Someone must have the motion pack. Can they check to see what room is in the engine bay please?

[Armortek]

Gentlemen

I have been reading this topic with interest, and basically trying not to interfere. The floor in our model is simplified to make production easier and allow ease of assembly. Additionally we have tried to design the thing so that the entire body can be lifted off the chassis for access to the engine bay control gear.

To answer your specific question about room in the engine bay is not straight forward. There is essentially very little room. The more you take up, the less access there is to the electrical gear. You could modify the drivers foot well, but you really would make life very difficult for yourself. It also depends on what variant your building, whether or not you have smoke and sound fitted and on whether the winch and quad drive gear is installed.

Mark W

[Tony Read]

Mark,

Thinking about it I guessed it was a compromise between scale and functionality. I was just pointing out to the super-detailers what they could do to improve things visually. I assume though that the sloping bulkhead could be modified without affecting anything?

When you say quad drive do you mean a FWD option or the drive to the maxson?

As I'm not going for the winch or M16 option I might look at pushing the drivers footwell out when I get mine. I will have to wait a bit though - funds are a bit tight since I put down a deposit on a N.O.S. halftrack engine. Anybody fancy going to Holland to pick it up???

David,

No problem. If you need any more info/pics just holler!!!

[Adrian Harris]

> N.O.S. halftrack engine.

Nitrous-Oxide ?

Are you going to be drag-racing your poor half track ?

Adrian.

[Tony Read]

That would be fun!

Once saw an ex-Israeli halftrack with its V8 diesel pulling a Tatra Skdfz 251 up a hill during a re-enactment weekend. It just sat there with its tracks spinning!!!!

N.O.S. = New Old Stock. Ex French army.