Tongde M113A1 - Australian Army Vietnam 1966

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
I kind of figured that you would have to do a deals worth of reconfiguration on this Build and you have done the Best with the Space available. Thank you also for more information of the Aftermath of Long Tan. Following Along.
regards,
Painless

[Estnische]

Here is the back of an out-of-the-box TD M113. I’ve already deleted most of the posts that clutter the original passenger area. The door magnet is also an eyesore and the inside of the ramp makes it look like a toy.



This is what it should look like.



Here is a chance to use some of the AHHQ goodies. It is very handy that the dimensions between the TD and AHHQ model are so close, you can implement bits at any stage. Some of the AHHQ hinges look a bit fragile so I decided to keep the TD ramp and insert the AHHQ inner panels. After a trim, they fit nicely. The old ramp magnets were cut out and new ones planted in the sides. A plasticard trim piece hides them from view and will meet up with the floor plate.



The TD door had some faults, so I sanded around the edges and filled some holes. One of them was a mistake they made with the door handle pivot point. It should be in the ramp not the door. Where it adds detail, I have used AHHQ brackets and hooks.



They are so similar in dimensions, even the TD door catch holds the AHHQ door bracket.



Although I’ve managed to keep the front body posts, it is time to change the rear hull mounting system. You may have noticed I’ve already deleted one rear post, now the other one has to go.



I place body brackets on the sponsons and screws go in through the rear panel. No-one will ever see inside the rear panel, or if they can, the fuel tank (left) and battery compartment (right) will obscure that space.



Jerry cans with magnets will eventually hide these screws. I’ve also ground off the TD rear lights and replaced them with AHHQ pieces and the comms box.

[HERMAN BIX]

Any chance you can re-use the redundant rotation motor set up to power that ramp mate?
Hell of a project

[Estnische]

I don't think so Herman. Louis did such a beautiful job with his, and I do have a similar winch motor leftover from the jeep project.

But the engine bay has no room, as I have kept the smoker set-up. I think it looks quite cool streaming smoke at full speed.

[Stormbringer]

amazing difference from out the box to now

[Estnische]

Thanks Alan - hopefully it continues this way.

I was going to leave the interior until the outside was done, but I wanted to establish how much of the AHHQ interior will fit in the TD space. First, I placed the firewall and braced it against the hull bottom and sponson.



Then the AHHQ sponson side plates were trimmed to suit the TD lower hull. The rear end of them had to be shaped to suit the rear panel braces and the screws for the rear track guards.



I trimmed the floor plate about 8mm, which now rests nicely on the swing arm/torsion bar retaining blocks.



The gaps either side are filled with the AHHQ swing arm retainer brackets that have been trimmed of their lower flange.



It looks reasonably good, if not exactly kosher where the brackets and floor meet. I don't want to glue the floor in so I can reach the torsion bars if needed later on.



The seats came next. You can see from the view above, gluing the seats to the nubs on the sponsons will obstruct removal of the swing arm blocks. I took some artistic licence with the seat brackets to make them independent of the sponsons.



I’ve added some magnets to hold the floor down, which helps lock the seat brackets in place.



With the firewall now permanently established it was time for some cable management. Here it is buttoned down and it fits with enough room to disconnect the battery for charging. There was a heart-stopping moment when I turned it on like this for the first time. The lights were on but nobody was home – the motor wires were muddled. It works fine now.