This week saw a huge leap forward in the major work required to bring the SdKfz 261 chassis back to the land of the living. It has been cut apart and the panels required to knit into the existing frame are ready to be fitted. All the badly corroded sections are being cut out and replaced whilst retaining the overall look externally. All of the drawings for the required cross members have been sent for water jet cut cutting and will be with us next week. These will be bent, adjusted and fitted. The noise is indescribable at present. Ear defenders….
The full cooling assembly (radiators, shrouds, fans etc) have been fully researched and the basis established for both Ausf A vehicles – the SdKfz 222 and SdKfz 223. We have also set what is required for the Typ v chassis based SdKfz 261. The findings have been posted in this weeks Inside Track for those interested. We are now able to order the radiators, make the patterns for the fans and fabricate the required shrouds at will. Excellent news!
The Zundapp KS750 is receiving continued daily attention with the painstaking task of paint conservation of the sidecar boat. This is being initially achieved through the use of a gel which is proving very successful in removing the rust although numerous applications are required. Fresh orders of the compound have been requested. The rust is slowly disappearing and the original paint is in rude health. We have also managed to secure two key original items for the Steib Krad B2 boat. An original curved heating pipe for the floor which fits around the specially cut slats on the original slatted floor which has also to be fitted. The pinnacle achievement was when a member of the team came asking about the damper regulator for the end of the heating pipe. This protrudes from the sidecar boat on the right hand side. One had just been offered for sale that very day and is now on its way to us.
