The focus this week is to continue the restoration of the chassis for the Sd.Kfz.223 4 Serie for TWC as far as it can progress with the parts available. The differential has been disassembled and cleaned and is currently awaiting new bearings. This differential had unfortunately been opened at some point in the past and had been put back together in the wrong bolt sequence. The bolts did not fit and as a result had been machined down to fit. This has since been rectified and will allow the differential to be completed a day after the bearings have arrived. The gearbox has been started for the same chassis and is currently being disassembled (see main image). Bearings will have to ordered and the gears checked for condition. The initial prognosis is that the gears are OK. One set appears to be slightly worn on one edge – someone in its previous life struggling to find the gear.
While the gearbox and diff are being worked on the front wheel stations are in focus with 2 other members of the team. We expect the work on the differential and the wheel stations that remains should be completed by the end of the month. The gearbox at this point is an unknown until it has been stripped and fully assessed. Once we have reached the point where only the gearbox remains and we are awaiting the missing parts for the wheel stations we will revert back to the Weald Foundation’s Sd.Kfz.223 3 Serie. The body will be proof fitted to the chassis, the fixing points will be established and brackets made.
