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Hi I am a new member of this board. I am stationed with the US Army in Germany and about six months ago added another vehicle to my collection. It is a 1 to 1 scale reproduction of the WWII German Sd Kfz 222. It was build using a Unimog drive train and has the engine in the rear along with four wheel drive.

Before I purchased it I took a test drive and was very impressed with the quality of the built. It was built in Belgium and is featured in several U-tube videos just look for those produced in Belgium or from LOMAX Militaria.

Shortly after I drove it off of the trailer at its new home the epoxy "repair" that had been made to the exhaust manifold busted. If it sounds loud on the outside you can image what it is like inside the steel box. I just received the new exhaust manifold today and if I get a chance in the next week I will replace it. The wiring is also a mess so I ordered a new wiring harness for it.

I have to finish up detailing the interior to make it really nice and the gun mount is a modified MG42 Zwilling mount that one of the mounts was removed from and the sight tube in the middle was modified to mount a wooden dummy of the 2 cm gun. I am thinking of either replacing the turret with a 223 model or building a proper appearing center mount. I can get a good 221/223 mount for just the single MG 34 for a fair price but I have no idea where to look for one for the 222.

I would like to ask if anyone has a copy of Nuts & Bolts Vol 4 that they would sell me or if they know where one is for sale. I have the Toadman's excellent CD on the 222 but it does not show the engine compartment and i understand that the Nut&Bolts book has a lot of close up details in it. I am very interested in how the gas tanks were located. I have a couple of photographs showing the tanks but they are not clear on the location. Mine has a Unimog tank mounted in the engine compartment but it is not even near the original in appearance.

I am using a iMac and alway have trouble posting photographs on groups. If there is someone who would post them for me I would be glad to send some photographs. My email connors @ online.de and will respond to all fair offers.

Thanks Harry

Harry

I worked on the Patton Museums Sd Kfz 223, when we did a cosmetic restoration, a few years ago.

I don't have the 'Nuts & Bolts' reference but I do have a copy of the original operator manual as well as a significant number of photos taken while working on the 223.

The fuel cells are on the left & right of the interior sponson area, behind the crew compartment firewall/radiator.

I'll dig around to see what I can find, or you can email me direct if you have any questions.

Regards
Don

Here are a few combined photo series taken in 2009 when I was working on the 223.

April 2009:


May 2009:


Looking thru my 'personal archive' I am missing the complete operator manual, but do have assorted individual pages. As for the fuel cell information/ photos, I can't locate those images either.

Unfortunately in late 2009 I had a computer crash that caused me to lose alot of stored data. It seems some of my better detailed photos of the 223 were lost. I'll continue to dig around to see what I can find.

Regards
Don

Hi Harry


Give me a PM with your mail adress and we will work it out

Walter

BTW

This Sd Kfz 223 at the Patton Museum (soon to be relocating to Ft Benning...) arrived at Ft Knox in Nov/Dec 1946. It is one of the vehicles collected on orders of Gen Patton by Third Army.

Its Serial # is 8101396 and registration # WH-1620274.

It arrived in terrible condition, as this archived photo shows, which I believe was taken in the 1960s.


This was taken during the 2009 Living History Demonstration, in which the 223 was statically located and used for the reenactment.


Following this show it was moved indoors and has been on display since.

Regards
Don

There used to be a company that made replicas of this vehicle and other German armored cars using the undercarriage of M-151. They had a website but I can't find it anymore. Anyone else remember this?

I've got a couple pictures of Repro 8 Rad ACs that were based on M151 suspension components. I was told that they were aprox 3/4 scale. I can see if I can dig them up but I think I posted them here a few years back

Bob, that was one of the vehicles they offered.

I just email Don some photographs of this 222. It is 1 to 1 scale and even the rims are correct. The engine is in the rear and the entire drive train is from a Mercedes Benz Unimog 404 with major modifications to have the engine driving from the rear. Most of the reproductions I have seen are build on a chassis with the engine in the front or are scaled down to fit on either a VW 4x4 bus chassis. They are also made out of various types of material from wood to plastic with some of them using sheet metal. This one uses metal plate from 3 to 8 mm thick. Since I could not find an original for sale I wanted one that at least looked and drove like a real one. Thanks to everyone for their input. Harry

Hi Guys...

Not to be a wet blanket, but I have done some mild editing of one post as it wanders into uncertain waters regarding reproduction of what may be copyrighted material. This is a risk we cannot subject the forum or site to from a legal point of view. If someone has something to offer our new member, let's please confine it to original material or conduct your business off-line. I'm sure you all understand the need for caution in our efforts to be helpful.

Thanks for your cooperation.

D.

Sorry Doug I didn't think of that

- Walter

Sorry Doug I didn't think of that

NP, that's why I get the big bucks.

I would like to thank everyone who has assisted me since I joined with photographs and information. I do have a new question; Would anyone know where I can find a set of five tires in the size 210 X 18? The ones on the vehicle have a lot of cracks and dry rot. Thanks Harry

I did an quick check for the tires 210x18 and found some options

Because you are located in Germany this could also be an option
I found an link to an company in Austria that is special for classic car / truck tire

They list tire size: 210x18 aka 7.50 - 18 M

www.oldtimerreifen.com...litaer.htm

So this could be an direction to start searching
There has to be an similar company in Germany


Another option, and don't start laughing
Tire size 7.50-18 is used at farm tractors, for the smaller front wheels

So the local shop for big farm machinery or farm machinery repair shop could be an option ...

Michel

Thanks for the reply and link for the tires. I have use of the APO (Army Post Office) and I normally purchase the tires for my vehicles from the States as the prices are a lot lower there than in Europe, even with the postage. I have not been able to find them at the normal places I can find tires at.
I will give the fellow in Austria a try, there is a similar company in Munich but they do not have the tires. Thanks for the farm equipment tip, I did try the local place near my workshop but they only had the tires for farm use, no street or military tread. Worse was he would not even check his supplier.
Thanks again Harry