1968 Tucker 442 New to Me

[WhiteMtnTucker]

New to this forum and lots of helpful info. Nice to see that 68 getting restored. I had seen that in Warren. Anyway, my 63 442 is almost done and in central new hampshire. GOt to get the tracks adjusted and lots of little stuff to do. Any questions, let me know. Will post some pics soon.

 

[Laurentian]

Pro job B4B ! May look you up some time in the futur
and pay my way as a passenger for a days outing / guided tour.

 

[Track Addict]

Welcome aboard. I plan on some trips with the Tucker. Maybe one day we can head out together. Put up some pics when you can.

I got all the diamond plate floors and rear deck cut. Hope to fasten them in tonight. Will post pics soon!!

 

[WhiteMtnTucker]

OK here you go. I hope. Attached are three photos. My Old Tucker was purchased in 1996 for $ 500.00 from an older gentlemen who had a small ski area in Woodstock Ct. The area closed and I tracked him down and bought it. Wife thought I was nuts. But it sat for about 12 years with little attention. Then in 2008 I decided it was time to get serious and the restoration continued. It is not as straight as the pics show. The hood and roof where rough. All lower side panels are new. Each fiberglass pontoon was rebuilt and repaired. New pans on bottoms.All bolts where replaced and cotter pins replaced on tracks. I would recommend Bolt Depot out of Mass. Each track link was removed and greased. All rollers were greased and are being rebuilt. Last winter we took her
for a ride when I moved the machine to NH from CT. One of the pics shows the NH Liquor store in the background. I have to say I was impressed with its ride. Anyway, this year the project continues and will be removing the interior gas tank to move the seats back. My tank is in the tool box. Anyway. Thats the short history of my Tucker.

 

[Track Addict]

That thing looks nice in the pics. How do you like the exhaust right under the cab? I have mine there now with no muffler. I like the look of them there with cherry bombs. Keep in mind I have duals and a v8. How was the pontoon repair. I have 4 extras and am going to re do one at a time and swap them off to keep it moving. I greased all the bearings and am wondering if there is a way to grease the links with out taking them all apart of if it is even necessary?

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

i like the exhaust there too i would extend the tail pipe out behind teh cab i hate listening to loud exhaust unless there is a turbo involved

 

[WhiteMtnTucker]

I plan to keep the exhaust as is and turn it out with a chrome piece. Hopefully I wont tear it of with the track. I rebuilt each fiberglass pontoon. You have 8 total fiberglass pontoons? Do you have extra rollers? Anyway, I had new pans built for each pontoon base. I had to open a hole in the bottom of 2 pontoons to place new studs where there was damage. Fiberglass repair was done with resin and I built it up and sanded it down where the track had worn into it. I found that the fiberglass around the inner axle collar was very beat up and cracked so I felt that this was the weakest point so I added a steel plate to the inside near the sprocket welded to the collar and bolted through the fiberglass pontoon. I ground off all the track adjusters threaded sections and welded new couplings as they were too rough. I took each link apart and roller and hand greased them. I sprayed oil all over the track this summer. I have not come up with a way to grease the rollers. I think the best solution would be to not let it sit long and oil occasionally. I am in the process of fabricating a link bending tool which I learned about on this forum see attached. http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showthread.php?t=5251&highlight=track+tool+tucker
So in right now my focus is getting the tracks dialed in.

 

[Track Addict]

Thats my concern with the exhaust location on mine. Think I am going to tuck it into the frame and exit it our the back at an angle.

I have 4 extra pontoons. One is real nice. The 4 on my tucker are the next best. I also have 8 drive sprockets, 2 tracks, bearings, links, 3 turn tables, one stationary turn table, 2 doors, and a bunch of misc other parts. I plan on selling most off once I finish mine so let me know what you may need.

So that does not have adjustable rails??

 

[Track Addict]

Finished the interior floor last night. Pictured is that grommet I mentioned earlier. I made this panel two piece so you don't have to take the clutch and wheel parts off to do most service.

Greased all the fittings on the running gear last night. Rear Deck tonight then off come the front pontoons for adjustment inspection. Should be snow ready for testing few weeks!!

 

[Track Addict]

Floors

 

[Track Addict]

drilled and tapped 1/4 20 for the floors. 1/4 20 clip nuts worked well for the thin metal on the firewall.

 

[Track Addict]

Got the rear deck on last night. Found some boots at pep boys for he shifter and brake that worked well.

Think I have something for the clutch through the floor but am also looking for ideas.

 

[Mtn-Track]

Just a short comment on the exhaust location here. I took a chunk out of the body on mine when it had the pontoon-tracks while going over a snowplow berm. The chunk is right below, and in-line with, the front seam in the door. Best to jack your cat up and turn the pontoons both ways with them tilted all the way forward against the leaf spring stops, then rock the body back/forth to check for clearance issues. When I did my restoration I installed rubber bump-stops on the trunion tabs to lessen the chance of this happening again. Lessons learned...

.

 

[Track Addict]

I noticed that the current location will be an issues. I think I plan on making a radius and hugging the inside frame inside the 45 degree supports all the way back and kick them down and out the rear. Should be the safest spot. The ones now have been hit in life.

 

[DAVENET]

NICE floors! That looks awesome!

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

Got the rear deck on last night. Found some boots at pep boys for he shifter and brake that worked well.

Think I have something for the clutch through the floor but am also looking for ideas.

on the military vehicles with that arangement the pedal coming through the floor had a plate with a gasket on it so the hole is sealed with the pedal in the up position

 

[anthonydoldd]

The paint and floors look awesome!! Looks like you will be on the snow in no time!

 

[WhiteMtnTucker]

Thanks for the info Mtn Track. Will do.

 

[Track Addict]

Took the front pontoons off last night and here is what I found:

1. They are in fairly good shape. Little repair and reinforcement and should be good.
2. The ring that holds the outer bearing and carries all the weight is flimsy. There must be a better design. Anyone cut new thicker rings?
3. One hub is cracked at the key I plan to weld it. The other is frozen on. put a bunch of heat into it and hit it hard. Nothing. Any ideas?
4. Has anyone made new shoes? I have one or two for spared but I am thinking about just cutting the rails and welding them on to a new 1/16 sheet of steel.

I have two spare hubs but the ends are threaded unlike the ones in the pictures. Did they change at some point?

 

[WhiteMtnTucker]

Good Morning. Snowing in NH this morning.
Regarding your Tucker.
1. I built up the strength of my fiberglass pontoons by adding fiberglass and fabric to the inside area where the axle goes through. This is where the weight of the machine axles sit on the metal collar and I had a lot of
fiberglass fatique there. I also welded a 1/8 in plate to the same collar on the inside same location. I then bolted through the fiberglass to strengthen this are.
2. The ring that you talk about is flimsy and I believe it is just a template to hold the bolts in place and prevent them from spinning as access is difficult. Again I reinforced the inside fiberglass around this area.
3. Dont know much about the hubs.
4. I had four new shoes/ bottom plates fabricated. Painted up real good to slow down the rusting. I think the steel was a bit thicker than original. I can check them later if you need more info.

I saw a 60s Tucker Sedan on a trailer heading North on I-93 just outside Concord. ANyone know anything. It seemed to be restored.

 

[Track Addict]

Fortunately mine are in real nice shape. I plan on using some west system to add some extra strength anyway. My friend is making me 4 new rings out of plate today and new shoes for the bottom.

The seals on the axels look good. This has definitely been apart before. I received a broken Axel extra with it so who knows .

 

[Track Addict]

The three Tucker's that were sold here one was a 442 and went to nh somewhere . The other 442 and 443 were sent to Brockton for repair then they are headed Moosehead Lake

 

[Track Addict]

Found a lokar parking break boot that worked well for the clutch.

Welded the hub and started the pontoon repair. Hopefully putting my glass back in today.

 

[Track Addict]

Got the fiberglass repaired on one side. That West system is amazing. The white is just thickened so it wont run. Will sand it down tonight.

The area where the rollers wore the fiberglass I took tape and made and edge/mold. Poured the fiberglass resin in to it and this is how it came out. Better than new.

Also got the new backer plates from my friend. This should increase the strenght over those flimsy backers.

Also epoxyed in washers cut in half for the adjusters. Now it will push on metal supported on the out side edge which is strong. Should eliminate the bolt pushing in like on these.

 

[Track Addict]

Re: TUCKER TORPEDO Restore
Have finally come to the worst part of restoring which is the pontoons. Fiberglass work is slow. Can only work one side per night and it usually takes two nights per side.

Will be done the front two soon and will restore the last two with spare I have and swap them out when done. This way I can at least use it if the snow ever comes.

 

[Track Addict]

I would like to thank the forum and all of my friends who have pitched in on this restore. Without my network of dozens of friends who have access to everything I need to get this done it would not be possible. The speed at which I am able to turn this thing around is because of them and my wife who has been has been studying for her CPA at night which is why I have so much time. Also thanks to my son who faithfully goes to bed at 7 pm everynight allowing me to have Tucker Time!

Something about a Tucker brings people together. That and beer!

 

[DAVENET]

Brian-

Since you have the front running gear off and out of the way, how does your trunion pin and roller look?

Mine looks like it has worn to the point that it is sliding on the turntable as opposed to the trunion roller rolling on it. Just curious about the wear on yours.

David

 

[Track Addict]

Greased it up not to long ago. It looks good. Took grease and seems to roll on the table like it should.

Are these parts still available if it does need replacing?

 

[DAVENET]

I don't think so. I believe Muley180 ended up parting out his rig because he couldn't find one. His was for a '83 500 series that had the trunion in the rear. So the chances of finding one for a 1960's unit probably won't be much better.

I'm sure something could be machined for a price (IF you had the original diminsions). Or it could be made to fit a new center section of the trunion plate. I know mine has a lot of slop in that area that will probably create a lot of body noise and wobble.

 

[Track Addict]

Seems like you could make one easy enough. I have two extra front turn tables and they have a stud on them that looks like you could just add a bearing to. Think there is a pic on the for sale page