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Posted: 6/20/2022 7:58:48 AM EDT
One of the features on many of the V100's with turrets used in Viet Nam was the twin M73 machine guns. They were known for being unreliable and many of these turrets were fitted with field installed M2HB's that required the soldier to be outside the turret in order to fire it.
Today the M73 is in very limited supplies as most were scrapped. However if you are performing a correct restoration, these things are required. Here's the M73 replicas we're building for the restoration we are doing on the Blood Sweat and Tears V100 that did serve in Vietnam. We are building the entire dummy gun for applications where the M73 was either a coaxial weapon or where a pair were intended to serve as primaries. If any of you are or know of any Vietnam vets that may have photos of the V100 with "Blood Sweat and Tears" nose art while in Vietnam, I'd love to hear from you. https://www.facebook.com/Blood-Sweat-and-Tears-V100-Vietnam-Military-Police-104355265507200 
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Posted: 6/20/2022 12:00:05 PM EDT
[#1]
I wish I lived close to you.
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Posted: 6/20/2022 4:09:19 PM EDT
[#2]
I love this project!!
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Posted: 6/21/2022 3:38:56 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I wish I lived close to you. Quote HistoryQuoted: I wish I lived close to you. Probably get boring after the first few days  Quoted: I love this project!! Thank you. We're hoping some old Viet Nam photos will surface that has the Blood Sweat and Tears V100 somewhere in it. So far they've been elusive. |
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Posted: 6/22/2022 6:43:47 PM EDT
[#4]
Just got back from picking up the parts necessary for mounting the M73 into the turret. These are pretty rare and to find them NOS is a special treat. These bolt inside the mantlet and the stock barrel shroud at the top of the photo locks into that, then the gun locks onto the barrel shroud. Project slowly coming together!
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Posted: 6/25/2022 9:47:11 AM EDT
[#5]
Here is the oxy/propane fired M2HB replica atop the Vietnam field mod M113 mount added to the T50 turret. From what I am told, the M2HB was a necessity if the main armament was twin M73's. In this photo the two ports in the mantlet below the M2HB will be the mounting points for the replica M73's
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Posted: 6/25/2022 10:32:48 AM EDT
[#6]
Rad. Keep us updated.
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Posted: 6/29/2022 7:52:43 PM EDT
[#7]
Barrel shrouds, first pair of a very limited run. Shown here in the raw, it's all stainless and will be abrasive blasted and Cerakoted.
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Posted: 6/30/2022 7:04:19 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Barrel shrouds, first pair of a very limited run. Shown here in the raw, it's all stainless and will be abrasive blasted and Cerakoted. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/473PBC.jpg It's beautiful 
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Posted: 6/30/2022 2:32:31 PM EDT
[#9]
Those would look great mounted on the hood of my truck.
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Posted: 7/1/2022 10:41:50 AM EDT
[#10]
Very cool
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Posted: 7/9/2022 1:10:01 PM EDT
[#11]
Been trying to make contact with a 504th veteran that had mentioned several years ago that he specifically remembered seeing the Blood Sweat and Tears V100 during his time in Vietnam and just found out yesterday that he had passed away in February of this year....One more potential chapter forever removed from history. Unfortunately time is not on my side as it relates with the task of running down veterans familiar with this vehicle. RIP Jack, it sure would've been nice to talk with you.
Malcolm Jack Hamilton |
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Posted: 7/9/2022 1:33:14 PM EDT
[#12]
Damn...that sucks. Sorry to hear that.
Hopefully you find someone out there that has some ties to it. Such a great project! |
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Posted: 7/9/2022 2:10:03 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Damn...that sucks. Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you find someone out there that has some ties to it. Such a great project! Hopefully we will. We lost another valuable resource on June 13th of this year. A gentleman named Jim Green who was very helpful in providing me with sources for the details of this project. I had been communicating with him for years before I took on the Blood Sweat and Tears restoration and was amazed at the level of detail he put into his own work, although it wasn't much to look at when he got it. (Picture attached is what Jim started with, after it was in the 1992 movie Freejack) He would send me pictures of his progress, each one more impressive than the last and when he was finished, he drove the vehicle a lot. He loved car shows and his V100 was always a crowd favorite. Unfortunately that car show on June 13 would be his last. 
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Posted: 7/22/2022 11:32:25 AM EDT
[#14]
Just finished Cerakoting the replica M73's with Tungsten C series, so it will be a few more days until full cure, then I can assemble. Here's the backplates so you will have an idea of the color.
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Posted: 7/22/2022 11:43:20 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Hopefully we will. We lost another valuable resource on June 13th of this year. A gentleman named Jim Green who was very helpful in providing me with sources for the details of this project. I had been communicating with him for years before I took on the Blood Sweat and Tears restoration and was amazed at the level of detail he put into his own work, although it wasn't much to look at when he got it. (Picture attached is what Jim started with, after it was in the 1992 movie Freejack) He would send me pictures of his progress, each one more impressive than the last and when he was finished, he drove the vehicle a lot. He loved car shows and his V100 was always a crowd favorite. Unfortunately that car show on June 13 would be his last. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/alsu6t.jpg RIP Jim Green |
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Posted: 7/24/2022 10:32:34 AM EDT
[#16]
Still have to put together the charging assembly
 
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Posted: 7/24/2022 4:03:15 PM EDT
[#17]
You guys built those from scratch?
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Posted: 7/24/2022 5:36:02 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You guys built those from scratch? Yes that is correct and it was a lot of CAD time and fabrication time that made it all work. I did use a couple OEM parts, simply because they were cheaper to buy than remaking them. Those parts were the feed tray, cover latch and charging handle. Having that said, any spare parts are drying up pretty quickly and I doubt the well will ever refill once it runs dry. |
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Posted: 8/5/2022 7:23:41 AM EDT
[#19]
While we are making the last few parts for the dummy M73's, a friend of mine called and asked if I needed a Ferret (like there's anyone who doesn't) and so we ended up with one. Everyone knows I have been looking for a photo of the 1969 Blood Sweat and Tears V100 from the early 70's and so far have not found anything. I get this 1954 British Ferret and in the matter of hours find a clear photo of it in service in the early 60's
The turret is nicely built fake but it rides on a legit turret bearing like was used on the T50 turrets and M26 and M27 cupolas. Anyway, this acquisition will inspire us to build replica fenders and other parts that are no longer available for this little car    
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Posted: 8/6/2022 1:08:54 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: …a friend of mine called and asked if I needed a Ferret (like there's anyone who doesn't) and so we ended up with one. What a neat gift idea! ?? |
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Posted: 8/6/2022 3:03:44 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yes that is correct and it was a lot of CAD time and fabrication time that made it all work. I did use a couple OEM parts, simply because they were cheaper to buy than remaking them. Those parts were the feed tray, cover latch and charging handle. Having that said, any spare parts are drying up pretty quickly and I doubt the well will ever refill once it runs dry. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: You guys built those from scratch? Yes that is correct and it was a lot of CAD time and fabrication time that made it all work. I did use a couple OEM parts, simply because they were cheaper to buy than remaking them. Those parts were the feed tray, cover latch and charging handle. Having that said, any spare parts are drying up pretty quickly and I doubt the well will ever refill once it runs dry. Very impressive! The Ferret is cool. You have the coolest toys! |
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Posted: 8/9/2022 1:37:14 PM EDT
[#22]
We just installed the M73 dummies in the V100 turret. We have an original ammo can being sent to us to duplicate as well as original Cadillac Gage drawings for the brass chute that fits between the two guns. Progress a little at a time.
 
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Posted: 8/31/2022 3:01:58 PM EDT
[#23]
I've been trying to locate a pair of ammo boxes for the restoration of the M73 turret on Blood Sweat and Tears and after finding out how difficult they are to come by I decided we'd just build some. I received a working example from John McDonald who is well known in the V100 community. The originals being considered as disposable are really thin and flimsy so I went a bit thicker on the repro's. All stainless construction on the boxes as well as the frames that go on the basket of the turret.
I still need to make a few fixtures for the feed guides then final assembly can start. Progress so far: Inside of can test fit (no welding yet)  Outside of can 
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