Ryan's M3 medium
 

Hi guys, my M3 arrived today. The semi it came on didn't have enough room to turn into my driveway so we offloaded it down the road on the neighbours lane. It was raining heavily when it arrived so everything and everyone got a good soaking.
Reversing it off the truck was pretty nerveracking as I had not driven it before or any tracked vehicle for that matter. The truck driver was a vietnam vet and simply told me that once the centre of gravity of the tank was off the trailer not to stop or try to turn. This I did and all was good.
I then drove it down the road to our place. I couldn't find any other gear apart from 1st though! :doh: Just too nervous I guess.
It's now sitting next to the house after tearing up a bit of the garden. The other half looked something like this...;) :mad: :fry: :no4:

Still haven't had a real good look though as the rain just hasn't stopped.

more
 

Some more detailed shots showing serial numbers and such.
Centre suspension unit has the cut off remains of what looks like a dozer attachment.
And another shows two different roadwheels. Can someone shed some light on the background of these wheels?
At the moment I am unsure if my tank is infact a M3 Grant or a M3 Lee as it has no upper hull. I have only been told it was a Grant. Is there any way to tell from the lower hull?
ryan

Very nice Ryan but whats the contraption on top of the Grant :confused

stuff on top
 

It's an engine driven winch that was once used to pull logs and timber out of the bush.

Those Road Wheels look Skinny :rolleyes

Ryan, those are casting numbers, see http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoels...04/foundry.htm. For serial numbers see http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra/g104/serial.htm

Going by the numbers initially supplied, roughly 33% chance it is a Lee,. Read up on its history here: http://anzacsteel.hobbyvista.com/Arm...les/m3ph_1.htm. It is not really important of course since you are going to resore it as an ARV anyway, eh? :D

And when can we see you joining the Sherman Register mailing list? ;)

Hanno

Joining yahoo first to join the mailing list is the sticking point hanno, otherwise I'd already be there. Just seeing what sort of spam and such it will allow in.

Update: reading yahoo7's privacy settings they state they will tract my IP address during browsing and by signing with them I allow them and associated companies access to my browsing history/cookies. Hanno, I do not like that. Is there a way to be a member of your site and not of yahoo7?

Upper armour
 

Hi Ryan,

It looks like you might need some armour off the scrap M3 Hulls we have at the back of the museum. :) We also have other parts you might need. Our M3 is now complete, though unrestored.

Good luck with the restoration !

Cheers

Phill

Dear Ryan,

loading or unloading tracked kit to or from transport often has a few ring twitter moments.

I recently loaded 2 tracked AFVs onto transport, decks were frozen and I had very little leeway either side before I would drop off the trailer. Skating in a 12 ton vehicle you have only had mere seconds of previous driving experience with is daunting, but over time becomes part of the overall experience of ownership of tracked MVs.

Needless to say, after reversing the first one onto a detachable gooseneck trailer and the hand signals from the numpty truckie were too little too late and my nerves starting to fray, I called it quits for the second one and drove it on front first but that put the vehicle back to front on the trailer.

You should have some handy spares after you gas axe all the timber winch kit.

Good luck


Robin

Hi phill, it's a bit naked isn't it. A good starting point though. Great fun to drive too. The chap I bought it from said it originally had a petrol radial in it. The MAN diesel sure sounds nice though. I'm hoping I may be able to buy some armour in victoria soon. Your offer is generous and if I'm unable to locally I may have to take you up on your offer. Thank you.

Hi Robin, it's not a way I wanted my first drive to be but now that I have done it I'm pretty pleased with myself. Now that my nerves have calmed I may be able to find the other gears! Looking forward to giving it a bit of the right foot. :D

Ryan,

I have sent you an invite to the e-mail address you use for this forum. PM me to let me know if that works.

Hanno

tank
 

Had to do some repairs on the weekend to get her running again. Nothing major, just a broken belt. Felt good working on it though.
She needs to be running and ready for a soon to be happening border raid. :devil:

Hey Ryan,
Any updated pics?
Whats with the border run:wacko:

border raid
 

Hi Anthony, hope to have pics and more info in about a week.
Recce has already been done. I'll need the pulling power of my tank for what's coming. :D

Ooooooooooooooooooh....excellent! Sounds big!

Hello Ryan,
Would that be the item i put you on to?.

Regards
Justin.

Hi Ryan, did you get an answer on the different road wheels? I have been told the solid wheels are Sherman. When the bearings fail, its easier to cut the old wheel off and replace the whole wheel supposedly. And Sherman wheels are the easiest to find and a common swap.

A moke with a stuck wheel bearing :fry:

tank
 

Hi Justin, the answer to your question would be " yep". :) I'm chewing my fingernails a bit waiting for it. I'm hopeful it will be here within the week, but in saying that, it's only a hope at the moment.

Hi Tony, no I never did get that answer. But that's sounds reasonable. Justin also put me onto a couple of NOS spoked roadwheels too.

Hey robert, I wouldn't throw any mud at mokes, those buggers are a little goldmine nowadays. :blink:

The solid disc wheels are just the later pattern and are correct for late Grant and Sherman.

wheels
 

Thanks Adrian.

There is a small industry in Western Canada servicing spar yarders built on M32 ARV and M4 Sherman chassis'. Spar yarders are mobile winch based on as heavy a tracked chassis as possible, and have a tall telescoping cable stabilized tower up top. Loggers drive these things as high up the mountain as possible, string a skyline cable hundreds or thousands of feet cross country and winch logs up without gouging up the ground with skidders. One place advertises rerubbering roadwheels and tracks. No idea what $$ (Can or OZ?) they want. Something also tells me there are final drive and brake rebuilders too, but that might not be necessary for your beastie.

re rubbering
 

Hi Terry, the idea of re-rubbering wheels appeals but I'd hate to think what shipping would cost. My tracks certainly need re-rubbering but what I'm getting soon will hopefully solve that issue.
We've got a couple of shows on our TV that I think come from canada. Axe men and heli loggers. They have shown the cable method you were talking about. Fascinating stuff.
ryan

Brains trust question
 

Hi guys, need some advice. The vehicle coming soon is another M3 Grant with all steel tracks. The tank has been sitting for some years in the same spot and the tracks have seized. What are the methods used to free them up so to get the tank rolling again?

Hey Ryan. Wow another Grant! Congratulations! How complete is she?
As for the tracks, I would flood them with diesel(cos its cheap) and take her on a long pull up a bitumen road.

Hi Ryan

A tow is the best way.. should not take much as long as you have the horsepower to move it..

Did you find any manuals?? Cleaning my libary while working on the Stuart I have found... Handbook on M3 Medium Tank :-)

Tim

freeing tracks
 

Thanks for the replies guys. Two tractors were used on saturday to move it but to no effect. I don't think there is anything more powerful to pull it where it is. At this stage a crane is coming and the plan is to whack the tracks with a sledgehammer while it is in the air before it is put on a flatbed for the trip to down to me.
Once it gets to my place the plan is to use my tank to pull/drag this one off the truck.
Does this sound ok?
Tim, I haven't been able to track down any manuals for it so far so if you want to part with the M3 handbook or make a copy that would be great.
Tony, it's not that complete, looks a bit like what I've already got.
ryan

Thats OK, what you've got is more than most! And typical of what the Grants were turned into. ie bulldozers or loggers. Has she got a motor? What type?
You will surely yank her off if your chains are up to it. :cheers:

on second thoughts.....you better have a plan B!

Diesel to soak through the surface adhesion. Let it evaporate (or burn it off if there aren't any combustable pads or bearings or roadwheels, and if you feel adventuresome ... . Then flail away with a hot torch and 5lb sledge.