still in use commercially....

[things_green]

thankyou all for taking the time too answer....I am already a few hundred percent up on my Armour 'expertise'

another 1,000% and I may even know something!

Just for my own interest I'll trot along and speak too the owners....see if I can score some close-ups or internal images.

all the best for your greenery in 2013.

Brent

[David Herbert]

Brent,

If you do get a chance of close examination of 'your' yarder, the following would be good to look for:

1) Different models of Shermans had different engines and this caused differences in the rear armour (other end to the sprockets!). A photo of the area between the idlers would eliminate some versions.
2) Similarly the original engines had unique designs of access plates in the floor. As the yarder is stood in your photos you might get a usefull photo of the rear four feet of the underside of the hull.
3) As built the hull had towing eyes at the rear vaguely like the ones on the transmission casting. There was often but not always, a shop no. stamped into one or more towing eyes. Quite often this is rather lightly stamped so you have to scrape the paint off to see it - might not be welcomed!
4) Is there signs of the original emergency escape hatch (approx 2' square) in the floor just behind the transmission to the right of centre. Sextons didn't have this, don't think Priests did either.
5) Is there the remains of the 1/2" thick plate that ran the length of the tank above the tracks and closed the horisontal gap between the lower hull and the side of the upper hull. This was welded to the top edge of the 1 1/2" thick lower hull side and the signs of this should be visible somewhere. If not it may be that the lower hull 'tub' is not actually from a tank at all, but home made with Sherman running gear added.

Us tank nuts need more info !

Happy new year to all

David

[Lynn Eades]

David.You obviously know a lot about tanks, and I don't. Re your last item.(5) To me it makes no economic sense to set out to build a hull using tank running gear.(big expensive job)More likely, the builders would have won the low priced tender for govt surplus tanks, and based on this, built the haulers. (Yarders?) Tank running gear is not really suitable for bush work. Commercial crawler tractors are obviouly far more suited. the compomise is all about price. No doubt, It'll be a tank hull.
These things usually drive/ drag (winch) them selves to the top of the highest hill, and once there, and set up. They dont move again until the whole area is cleared.
I used to work for Owens Services, (It was for many years the only company handling the export of logs from all N.Z. ports) As I recall 3 of them arrived on the Mount Maunganui wharf from a heavy lift ship, and for some reason unknown to me(just lucky?) I had the lovely job of steam cleaning one of them at the Dept. of Agricultures secure cleaning area. This was required before it could be cleared by Ag and fish, and moved from the Port.
BTW thats not getting a few pine needles off the nice orange paint either. That means being in the bowels of it for hours. Hot!, wet!, loud!, and covered in greasy shit! (can I say that?)
This would be about 15 years ago and this machine could well be one of those 3.
I have never seen any of them in action, but I understood that there were already Sherman (used loosely now) based, Log haulers (spar yarders) already in use in Kaiangaroa Forest.
Brent, you could buy it!.... Then you can clean the paint of the tow eye.
I dont think we have a Sherman here although there is a Grizzly in Auckland.

[things_green]

David.....points noted, thankyou.
if the owner is obliging I shall endeavor too tick those 5 boxes.

Lynne; I'm envious....'playing' with one of these beasties!
what a blast......having one, even a chassis would be neat...but realistically I sold my LP2a project because i didn't have the finances and or the ability too finish it...this would be a MUCH BIGGER job.....
neat idea though.....My wife wouldn't mind....but I would have too paint it green pretty rapidly too 'hide' it under a tree

Note; I am not mowing the lawns in preparation for the New Years Eve party...
just where do my priorities lie !!!

Brent

[Lynn Eades]

Hi Brent, I was roughly aware of why the carrier went. Is the Dodge project still happening?
I agree about the tank, but that one would need a lot scrap cut off the top.

[The Bedford Boys]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

I dont think we have a Sherman here although there is a Grizzly in Auckland.

Who's is the Grizzly in Auckland? The National Army Museum in Waiouru has a Grizzly.

[Lynn Eades]

I think it will be the same one.

[things_green]

okay....the owners were very generous....let me loose unsupervised....

I ticked 4 out 5 boxes David.....
Having seen the escape hatch below where the driver would have originally sat I'm pretty sure it was (at one stage) an original hull.


between the idlers....


hole beneath the engine....poor pic I'm afraid.


transmission


front LH (drivers original position).


LH rear idler attachment.


looking from the rear.....escape hatch sorta visible.


inside view of the RH suspension.

cool toy ;-)
Brent.

[tankbarrell]

Oh well, not an original hull, at least not the rear 3/4, just suspension and transmission from a donor vehicle. It's possible they used a front half to make use of the transmission mounting.