Part hunting on Vancouver island and the mainland

[maple_leaf_eh]

Ross stocks and forestry Sherman conversions.

Ditto from the others on the Ross rifle stock finds. They're not making them any more, and a lot of collectors are scavenging for long stocks. Yours could become valuable as patterns for someone with a pantograph duplicator.

There are two types of Sherman conversions, and two prominent names. First is Finning rock drills. They typically were shortened to carry around a big hydraulic rock drill and bits used for boring blast holes in Mother Earth's harder surfaces. Bright yellow seems to be the standard. Secondly is a broader family of spar yarders made by Madill in Nanaimo. These typically have three horizontal or vertical volute suspension stations, a new commercial engine, and a very substantial superstructure with a very log mast and several powerful cable winches. Other companies made them too, but in Canada Madill was king.

The donor chassis is usually an M4 of several models, an M6 High Speed Tractor, or an M32 ARV. What was above the sponsons didn't matter because the plant was only interested in the three-sided box of the lower hull, the suspension and final drives.

I have long stated that Canada has a treasure trove of M4 parts under its nose out on the West Coast. Now would be the time to collect the spares before they hit the smelter. Sure someone has to fund the project, but these are the next equivalent of range targets for the restoration community.

[Jes Andersen]

The usual sources for these hulks is pretty well know to those who have an interest in these undercarriage pieces. Many still reside in logging company 'bone yards' but the proximity to tidewater and China have had many of these old vehicle dumps scrapped out. Close to where I live, there is a business who receives a lot of salvage machines and over the years a few yarders and spars. Madill in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island used to be the place and as a youngster a 100 yrs ago, I recall seeing armour in their compound waiting for conversion. Sadly, that business is gone and the jobs with it are now history. It would be interesting to see if pictures of their operations exist and might show the 'before' and 'after' of these machines.

Not to send anyone down another rabbit hole, but here is a link to a discussion on Madill and some pictures of their stuff.

http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/...-in-Nanaimo-BC