Sexton hull

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Shortly after we started this forum Geoff came up with a picture of a cut down Sexton hull which was in running condition. This must have been 15 or even 20 years ago so it may well have gone through the hands of several owners and could be the one at the Oshawa museum.

Peter Samsonov posted a few pictures of this cut-down Sexton hull at the Ontario Regiment Museum. I think this is a very good candidate to be restored as a Sexton GPO?

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[David Herbert]

The only Sexton GPO that I have seen was an extremely early Sexton without the boxes on the rear corners and with a Ram derived instrument panel and steering levers. I am not certain that they were converted from later Sextons but have no evidence either way.

The one I have seen still had the massive welded beam structure that the gun is mounted into but with the swivel hole plated over. If I was building up the one above into a GPO I would not replace the beam as it makes the driving position very cramped and is generally a pain ! There is nothing to say that they didn't get cut out in service unofficially - I know of one officer who got into trouble for cutting a door in the side of his GPO Sexton. He also had a sofa in it.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David Herbert

The only Sexton GPO that I have seen was an extremely early Sexton without the boxes on the rear corners and with a Ram derived instrument panel and steering levers. I am not certain that they were converted from later Sextons but have no evidence either way.

Hello David, I take it that was the Sexton GPO which once resided at Pounds Yard (now in the Cadman collection)?

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Other survivors show they were also converted from Sexton IIs:

Screenshot_2020-05-26 Microsoft Word - Surviving_Sextons doc - Surviving_Sextons pdf(1).jpg

Originally Posted by David Herbert

The one I have seen still had the massive welded beam structure that the gun is mounted into but with the swivel hole plated over. If I was building up the one above into a GPO I would not replace the beam as it makes the driving position very cramped and is generally a pain ! There is nothing to say that they didn't get cut out in service unofficially - I know of one officer who got into trouble for cutting a door in the side of his GPO Sexton. He also had a sofa in it.

Great to read about the veteran cutting a door in the side of his GPO Sexton and fitting a sofa. It shows that there is some leeway (artistic license) to restore such a vehicle!

[Jordan Baker]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Peter Samsonov posted a few pictures of this cut-down Sexton hull at the Ontario Regiment Museum. I think this is a very good candidate to be restored as a Sexton GPO?

And to think, that museum had a fantastic chance to acquire a beautifully restored and running Sexton a few years ago but turned it down and pursued poorly researched and made up German stuff.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

And to think, that museum had a fantastic chance to acquire a beautifully restored and running Sexton a few years ago but turned it down and pursued poorly researched and made up German stuff.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....

(Wasn't there a law suit re. the provenance/ orginality of some of the vehicles bought? Anyway let's not open a can of worms.)

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

I think this is a very good candidate to be restored as a Sexton GPO?

When I shared this on the Sherman Register FB page, Stuart Wright in the UK replied "I've got the complete front of a Sexton which could be used to restore it".
So there you are: the lower hull is there, the front is there, just add a couple of slab sides (it has been done before) - and hey presto: a GPO!

Roy Aalderson's Sexton GPO under restoration:
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Sexton GPO (Gun Position Officer) “DARLING” of D Troop, 36th Battery, Canadian 23rd Field Regiment on parade in the Netherlands at the end of the war in 1945. It looks like this GPO was converted from a Sexton Mk.I (note the 3-piece final drive asssembly and M4 bogie and regular VVSS track).
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[Alex van de Wetering]

Here are two GPO's during the Liberation of Goor, NL 1945

source: https://mijnstadmijndorp.nl/app/zoek...ry/?nav_id=1-1

[maple_leaf_eh]

Robert, suggest you send feelers into the coastal BC/Washington/Oregon logging salvage industry for Canadian style running gear and tracks.

JDMC (sp?) on MLU has mentioned finding parts and pieces for some of his projects in that sector.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Robert, suggest you send feelers into the coastal BC/Washington/Oregon logging salvage industry for Canadian style running gear and tracks.

More on that story HERE

Elsewhere, it has been reported that the Morgan Power company has gone bankrupt and in receivership, but there are many second hand machinery dealers still dealing in this equipment.

[Andrew Rowe]

Ian Hughes from Hughes Movie Supplies in the UK has heaps of wheel suspension stations, final drives and hubs, etc for these that would probably suit, available, cheers Andrew.

[Grant Bowker]

Morgan Power Apparatus still seem to have a live website https://www.morpac.com/crawlers.shtml and are shown at the same address as on the parts manual Terry showed.