Sexton hull

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by tranham

I remember a museum in Canada that had a cut hull I think?

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.

If you want I could forward your request to my Sherman Register mailing list and Facebook page.

HTH,
Hanno

[Jesse Browning]

There were two hulks at the Veterans Museum at Huntsville Alabama that some of us have gotten parts from. Ask for Randy Withrow.

[tranham]

Thanks for all the great info. Actual getting the sections from Randy. Went ahead and am getting both. Getting a good R975 as well.

[Jesse Browning]

Interestingly the hulls are numbered 2056 and 2057.

[Jesse Browning]

Amazing that I can remember that almost 10 years after the fact, but can't remember why I just walked into this room.

[Jesse Browning]

Robert. When you get the hills from Huntsville, can you please look in the radio compartments and see if the schematic plates are attached to the main junction box door. On earlier models there is a plate on the inside of the door, and another on the outside showing two different electrical schematics. An owner of an even later Sexton told me his plates were missing. I'm suspecting that the plates were omitted in later vehicles because they are absolutely useless; being impossible to read in the position they are in.

[tranham]

Will do. Plan is to move them Saturday

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by tranham

Thanks for all the great info. Actual getting the sections from Randy. Went ahead and am getting both. Getting a good R975 as well.

Robert has put his Sexton project up for sale:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/3608...07489649420544

I’ve got 2 1945 consecutively serial numbered Sexton projects. I have everything to build a dummy and the vast majority to get a runner started. 4 sets of tracks. All the bogies assemblies for both. R975 engine complete. Empty housing and complete differentials. Drive shafts. Tons of parts.

Located in Tennessee. $55,000

42CBCB54-5664-4F67-824C-F1F621AFCD29.jpeg

[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?

100675244_120208033028108_7748879690776969216_o.jpg 100756121_120208309694747_7534778079332270080_o.jpg 100549458_120208196361425_1812080426265608192_o.jpg 100597164_120208219694756_469825192609185792_o.jpg 100625569_120208119694766_2640581425845239808_o.jpg

[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)?

7687351882_938cc33bcd_o.jpg 47942004357_1a8f438699_o.jpg

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:
28168334_1605081086237536_3626962108269792182_n.jpg

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).
100082759_3010847952327502_1707282459739029504_o.jpg

[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.