Sexton 1900 restoration

Jesse Browning · #1 21-01-10, 03:03

Here are some pictures of the Sexton I brought home in June 2009. Jesse. ***NOTE***On 8-5-17 I re-added all the pictures that were lost when the picture host changed their policy. There are actually more pictures now, but some may not match exactly the subject of the individual post.

maple_leaf_eh · #2 21-01-10, 03:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesse Browning

Here are some pictures of the Sexton I brought home in June 2009. Jesse.

What is this complicated piece of early-WWII machining?

Nice looking piece of hardware. Sometime you will have to make the pilgrimage to eastend Montreal to visit where it was built.

Bob Carriere · #3 21-01-10, 04:06

I mean WOW

You obviously have tremendous ambition, motivation, time, money, location, talent, a lot of friends not in the picture, no neighbours close by......good looks to be determined.... but with that machine and the way you are going about it.... who cares about looks.

Quite the project.... sure makes a little C15a punny after seeing your baby!!

Please feel free to blow our minds away with more pictures and accounts of your progress.

Boob

cantankrs · #4 21-01-10, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

What is this complicated piece of early-WWII machining?

Hi Terry,

That'd be the R975 radial motor's blower/accessory casing - the back end of the radial engine. The blower impellor is mainly there to mix and feed the mixture from the carby to each inlet port up on the heads.

Fantastic work Jesse!

Did you press your bogies apart and reassemble?

That the cylinders fit into a plastic bucket each is neat.

Regards

Alex

Hanno Spoelstra · #5 21-01-10, 11:36

Jesse,

Great work, thanks for bringing this Sexton back to life and sharing the pictures with us.

Regards,
Hanno

Jesse Browning · #6 22-01-10, 01:59

Alex; The carrier arm gudgeons had to be pressed out. Most took 40-50 tons. Some on the right side (must have been in the shade) took more than 75. A somewhat different project than the half track and scout cars I have done. I didn't have to up-tool as much as I had thought. The biggest thing was getting familiar with the parts. Read, read, read. Very few automotive parts here. It should be on the road in May. Jesse.

ron · #7 22-01-10, 10:04

Hi jesse,
In a word Fantastic, I am dumb struck,
Please keep the pics coming,
I am in awe of your ability.
Regards Ron

MrBNaylor · #8 03-02-10, 16:39

Hi Jesse,

Great to see someone wanting to restore a Sexton S.P. It' s been a dream of mine one day but by then who knows if i could even get my hands on one. My grandfather and his brother both served in the 23rd Field Regiment..4th Canadian Armoured Division ..Royal Canadian artillery during WW2. My self and some of the veterans of the 23rd who visited the Museum in Ottawa expressed our wishes for them to put the markings of the 23rd Field Regiment on the Sexton they have there and do a little write up about the 23rd. No can do they said, sad because it's a Canadian made tank from Montreal and Canadians used the tank along with the British as well. I would love to more about your project and this place where you can get sexton. I'm working on a 20 minute Documentary at the moment about the 23rd and will be posting it on YouTube at some point in the future. I know the full history of the Regiment !

MrBNaylor · #9 03-02-10, 16:57

Jesse,

Also...are you planning on getting this in running? If so i would love to visit and perhaps my Grandfather and great uncle as well. The book that Terry Warner has suggested is a great book " The sextons in Canadian service" by Doug Knight. I'll look for the contact email for you if your interested in getting one. One of the vets from the 23rd has a few more copies. also here is a link to my YouTube Channel.
I'll have some great footage of the Sextons in Action during the Normandy battle. Hopefully ready in the next month or two.

http://www.youtube.com/MrBNaylor

Cheers,

Bryan
Hamilton Ontario
Canada

Jesse Browning · #10 04-02-10, 03:26

Bryon; Great pictures. I'm always looking for more pictures and information about the Sexton. I do have the book "The Sexton in Canadian Service" . I wish there were more information available. I have no idea where mine was. This one should be running in march, and driving the following month. Jesse.

maple_leaf_eh · #11 05-02-10, 03:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesse Browning

Bryon; Great pictures. I'm always looking for more pictures and information about the Sexton. I do have the book "The Sexton in Canadian Service" . I wish there were more information available. I have no idea where mine was. This one should be running in march, and driving the following month. Jesse.

Servicepub is a small publisher. Without giving away the game or slagging the man for his efforts, Clive doesn't pay his authors huge advances and 'Villa in the South of France'-sized remitances. I'll bet the author has more information and files than got into print. Contact him through Clive.

Jesse Browning · #12 07-02-10, 01:44

Engine going back together. I need some more accurate information on installation of the impeller and the clearances involved.

servicepub (RIP) · #13 23-02-10, 04:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Servicepub is a small publisher. Without giving away the game or slagging the man for his efforts, Clive doesn't pay his authors huge advances and 'Villa in the South of France'-sized remitances. I'll bet the author has more information and files than got into print. Contact him through Clive.

I don't think that Doug has too many more photos but he checks into MLU regularly and can reply to that. I, on the other hand, have a number of Sexton photos that did not make it into the book and these will find their way onto http://www.ramtank.ca/sexton.htm in the near future. More photos here http://www.ramtank.ca/sexton_photos.htm

Clive
Somewhere in the South of France living off the profits of publishing Canadian military books.

Jesse Browning · #14 23-02-10, 02:59

Awaiting cylinders.

easo · #15 05-02-11, 23:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDT16

Easo,
Do you have any other pictures of the drivers compartment. From the one picture posted, it looks like the early style of controls which our Sexton has. What is missing in ours, if it is even supposed to be there, is the floor plate around the pedals and steering levers. I have the seat frame but no seat.
Any detail pictures of this area would be great.

Quote from Jesse Browning's thread.

I thought since you asked for the photos of the Yaramba they would be best in your Sexton thread. Also the word Yaramba means 'Spear throwing device' or words to that effect.

Under the seat,

Hope this helps, Easo

easo · #16 05-02-11, 23:38

SDT16 · #17 06-02-11, 17:24

Thanks Easo for the additional Pics!

Hanno, the reason I was curious of the drivers compartment.

Unlike the majority of the Sexton 2's, the driving controls in ours are of an earlier design. The steering levers are different, the hand brake is on the transmission and the drivers seat is different.

Here is a link to a photo of ours:

http://seanfoto.com/sexton/h61b7c7a#h61b7c7a

It does appear now that the controls on the Yaramba are similar, yet still slightly different.

I was also interested in seeing the foot plate that covers the linkage.

SD

tankbarrell · #18 06-02-11, 17:57

Your Sexton drivers position is pure Ram, hardly surprising but I wonder how many were made that way before changing to 'Sherman style'. Yaramba was a conversion from existing Grant tanks.

Upon checking the parts list, it would seem only 340 were built with the Ram seat and 280 with the Ram steering.

All of which means yours had a WD number in the ranges:-

CS 204782 - CS 204821
S 233626 - S 233867

easo · #19 06-02-11, 23:45

Sorry I was meant to put that into Sexton 130 thread.

Easo

Hanno Spoelstra · #20 07-02-11, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDT16

Hanno, the reason I was curious of the drivers compartment.

Unlike the majority of the Sexton 2's, the driving controls in ours are of an earlier design. The steering levers are different, the hand brake is on the transmission and the drivers seat is different.

Here is a link to a photo of ours:

http://seanfoto.com/sexton/h61b7c7a#h61b7c7a

It does appear now that the controls on the Yaramba are similar, yet still slightly different.

Like Adrian explained, your Sexton has Ram driver controls and seat. Of course the M3 Medium and Ram are related, but I would not glean information from pictures of a modified M3 Medium (driver's position was changed from centre to the right side for the Yeramba conversion). Better ask for Ram interior pictures.

Hanno

Jesse Browning · #21 24-06-11, 01:58

Testing the Gun. Set off lots of car alarms. Jesse.

Jesse Browning · #22 04-02-18, 01:38

What’s a good starting price for my Sexton?

chris vickery · #23 04-02-18, 01:51

That's a great question Jesse.
When one evaluates historic MVs there are many factors to think about.
Obviously , the amount of capital that has been invested is a major consideration although we all know, and have seen, where more money has been invested than the end product is worth, essentially a deficit situation.
In the world of MVs, the market tends to flow through ebbs and tides and is very subjective to world dollar values and the economy in general. It seems that political situations tend to influence spending.
I have always found prices to also depend on geography. Hard to sell a no US MV for example in the US whereas allied countries who used said item may be more apt to bite.
What's hot today might not be tomorrow, especially in our niche hobby.
Best of luck with your sale. Sure is a beauty.

Hanno Spoelstra · #24 04-02-18, 18:01

Hello Jesse,

Just for comparison, Sexton II Hull No. 48 was offered for sale by BAIV, a dealer and restoration company in the Netherlands. It was for sale for quite some time and was also offered up for auction in September 2016. It failed to attract an opening bid at € 90,000. Obviously, that was too high a price.
BAIV currently has it listed as being sold - see http://www.baiv.nl/sextonmk2/ - but I do not know what it actually sold for.
Maybe you could contact BAIV and ask if they want to sell yours under commission? I know the BAIV owner, Ivo Rigter, is always looking for vehicles to trade.

Another option is to list it on MilWeb - http://www.milweb.net/
Nigel Hay no doubt will be able to advice on current market prices.

HTH,
Hanno

14333733_1102308716514778_5740665213005681209_n.jpg

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #25 04-02-18, 23:56

I think we are getting to the point where restoring a vehicle now can cost more than it's worth completed. I think also that the higher end vehicles are worth the asking price, but you have to balance that against how many people have that kind of cash available for a purchase when something like this comes up.

chris vickery · #26 05-02-18, 02:34

Bruce, you do make some good points. For many guys I believe it comes down to pay by instalment. Lots of people have a few bucks to buy a project and slowly throw money into it over a long period of time.
Limited persons have the capital to buy turn key although in the end it's probably a better deal overall.
Personally I have gone both routes, although for me, the hunt for parts and the restoration process itself is my reward. Some guys throw money away at the bar, play golf, gamble etc so it's whatever ones into that counts.
My therapy comes in OD.

Jesse Browning · #27 17-02-18, 00:34

With the help of a good friend, we were able to get the Sexton out in the snow a few days ago. It was 15 deg F.

Lynn Eades · #28 17-02-18, 19:54

He who first mentions a price loses. Let any potential buyer make an offer. He might start higher than your price, and you can then negotiate higher.
Good luck Jesse. It must be your turn.

David Herbert · #29 17-02-18, 23:13

I am sorry Lynn but I rather disagree. I would never answer an advert that says "offers invited" or "price on application" as invariably it turns out that the seller is living in fantasy land and not remotely interested in actually selling his piece of history. In this case the seller loses as potential buyers are not interested in making what they see as a fair offer to be told that the item is worth at least twice that figure. If the seller thought his was a fair price why not put it in the advert then everyone could see where they stood ?

David

chris vickery · #30 18-02-18, 02:20

/\ Check above. Jessie has clearly indicated an asking price of $125K USD.