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-   -   Sexton # 130 (http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=15859)

SDT16 10-12-10 15:44

Sexton # 130
 
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Hi Kids! I thought I would share with every one the restoration of our Sexton.
Here are some pix of her Journey across the states to Sunny Florida!

SDT16 10-12-10 15:53

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She was a little hesitant coming off the trailer, but with a little pull, she felt the sand between her tracks and knew she had arrived at the Spa! :thup2:

Jesse Browning 11-12-10 00:23

Sean; Great job! I cant wait to see it progress. Maybe we will have to start vacationing in Florida again. Jesse.

Robin Craig 11-12-10 01:27

Could I encourage you to join www. hmvf.co.uk as thee is a lot of interest in such vehicles there and also a lot of help that you may need, worth the aggro of the registration (free).

Robin

SDT16 11-12-10 07:10

Robbin---I will check that site out. It is always good to have new resources, as I do need a few important pieces!.... the needed parts list is to come!

Jessse----- Yes you DO need to get your Family down to FLA!!! We'll send them to Mickey Mouse Land while we play with Sextons!!

Also, I DO Really appreciate all the info, encouragement and knowledge you have all ready shared with us! You are already a Big part of this restoration.
Thank You!
SD

There are many more pix to come!

SDT16 12-12-10 19:10

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Some more pix. Details of the rear deck. Missing a few tabs and loops.
And some interesting metal work around the air cleaner. I am guessing it is the remnants of some sort of fording kit? I am hoping somebody may have some information on this.

Thanks!

SDT16 12-12-10 19:18

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It's good to have a friend with a wrecker!!! :thup2:

Alex Blair (RIP) 13-12-10 01:19

Air baffles
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by SDT16 (Post 140054)
Some more pix. Details of the rear deck. Missing a few tabs and loops.
And some interesting metal work around the air cleaner. I am guessing it is the remnants of some sort of fording kit? I am hoping somebody may have some information on this.

Thanks!

Rather than Fording kit ,that may be to direct the air away from or to the the air cooled cylinders but I would be careful to mark them and replace them for if you leave them out your engine may very well over heat..But Jesse Browning will know what they are and will jump in here and let you know..He is the primo radial engine Sexton guru..

25pdr 14-12-10 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin Craig (Post 139992)
worth the aggro of the registration (free).

Robin

I didn't realize there was any aggro in registering with HMVF, could you send me a PM & explain? registartion is exactly the same as it is for this forum, we use the same VBulletin software.

Lee
HMVF Moderator.

Hanno Spoelstra 14-12-10 16:42

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SDT16 (Post 140054)
And some interesting metal work around the air cleaner. I am guessing it is the remnants of some sort of fording kit? I am hoping somebody may have some information on this.

Sean,

Good to see the Sexton has arrived safely at her destination. The metal work around the air cleaner must be remnants of a fording kit. See this website for images lifted from TM9-2853 "PREPARATION OF ORDNANCE MATERIEL FOR DEEP WATER FORDING - 7 July 1945" - chapter 2 section VIII: preparation of Medium Tank M4A3. Although the M4A3 has a different engine and thus deep water fording system, it shows how the sheet metal ducting was attached to the rear and lower hull of medium tanks.

I am surprised these sort of parts are still attached to the Sexton. Probably the former owner did nothing more than give it a blow over with OD aftre he dragged it from its grave at SECO?

Regards,
Hanno

SDT16 14-12-10 23:04

Thanks Hanno!

I have since found some more evidence and will post it soon. But I do believe that we are on the right track.

We are the 3rd owners after Seco I believe. The last owner gave it a quickey sand blast and paint, as it sat as his gate guard in front of his house. He really didn't want to sell it, didn't want to see it go, but knew he wasn't going to get to it and wanted a good home for it. I am the first to give it some Love;)

Also! We got both of the tracks off today!!! :cheers: :salute: :thup2:

Jesse Browning 15-12-10 03:26

I would agree it was a fording kit. I looked through lots of pictures, but cannot find a rear view of the Sexton II or a radial engined Sherman with the fording kit. There is a side view here. http://www.ramtank.ca/sexton.htm 130 is a very interesting vehicle. There are so many subtle differences from the more common late production vehicles. Notice the rear engine deck is not hinged in the middle, but both pieces bolted in place. No hole for the binnicle, rivets galore, mufflers on the engine. Probably originally had Sherman type tracks. This was probably a combat veteran, but the privious owner sandblasted all the markings off. Alex, I'm flattered, but Sexton engine guru I am not. Jesse.

SDT16 16-12-10 01:25

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Well you beet me to it Jesse! Thats the same link I found of the fording Sexton. I also believe there is a video clip of that scene on YouTube. To add to this theory, the added metal piece around the gun looks to be part of the kit. Here is a picture of the front of our Sexton. Note the welds outlining the area around the gun.

SDT16 16-12-10 01:35

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Things found::

In the 4 inches of muck under the engine.
-A Sherman style duck bill end connector.
-An unused but bent rivit

In the ammo ready racks . RH rear. Some sort of paper cup. Must have been some sort of end cap from the packing?

And the engine bay.

Jesse Browning 16-12-10 01:58

Sean; I'm sure you took lots of pictures of that engine compartment. You will need them later. Jesse.

SDT16 16-12-10 02:19

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Not sure how this shot will look on here. It is the flat file of the 360 VR I did in the engine bay right after we removed the engine and before we started to clean it up.

Jesse Browning 24-12-10 23:06

Sean; I have an instrument panel face reserved for your project. It looks like you will need the base, or front half, also. Plus all the clips, mounts, resistor, lights, gauges, breakers, switches. Interestingly, all those parts are are still being produced. I could build you one when the time comes. Jesse.

Jesse Browning 29-12-10 02:54

Sean; I found a picture of a Sexton outfitted with the fording kit. It has a high box on top of the fighting compartment, with the stakes fitting into three square sockets identical in size and placement to the ones on your vehicle. I will send you a picture when I get home. I am out of state looking at a Sherman to restore. Jesse.

SDT16 29-12-10 03:03

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Hey Jesse!
That sounds Great! I asked Santa for one, but I guess I had been too naughty this year.
Phil picked up the engine today so that is in the works as well!
I'll be posting more images soon!

Interesting find recently: The hull # 130 on the rear, seems to have the '3' double stamped on top of itself. Never thought much of it. The other day however, I noticed that '130' was also stamped the top edge of the left engine door. Perhaps the person stamping realized he messed up and re-stamped it on the door?

SD

Jesse Browning 30-12-10 03:01

Sean; I talked to Phil today. He was driving back from your place with the engines. The gun on my Sexton is stamped in at least 6 places with the vehicle serial number. The stamps on the front and back hull are also double stamped on mine. Jesse.

SDT16 30-12-10 21:03

Jesse! I don't know how I over looked your last post about the fording kit picture. Can't wait to see it :p

And whats this about a Sherman!?!?!?!?!?! Ohhhh Boyy!!!!! :drunk: :cheers: :salute: :thup2: :eek: :D :kangaroo :p

sexton 2080 03-01-11 21:06

dash internals
 
Hello Jesse,

You posted that you can still get new gauges etc and distribution blocks for the sexton dash? Can you get the amp gauge and the gearbox temp gauge?

regards

mark

Bob Phillips 10-01-11 04:10

To Sexton 2080 - If you cannot find diff temp gauges I have NOS available, both electric and mechanical, e-mail me

SDT16 02-06-11 01:16

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Well Fellas! Sorry for the Long Over Due UpDate!!!!
We have be busy on the Sexton for a while and then got distracted by multiple other projects, events and parts hunting!!!
Here are a few pics to get y'all a little closer to where we are at:
I Fabricated a dolley for removing the nose cone and tranny. It worked fantastic and popped off rather easily! Ofcourse, as Murphy's Law dictates, putting it back on will be more of a struggle! Thanks to all who have given advice and tips on removing this massive piece of the puzzle!

5 of the 6 suspension units have been removed..... one more to go!!! :drunk:
1 of them has been dissembled...... Not looking forward to the rest!

I am in need of 1 return roller shaft..... kind of puzzled how it was broken..... perhaps whilst being shoved around SECO.

Here are some pix!

SD

maple_leaf_eh 02-06-11 04:16

When it comes to reassembly, a few simple handtools will make alignment easy. Many years ago I worked on structural steel, building a 2-storey building. The handiest tool was an 18" hand spike with a wrench head. When the crane moved the I-beam close, spear the spike into the moving piece, catch the tip in the built piece and lever things into place. Throw in a bolt and wiggle the spike until the bolt threads. Then turn it into place. A final drive going back onto a Sexton can't be that different. Good memories and very satisfying work.

Perry Kitson 02-06-11 13:24

According to Chrysler's book "Tanks Are Mighty Fine Things", published just after the war, that transmission, controlled differential and final drives represented more than 50% of mechanical work and 40% of the cost of the tank.

Perry

Phil Waterman 02-06-11 14:23

Tanks Are Mighty Fine Things - Interesting book
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Perry Kitson (Post 148098)
According to Chrysler's book "Tanks Are Mighty Fine Things", published just after the war, ......

Perry

Hi Perry

Interesting little book isn't it, a number of interesting photos of tank production. There is another in this series,of corporate publicity, entitled The Great Detective about the manufacture of the SCR-584 radar units.

Cheers Phil

SDT16 17-08-12 20:52

Hi All!
Just wanted to give you all an update. It has been rough getting work done on the Sexton lately as a frame up restoration of a M2A1 Half Track has taken priority. We are over the Hump on this little side project and expect to be back full force on the Sexton sometime this fall. It is pretty amazing when one thinks about it, there are probably 4 times as many pieces to a Half Track than the Sexton! We can't wait to get it done and focused on the main event!

Cheers!! :cheers:
Sean

Stew Robertson 26-08-12 03:58

Boy you guys have just brought back a lot of good memories
Keep up the good work!

My first radial layed on the shop floor in pieces for almost 7months before we found the parts to rebuild it

JUST REMEMBER! crank it first before you use the starter
Stew
ps:
: they are known for their hydraulic lock
support

SDT16 15-03-16 16:02

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Since all of the old Sexton threads seem to be popping unto the top, I thought I'd give ours a little update. I had planned on getting some sandblasting done by now, however, a FV432 found its way into the que! sneaky Bastard!!!

I have acquired another Air Cleaner though thanks to JDMCM.

I am still looking for the guts and bottom for another early type round one.

Cheers

Sean


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