Sexton MkII on it's way for restoration

[Perry Kitson]

Hello Ron,

Do you have the hull/shop number for your Sexton?

Perry

[Jesse Browning]

Congratulations Ron on the purchase. It will be good to see another one up and running. It looks by the fittings that the serial number is around 1900?

[Ron Cheney]

Here's an update with the Sexton...

All of the spare parts, tracks and wheels have been removed from the hull and she's going to be sandblasted this week.

If you folks can guide me to the location of the serial number I will post it up so hopefully we can find out what unit markings we can stencil on her when she's already for display that would really help.





















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[Ron Cheney]

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[David Herbert]

The hull or shop number should be stamped into the rear plate of the hull just above the cranking handle hole. The builder's data plate was originaly screwed to the top of the sponson plate (the horizontal plate above the track) just to the right of the driver. Rams were census numbered in almost the same order as the shop number so it is easy to get one if you have the other but I don't know how the conversion of one number to the other works for Sextons.

This is a relatively late production Sexton as it has the double rear towing eyes as on ultimate series Shermans. It would have been built with a single piece transmission not the three piece one fitted now but these were swapped round at rebuild randomly. This Sexton would certainly have been built with CDP track not the rubber bushed Sherman track. CDP is actually a good track and does little damage to paved roads unlike steel US tracks but of course rubber pads are much more acceptable to the highway authority!

I see that there is a bolt missing from the left idler bracket clamp. Note that this is 1" x 14 ANF NOT 1" x 12 NF (the post war standard fine thread). Also the centre bolt is used to jack the casting apart to alow the idler shaft to turn. This bolt has a LEFT HAND THREAD so turning it clockwise clamps the shaft.

David

[Perry Kitson]

Thanks for posting the pictures Ron. They look all too familiar. There are some photo's of Jesse's Sexton as well as my machine during rebuild posted on the armour forum. I am not sure how far back you will have to go to find them. The shop number I have is 2115. It will be interesting to see what number your Sexton is. The last 50 Sextons built were kept in Canada. They did not make it overseas until being surplussed to Portugal.

Perry

[jdmcm]

She's a beauty Ron! Great acquisition!

John