restoration MK IV Cromwell

After following Ricks (Eddy8men) restoration and looking at his beauty (well I mean drooling and buying all of the lottery tickets I could), I had been trying to track down a project for a few years, when none were to be had, all of a sudden viola, multiple opportunities, Comets, Centaur, Charioteer, etc. so I put an offer in for a Charioteer, (Isle of Wight). So I have talked (bribed) Rick and Adrian into doing some of the restoration work on the new toy, if it pans out. So we should see more updates on Cromwell #2 (for Rick) and possibly #3 (Shaun) on here this year, fingers crossed. I don't have much history on it yet, except it was built in 1944, is a F hull and was converted and sold to the Jordanians and captured by the Israelis during the 6 day war. When we get into the blasting and cleaning hopefully we will find markings and census numbers and hopefully get some details and history. Yes it will be converted back into a Cromwell, so those that want it to stay a Charioteer will be upset, but I want it to go as an accessory to my 44 Humber Scout Car.

Good luck or should that be good luck Rick enjoy the rebuild.

If the restoration is as good as the previous one your onto a winner. All you have to do now is find someone who wants a turret as a lawn ornament

Very cool - I'm very jealous

Nice work, look forward to following this one.

Nice trailer its on too, is that part of the project?

Good luck tracking down the parts you need, I'm sure it will be done and dusted well before my project creeps out of the barn. You armour boys work fast!

Thanks everyone, trailer was not part of the deal, we originally tried to get the centaur dozer and charioteer together, but it appears that we probably lost out by a few days. So if the deal goes through, it should move up to Ricks in the next few weeks (30 days or so), then some parts will be sent off to check if they can be used, the engine for one, and if not then I will try and source a MKIVB and turn it into a MKIII. Some work has already been done on it, instrument panel has been rebuilt, fuel tanks have been rebuilt and cleaned, final drives rebuilt and a few other bits. It is also taken apart at this time, so this saves lots of hours of not having to strip it down. The turret will be pulled and sold etc. not before taking off some parts needed for a new turret though, Rick won't make the same mistake again (lucky me), so his teething problems become less for me. Everything needed (contacts) has been sourced (thanks to Ricks, Bob's and Pete's hard work the last few years), or we have contact numbers for it. It will get a later round vision cupola with the 8 episcopes, so it will be a little different than Ricks. Unfortunately I think finding a turret will be like going to the moon, so one will be fabricated to exact dimensions and a Saladin turret ring will be used, it is a little smaller, but beggars can't be choosers. My goal and pocket book (haha) is to have it completed in 12-14 months, so fingers crossed!!! So if you get down to Ricks place, you will see two of them. We might actually send it to W&P as a static (Charioteer), depending on how much work is done by then, and put them together, but we will see. So now I am like Rick, Ian, Adrian and Shaun "I am looking for all of the Cromwell crap I can find!":cool2: Internal bits, water tins, smoke thrower yada yada. Maybe we can also get Shaun to finish up their decision and start on that and pray for a 3 Cromwell show in 2015! Ohh and you have to harass Rick, I will since I am paying for him to take pictures too..for documentation. Ohh and just think another American stealing your great armor...that is for taking all of ours!! :laugh:

Good luck mate, a real nice project there.

Nice work, look forward to following this one.

 

Nice trailer its on too, is that part of the project?

Dyson 32 wheel 50 ton capacity drawbar trailer (drawbar seems to be missing). They were towed behind Diamond T's and ANTARs

I've got to ask why, if you can't get a proper Cromwell turret, you don't leave it as a Charioteer? Surely it's better to have a real Charioteer than a fake Cromwell?

Andy

Andym, thanks for your inquiry, this has been brought up before with other Charioteer owners. First of all I collect WW2 armor and that is what I want, the original vehicle is a 1944 MKIV F chassis and was converted post war. The turret itself will be made to exact specifications "original thickness with the internal support frame and material", I have a late war round vision cupola to go on it, the internal bits and external bits, the gun cradle will be cast, the mantlet will be made (cast), the only thing that won't be correct is the turret ring, it (turret ring) will be a little smaller due to having to use a Saladin ring, but won't change anything cosmetically, only 1/2 inch or so in the turret itself, all of the internal bits are Cromwell, the turret basket etc are Cromwell, not Charioteer. (SO IT WONT BE A FAKE CROMWELL) If I just wanted to have a tank to cruise around in then I would choose something else, but I am putting it back, well Rick is to its original configuration. It has more history and meaning for me as a WW2 vehicle then the cold war. Nothing will be scrapped, the turret and 20 pounder will hopefully goto a museum or collector that wants it. WW2 is my passion and that is what I enjoy, hence my choice, my money. Hell if I could of bought two I would of left one, but it is worth a helluva lot more as an original not a post war conversion.

That's all understood, after all it's your vehicle and you're free to do what you want with it! :-)

Andy

I wa wondering whether these were converted from Cromwells.

I wonder how the wife would like the idea of a turret in the back garden?:angry

Grandson would love it, I'm sure!

I wa wondering whether these were converted from Cromwells.

I wonder how the wife would like the idea of a turret in the back garden?:angry

Grandson would love it, I'm sure!

To have a big enough garden to do that it would have to be able to be powered up

Well being a Yank, don't hold that against me, we didn't use Charioteers etc. so I don't think a VFW or anyone in the USA would like the turret for display, I would really like it to goto an agency in the UK to display it etc. for future generations. I really don't like or want to destroy something, but everything will go back to as it rode of the floor, so I am hoping to see maybe 3 at W&P 2015, that would be grand!!! I use to play with tanks as a kid, and they say the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys, that is so true!!! Hey at least it is only a tank that I am stealing, not one of your women, over here, over sexed and over paid:rotfl:

Hey at least it is only a tank that I am stealing, not one of your women, over here, over sexed and over paid:rotfl:

Got any nylons?

Lauren, do you prefer support or thigh high? black, or nude?

Lauren, do you prefer support or thigh high? black, or nude?

Oi... get on with the blooming tank talk and less of the "Dating Game" boys...!!! Lol

lol that would be telling.

Back on the tank talk does anyone know if all Charioteers were made using F type hulls? I'd imagine they'd have used the latest and greatest, but as there's a mix of welded and non welded types (if I remember correctly) it made me wonder if any were made with the earlier hull types.

D type hulls were used too, as mine. They had a different drivers hatch arrangement as the original D type hatches were not usable in Charioteer, they were barely usable in Cromwell....

The D hull conversions had a side opening single piece hatch hinged on its outer edge, similar but not the same as the welded hull Cromwell and A30 Challenger.

D type hulls were used too, as mine. They had a different drivers hatch arrangement as the original D type hatches were not usable in Charioteer, they were barely usable in Cromwell....

 

The D hull conversions had a side opening single piece hatch hinged on its outer edge, similar but not the same as the welded hull Cromwell and A30 Challenger.

Does it offer any more space to get in and out? I was surprised at how small the hatches were on Rick's (I hope you're feeling flexible Lance / Shaun )

It helps if your a racing snake or alternatively you can suck your belly in enough lol.

It helps if your a racing snake or alternatively you can suck your belly in enough lol.

It's not THAT small, I managed it get in and out ok :-D I'd say that getting out was more daunting than getting in, especially the drivers side....Rick said there was a knack to it!

It's not THAT small, I managed it get in and out ok :-D I'd say that getting out was more daunting than getting in, especially the drivers side....Rick said there was a knack to it!

That was my concern! Gravity helps on the way in

I always viewed the comet drivers hatch and now the Cromwell as a gauge to how good Christmas was ! Th worst thing about getting in this type of drivers hatch is getting your legs in the right place . After looking in one of the tank museums comets last year I see they leave the top half of the gear leaver removable , that takes all the fun out of it !