ajmac

Have you seen the price of a good TR6 or MGB Roadster!

In the Telegraph today it reported that Classic cars have been one the best investments over the last 10 years with a return of over 400%. Wartime armour appears to be mirroring the trend.

All good input, however as I was indicating in a previous post Sherman evolution continued right up into the 1980s, making that known can only help the understanding of any Sherman you may encounter in 2013.

Thanks for adding those interesting photos Rob. Looks rather original to me, notice the missing fuel tanks where the track covers have rotted through. I wonder where it spent its post war life before ending up in the museum? I am looking for an original Loyd hood, any condition, just to use as a template. There are at least two types, one that will suit mine and a earlier version with internal partition for the TPC and TS&C which used the bench seat. Any clues?

You will see all varients with HVSS as the isrealies ad ded the suspension units to M4A4s after the war.

Appart from the V8 engined M4A3E8 are there any other confirmed types using the wide tracks that made it into front line operations before the wars end? I noticed the Belgian Tank Museums M4A1 HVSS 76mm and wondered if it was suited to its wartime appearance. Secondly, why Bovington display an M4A2 HVSS 76mm at the shows as representative of the type during WW2 is beyond me, having said that they do have a regular 75mm Sherman on the wish list, so perhaps they do have a plan.

New European Loyd TT restoration project appears....still yet to find out who is restoring it!

Many thanks Simon, it seems that angled mud guards is the key feature at a distance.

I have watched this thread with interest as I have been thinking about what to tow behind the Loyd when it is finally complete. They could be configured to tow a 10cwt mortar trailer as I have seen discussed, any tips on searching one out and not accidentally bringing home a GS etc... What are the key points to differentiate between a mortar and other types? Thanks,

once the kids are fed and clothed I couldn't think of a better thing to do with the little pieces of paper.

Thanks to Paul I collected a complete tow spring, I only need the rear plate for clamping the hook to the spring but it was as easy to take the assembly. I was hoping that the rear x-tube would not need dismantling totally, but sadly to fit it, it does as a blast had forced the mounting brackets inwards meaning that it will not travel up the chassis taper enough to reach the mounting position, it ended about 1" short. One of the front x-tube mounts is being repaired using some parts salvaged from a good mount taken from a broken x-tube on the second Loyd wreck. Although it may not look like it, the above mount is the good one! I cut through the weld to remove the clamp block and then cut the undamaged clamp block from another mount. Oh and....I have sourced a pair of Loyd fuel tanks, an engine cover and a complete body from Holland as a swap for some Loyd exhaust parts, just got to go and collect it now :-)

Some 1940s Ford Flathead V8s had Ferrous pistons too, I have a set in the workshop. With all the attention on WW1 over the next four years are you chaps going to be in any particular high profile events? There must be a place for wartime lorries driving down the Mall!

Thanks for the support everyone. I have two parts in the negotiation stage at the moment which if successful will go a long way to completing the rolling chassis. I have everything crossed :-)

It's better than it rusting away outside and sometime in our life time it will come up for auction;)

Well I must be setting a trend....the number of Loyd Carrier restoration projects in England has gone up to four including mine, with one brought at auction from the Victory museum also coming to the UK as far as I'm aware that puts it up to five! I have been searching for parts the last 3 years and haven't come up with much.....some people have all the luck :embarrassed:

I was at a BBQ the other day and asked a Jordanian friend what it meant, just to confirm, Adrian is spot on. Needless to say the conversation went down hill from then on and we all learnt more Arabic filth than we ever thought possible then we moved to Spanish filth:D

So the Cromwell will be there...what other wartime armour is expected? Adrian/s?

We have been chatting about vehicle and deact price inflation since I joined in 2008, it hasn't dropped back since then, always upwards. I suggest we look at other collector interests that were affordable in the past to see how it's all going, just speak to the older guys into vintage sports cars and steam vehicles, in the 60/70s is was a run of the mill hobby that was affordable. Not anymore, you haven't a lot of disposable cash, you can't enter the hobby!

There was also a pallet load of MkV Stens!

Adrian, A couple of questions: Was there some issue with the original track designed for the HVSS system as it doesn't seem to stay in service for too many years? Is a HVSS Sherman a substantially different vehicle to ride and drive compared to the VVSS units?

With the rail wheels and old fence in the shot, looks like a scrapyard. Perhaps it was taken at one of Jean Weiler's yards. Trades as 'Army Cars Germany' on Milweb.

HT leads made up and installed. Carb sand blasted and rebuilt with kit from the USA, just need to make up the 1/4" fuel line from the pump. The pump was cleaned up but has had the valves removed and the diaphragm replaced with a steel plate, fuel pumping will be from an electric pump via the mechanical pump so that engine looks stock. The coil was a gift from a chap at work (thanks Mike), it is mounted on the original mounting that goes with the Crab distributor, eventually is will be changed for an original head mount with RF suppressor or a Ford USA Bakelite coil.

Does anyone have a video of it going around the arena?

I wish I had pleasant surprises during the my project, I can't recall one yet!

I had a great day, met up with a number of people for a chat but didn't manage to find everyone! It was very dusty in the arena and I found trying to navigate the trade area next to impossible, could have done with a little map of stalls. Appart from those it was very good, the public seemed very interested and involved with the displays. FOTM display was on the face of it, in a perfect position but in reality ended up covered from view by refreshment vans! Too much to seen in one day, that's for sure.