M32 Recovery Vehicle (Sherman Tank)

[ChoLargo66]

Good day all:
I am an Active Army Officer and I have been given this mission from my BN CDR to restore an M32 Recovery Vehicle for a static display in front of our BDE Support BN HQ. I need to know any POC or to direct me into the right direction for me to obtain parts that I will need for the vehicle restoration. Any help and assitance will be very appreciated. Thank you and have a good day!

 

[68t]

The m32, Is it a ww2 , The paint will be 34087, If possible post some pictures, I might have some lights, Also go to g503 to the armor section, and tracks section, they might can be of help too. I got 5 ww2 halftracks and a 5 ton semi, that i,m working on.

 

[SCSG-G4]

First, get us some pictures to see what you are working with! Since static displays must be drained of all fluids, it will not be easy to get something that heavy moving again, even if to just shift it's location a few yards. There are several people here that work (volunteer) at museums, so, hopefully they will chime in soon. In the meantime get us pics!

 

[Danger Ranger]

 

[NDT]

Brent Mullins Jeep Parts of College Station, TX, has been hording Sherman parts. Give him a call for whatever you might need.

 

[KsM715]

Sir if you need anyone to do some "grunt"work I'd be more than willing to come and turn some wrenches on it.

I live just east of Manhattan.

 

[wreckerman893]

Sir....you have a good BN CMDR if he is willing to invest manpower and resources to restore a historic military vehicle. I wish I were closer I would love to assist.

You have come to the right place in your quest for knowledge and assistance......just the mention of armor gets most of us drooling.

I'm sure you will get plenty of help with this mission.

 

[paulfarber]

David Yamula in Hazelton, PA also has tracked parts.

Google the name.. pops right up.

 

[M813A1]

Check down at Ft Sill they have a Sherman Recovery Vehicle sitting there that needs repair !!

 

[ChoLargo66]

Here are some pictures of what I'm working on. I know it needs "really" some work to restore it as a static display, not running. Thanks to all for your response...

 

[Jimma]

Yeah, I'd say you have some work ahead of you. Maybe you can recruit some help here.

 

[Atomic]

Sir, that is one serious project you have. Good luck and like Wreckerman said you have come to the right place. Is the motorpool going to help out at all?

Good Luck and keep up posted with picks!!

 

[NDT]

Wow. Downrange target. Some advice from personal experience. Render it safe before getting really busy on it by grinding/burning off all the shards from the hits. They are razor sharp and will stab and cut you like a knife as you are working on it.

 

[Wolf.Dose]

Good luck with the restauration. Even for static display this is a huge task!
Wolf

 

[Westech]

SOAB.... Why could you not do that last year when I was stationed there. I would have loved to be apart of that detail.

 

[maddawg308]

That's a great little project you have there. Might be able to salvage some of the interior parts to sell off or trade for the exterior parts you DO need since the engine stuff and interior parts you won't need for a static display. I'm sure some of the parts vendors that have what you need might be interested in that trade....

Also, some parts will need to be fabricated. The M32 ain't a common beast anymore, but I'm sure some of us with machine tools and know how can make up what's missing.

PLEASE keep up informed with info and pics as you progress. It's not often a WWII vet like this Sherman based ARV is brought back from the dead, MUCH LESS by the military itself!

Here's your goal:

 

[Westech]

I was thinking if the Army needed a little help they could contract a Vet that may be able to help with the rebuild.. hint hint

 

[Danger Ranger]

Glad to see some old iron saved!!!

 

[sigo]

Very cool. I'd love to get an additional duty like that. Looks like you have quite a project ahead of you. Kind of beyond the scope of this thread, but I'm curious how a BN is appropriating funds for a large undertaking like this? Are you doing it based on donations, or is the commander diverting other funds to pay for it? What kind of leeway are you going to have in buying parts? Will you be free to trade off some existing parts for needed items? I assume your CDR wants this done right and knows this won't be as easy as putting a new coat of paint on it and dragging it in front of your HQ. A project like this is hard enough without all the restrictions on military funding, etc. Funding for mission critical projects can be hard enough to secure...

I know a military funded restoration is not unprecedented, but it's rare as far as I know for a line unit to fund it. As another side project related to this, may I suggest you put a briefing or an information paper together on how to get it started, or the right direction to get it done? It might go a long way to help other active duty, or NG/Res Soldiers get an official restoration done and preserve more of our military history. I have seen so many derelict pieces of history rotting around various military installations, unfortunately I've never tracked down the story on any of them. I think this is a rare opportunity for you to have this project assigned to you. I hope you can get it done or at least underway during your tenure in your current assignment. Hopefully your unit will be able to keep the momentum on this project and see it through. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Wolf.Dose]

I think, from the original suppliers little help can be expected. The tooling should be scraped years ago.
Transmissions were built by John Deere, Waterloo/IA factory. Road wheels were of relatively poor quality, lasting under normal circumstances some 300 hours of use, in gravel much less.
So I think the main problem is to scout all the surplus dealers and junkjards to get at least the parts together to make a somewhat good looking static display vehicle. And I think that a lot of parts must be made after measure from the remainig vehicles. And hopefully they are the same version. Running changes by that time were put into service without bigger notice and not neccessarily were mentioned in the manuals.
By the way, the cast body should be a John Deere part, cast at the Waterloo foundery.
Wolf