M60a1 lives!

[WillWagner]

Had a request from Craig to get the M60 going. After a 1 1/2 hour deal removing 5 gallons of water from the battery box...the seal is gone from the top hatch... and installing 6 fresh batteries, it roared to life after 6 years of sitting idle in it's spot at the east end of tank row. The best part of the day was that I got to drive it, only 200 or so yards, but I still got to play with a 116,000 pound toy! That beautiful Conti V-12 sounds great, smells even better and makes that thing scoot! The ground vibrates when it is running. It drives great and is very comfortable to pilot. Powered up the turret and gave it a bit of exercise and put it back in the shop area for a bit of PM. After looking at it all these years, it didn't look so big sitting out there, but when it is away from the other tanks, it is a MONSTER! Here are a few pics, tomorrow I'll get the videos up on my YouTube and put a link here.

Once again, I have to say thank you to Craig for trusting me with his treasures and letting me enjoy the experiences that I have had there.

 

[gunboy1656]

Man, now I have a reason to visit CA, if only for a day. Wish I could afford one. Darn lottery.

 

[WillWagner]

More

 

[srodocker]

mmmmm

 

[charlietango]

that is ****in awesome....

 

[Sgt Hulka]

My gawd what a beautiful beast! Nice work!

 

[YankeeDuece]

People with tanks are cool.

A club friend finished his M47 Patton restoration in time to show it at our towns annual Christmas Parade, beautifull. Now he is working on his Sherman. BTW, he has a spare Continental C1 radial motor on Ebay right now.

 

[5tonpuller]

COOLNESS There is one not far from me that has been sitting for years. The right side final drive is out. Only does turns. The locals deemed it to never run again and for it to just sit there. What a waist. If it starts and moves again, I am told it will be removed. Think I can get it to may place? But I think that is not the move there talking about.

 

[marchplumber]

Thanks for the photos! Seems be a massive amount of green iron clutter there. I would, for a small fee of course, be willing to help "straighten" that up and clear some space. LOL
It appears that you have been gifted with a rare opportunity to work with many types of green iron, CONGRATS!
God bless
Tony

 

[Digger09]

Its gotta be awesome to get to play with one of those beasts.Maybe someday?

 

[mistaken1]

Awesome!

 

[papabear]

Gosh WILLWAGNER!!! Can I come out there and just slobber for about a week??

 

[hippiedude]

...............

 

[wreckerman893]

.. (Scuffs the ground with his boot).......I Can't Have Nothin!!!!!!!!

 

[WillWagner]

All you local guys, there is ALWAYS a need for volunteers there. C'mon out! I am gonna see if I can persuade Craig into another Steel Soldiers day at the museum. Although it is a PITA to put batteries in that thing, i'd do it again just so others could see and hear it run. Vids should be up soon.

 

[Stalwart]

Gosh, that is wonderful. I hope in the future there are plans to put all that old iron under cover.

 

[area52]

Hey Wil,

Where is that at? Might have to stop by one day when I am out that way again.

 

[greenjeepster]

You got put at the controls of a 60 ton unstoppable machine and you stopped after 200 yards...You really know how to live

 

[WillWagner]

You got put at the controls of a 60 ton unstoppable machine and you stopped after 200 yards...You really know how to live

Trust me, I wanted to take a few laps around the compound, but there were too many people there. I wanted to take it out in the south field, but the TET festival was going on and there might have been a few issues there with some of the people seeing a big 'ol tank cruising around the field with the stabilized gun traversing all over the place

Here is a link to the Museum web site, check out the M8, that's the one we restored a bit ago.

Home - The American Society of Military History in Los Angeles, California

 

[dittle]

I know exactly what you went through to fire the old girl up (been there done that many times at my museum). These things are fun to fire up and take for a spin aren't they????? Now you gotta get an old car to crush with the girl