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Sherman tank radial engine

Unimog11

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I am looking at a new still in the crate Sherman tank radial engine built in 1943. Could anyone tell me what a fair price would be for one of these?

Thanks Dan
 

MarkM

CODE BROWN...It's all going to sh~t !
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That would be worth a bit of coin to a person restoring an old Sherman. New in the crate I could see 20K on up to whatever someone will pay. Good find!

Mark
 

oboyjohn

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Quebec , Canada
It was not the best engine to put into a tank, but when there is a shortage of big engines during war time, you go with what you can get. Necessity is the mother of invention. Just look at what Chrysler did. Mounted 5 six cylinder engines on a common frame/base and voila, a compact 30 cylinder engine.
 

Pntyrmvr

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I believe the Stuart tank was a factory installed radial. Gas Shermans were the ganged Chrysler sixes.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

steelypip

Active member
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Charlottesville, VA
...or the Detroit diesel. The breakdown goes:

First effort (M4, M4A1): the Continental-built Wright R-975 9 cylinder air cooled radial (400 HP), as seen in Stuarts. But they couldn't build them fast enough, and they weren't as peppy as the Army wanted. Even so, a lot were built 1942-44.

Second Effort (M4A2) GM Detroit Diesel 6046 (conjoined 6-71). Specifically designed for USMC shipboard use (no gasoline). Also used by USSR, Britain, France, Poland as supplies allowed. At least some US Army DD (swimmer) Shermans were A2 models.

Third effort (M4A3): Ford offered the plentiful and reliable GAA overhead cam V8 (which was a cut-down airplane engine; the 12 cylinder parent model was designed to complete with the V1710 Allison). It derated to 500 HP very nicely and quickly became the US Army's favorite Sherman variant.

Fourth Effort (M4A4) Chrysler A57 engine - the 30 cylinder, five-block truck flathead monstrosity that, surprisingly, actually worked OK. US Army didn't want it, so it went to lend-lease users. Some were eventually even upgraded to Firefly specification. These are easy to spot because they're about a foot longer than the other M4 Sherman hulls.

There were some weirdos too, but that pretty much covers the list today. The vast majority of surviving Shermans are M4A3s because they were what the US Army standardized on for postwar rebuild candidates.
 

PaFarmer

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Location
PA
I suggest posting on g503as well. Lots of good info on armor there too. Most M3A1 Stuarts had 7 cylinder radials Continental W670. They have a nice annual event in Berwick PA near the ACF factory and original test track. A local nonprofit group bought a runner and are in the process of restoring it. The Stuart M3s are a lot smaller than a Sherman I think they had 250 hp vs 400 on the radial in a Sherman.
 
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