M24 Chaffee - I want to make one

From: GOTAM35 (gotam35@sc.rr.com)
Date: Sat Dec 28 2002 - 20:54:16 PST


Ok, here's the idea I'm batting around in my head and can't get rid of.

I was looking at some of my "Band of Brothers" dvd's Santa brought me and I
have noticed in the "making of" part that lots of tanks and SP guns used in
productions like these are "replicas". Most would of course fool me. So I
got to thinking, why don't I make a replica tank myself. I can't afford a
real one and almost all people wouldn't know the difference.

Here's where you folks come in. I want any advice or info on this project
any one would like to offer. Criticisms are not welcome unless you are
including a grant to help with the purchase (like that's gonna stop anyone).

I propose to take a M75 apc and cut the top off and fab the top and turret
for a Chaffee look alike. Only the outside will look real, the interior
will be what ever works. The suspension appears to be very close to the
same, same number of road wheels, etc. Size appears to be about right too.
It would be a lot of work, but I work with steel and others can do about the
same thing with wood, I can do it with 1/4" plate.

It would be some time before I could start with the purchase of the m75, I
have to pay off most of my debt and save for retirement. My financial
adviser (wife) has placed these and other restrictions on my hobby spending.
I project the project can be done for under $10,000. That does not take
into effect my time or the tons of junk at my disposal (engines, hydraulic
components, heavy equipment, scrap steel, the list is long).

Maybe this project will work?
Joe Trapp



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Wed Apr 23 2003 - 13:24:44 PDT