From: Dave Ball (vought@msn.com)
Date: Tue Nov 26 2002 - 12:09:10 PST
As an investment the M18 is the deal also quite rare. On the other hand the
M20 without seeing it looks in better shape but is not near as rare.
The engine in the M18 is the very reliable Wright R975 it is of aircraft
design used in Stearmans and Lockheed 10's (Amelia Earharts's plane) and
many other applications many are flying today, parts are plentiful and they
are easily restored. This tank has the 76mm gun which dates it to about
1943.
The M18 was very successful against Tigers and Panther with the 630th tank
destroyer battalion knocking out 53 German tanks and losing only 17 M18's in
1944 the M18 is a very up to date design for the time having torsion bar
suspension and center guided track as well as a low silhouette and well a
sloped hull and an automatic transmission. It was built by GMC at the Buick
plant.
This is a great piece of American history imagine yourself flanking a Tiger
and calling for an AP round and positioning your tank to fire on that Tiger
I think most would agree this tank deserves a good home and to be restored
to its former glory wearing the 630th markings as a tribute to those men in
those 17 tanks who gave everything they had.
The cost might be high 15K to do this but it is a 15K well spent.
Dave Ball
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Grammont" <islander@midmaine.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2002 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: [MV] Nice toys on Ebay
> Hi Jason,
>
> > Enjoy, the only really good deal would be the M18, the M20 is a bit
> >overpriced.
>
> Funny, I had the opposite reaction :-) The M20 appears to be priced
> "right" relative to what I have seen M8s going for recently ($40k+), is
> running, has had recent work done, and looks to be in great/complete
> shape. The M18, OTOH, needs a lot of work to get it into shape. Not
> running condition? Boy... with an engine like that, I wouldn't even want
> to guess how much work/money it would take to get it into running
> condition. Not to mention replacing something like the instrument pannel.
>
> Mind you, I don't think the M18 price is horrible, just that for $28k you
> walk away with basically a "done" vehicle with the M20, but for the
> M18... $45k and the "fun" is only just begun :-) If you have the shop,
> experience, and time to restore something as big, old, and unique as the
> M18 this could be a good price. For anybody else wanting it for more
> than a big paperweight, not a good option.
>
> Steve
>
>
>
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