These sat unloved in a field outside Woodland, WA for many, many years - a field which was repeatedly flooded out every year like clockwork, to the point most of these were submerged to about half their height (hence all the corrosion etc. you see.) What had happened was this:
The US Government had used the M75 APC in Korea but found them too expensive to produce, so procured the M59 instead. A large number of the existing M75s were sold to MAP countries including Belgium, including this one.
@WolfBrat When Les Belgiques were done with them, some went to the ranges, but a bunch were repatriated to the US either as part of the terms of the original MAP agreement or through some surplus sale - either way they wound up in the hands of a company which wanted to convert them all into logging skidders etc. This company stored them all in Woodland, WA, and set to work cutting the armour off etc. to come up with at least a prototype.
@WolfBrat As luck would have it, they miscalculated just how much labour/ cutting torch gas would be consumed in converting them - in addition to providing proper cooling ducting (they're air cooled aircraft engines) and a suitable control position - plus, naturally...they run on gas. A *lot* of gas. The project foundered and they just sat there parked in the field for years, deteriorating, until circumstances changed a decade or so later and the property had to be cleared.
@WolfBrat I walked through the field of them trying to assess the relative merits of each (movie company bought six or seven), and noticed they all had WWI or WWII -themed names like "ARDENNES" for the one in the video here, but there were many others like 'BASTOGNE' and 'MONS'. Each one got given an orange marker-paint number sprayed on the side to help with our inventory, and after rummaging through the bulk of them to find bits and pieces - we loaded all ours up for the trip North.
@WolfBrat Inside various examples of the beast we found a complete AN/GRC-3 thru 8 series radio mount, cables and intercom boxes -- another held a complete pintle/cradle assy and ammo tray for a .50 ma deuce -- and still others had bits and pieces of night sights etc. In the main, demil had been done either by a lateral cut in the side armour, or an 'L' shaped cut -- a cut horizontally across the casting beneath the driver's hatch - and sometimes the hatches for driver/gunner were also cut.
@WolfBrat Many of the engines etc. had been rebuilt by - of all places - Levy Auto Parts here in Canada. Most of the transmissions I looked at seemed in great shape with clean oil - but the engines...seized up rock solid. The one we have running for the movie fleet acquired a fuel-injected version of the AOS-895 carburetted engine usually fitted, and with some rejigging of controls etc. got it running despite some lingering fuel control issues. They are a *lot* of fun to drive!
@WolfBrat My first driving experience was to the sandblaster and back. I tried a pivot turn at the top of the street and promptly removed about 18" of concrete curbside without even feeling it. Remember "Operation Petticoat"? The pink submarine? Welllll...sandblaster didn't have enough of either colour so our APC too came out pink primer, and roaring it back from the blaster's wearing a coat of bright pink sure turned a few heads, I'll tellya. :)
mother fucker....fuck! Good work!
onceANexile 4 weeks ago
These sat unloved in a field outside Woodland, WA for many, many years - a field which was repeatedly flooded out every year like clockwork, to the point most of these were submerged to about half their height (hence all the corrosion etc. you see.) What had happened was this:
The US Government had used the M75 APC in Korea but found them too expensive to produce, so procured the M59 instead. A large number of the existing M75s were sold to MAP countries including Belgium, including this one.
WolfBrat 1 month ago
@WolfBrat When Les Belgiques were done with them, some went to the ranges, but a bunch were repatriated to the US either as part of the terms of the original MAP agreement or through some surplus sale - either way they wound up in the hands of a company which wanted to convert them all into logging skidders etc. This company stored them all in Woodland, WA, and set to work cutting the armour off etc. to come up with at least a prototype.
WolfBrat 1 month ago
@WolfBrat As luck would have it, they miscalculated just how much labour/ cutting torch gas would be consumed in converting them - in addition to providing proper cooling ducting (they're air cooled aircraft engines) and a suitable control position - plus, naturally...they run on gas. A *lot* of gas. The project foundered and they just sat there parked in the field for years, deteriorating, until circumstances changed a decade or so later and the property had to be cleared.
WolfBrat 1 month ago
@WolfBrat I walked through the field of them trying to assess the relative merits of each (movie company bought six or seven), and noticed they all had WWI or WWII -themed names like "ARDENNES" for the one in the video here, but there were many others like 'BASTOGNE' and 'MONS'. Each one got given an orange marker-paint number sprayed on the side to help with our inventory, and after rummaging through the bulk of them to find bits and pieces - we loaded all ours up for the trip North.
WolfBrat 1 month ago
@WolfBrat Inside various examples of the beast we found a complete AN/GRC-3 thru 8 series radio mount, cables and intercom boxes -- another held a complete pintle/cradle assy and ammo tray for a .50 ma deuce -- and still others had bits and pieces of night sights etc. In the main, demil had been done either by a lateral cut in the side armour, or an 'L' shaped cut -- a cut horizontally across the casting beneath the driver's hatch - and sometimes the hatches for driver/gunner were also cut.
WolfBrat 1 month ago
@WolfBrat Many of the engines etc. had been rebuilt by - of all places - Levy Auto Parts here in Canada. Most of the transmissions I looked at seemed in great shape with clean oil - but the engines...seized up rock solid. The one we have running for the movie fleet acquired a fuel-injected version of the AOS-895 carburetted engine usually fitted, and with some rejigging of controls etc. got it running despite some lingering fuel control issues. They are a *lot* of fun to drive!
WolfBrat 1 month ago
@WolfBrat My first driving experience was to the sandblaster and back. I tried a pivot turn at the top of the street and promptly removed about 18" of concrete curbside without even feeling it. Remember "Operation Petticoat"? The pink submarine? Welllll...sandblaster didn't have enough of either colour so our APC too came out pink primer, and roaring it back from the blaster's wearing a coat of bright pink sure turned a few heads, I'll tellya. :)
WolfBrat 1 month ago
If only I had $40,000, I would be be able to purchase this Great Machine!
TheManFromAustralia 1 month ago
plastic car 2, APC 0
johnnyfarnham 1 month ago
I never be able to sell it....
ramairgto72 1 month ago
I helped Steve set the engine in it with my boss's service truck. It turned out great, good work Steve!
1bad55chev 2 months ago
that would look awsome in my garage lol
MrNelsonb2 4 months ago
Nice work!!!! Were did you find it? I have a M29c Weasel. Been looking for a M75.
Catagator 1 year ago
@Catagator It is for sale on Ebay right now
TheManFromAustralia 1 month ago
I hope my M75 looks half as good as yours when i'm done.
deuceman51 1 year ago