Photo: Bring a Trailer
Having served in all three theaters of operations during World War II, including North Africa, the Pacific, and Continental Europe, the Stuart M5 tank has seen its fair share of action during what we now may call the most violent century in recorded history. Any unit serves as a reminder of that bleak period in time but would make a great addition and augment the value of any militaria collection.
During the war, the Stuart M5 was used for armored assaults or reconnaissance missions, and while dozens of militaries worldwide used it over time, it now only remains in service in Paraguay.
The Stuart M5 tank currently available at auction via Bring a Trailer is a 1943 model, the very first year of production when America was knee-deep involved in WWII.
To be more precise, we’re talking about a Stuart M5A1 tank that was built by General Motors’ Southern California Division at their South Gate Assembly plant in California. It is a non-running, so don’t expect to get any action riding in it around the block.
The war-going M5 Stuart was equipped with two V8s that fed power through twin automatic Hydra-Matic transmissions into a transfer case, which made it quiet and cool.
This tank here, however, is the perfect contender for a restoration project, as it needs several parts to be sourced in order to be deemed complete. Some of these components include one of the two Cadillac V8 engines, two transmissions, and the transfer case. One Cadillac V8 is offered in the sale package.
Besides that, the seats and steering controls are also missing, and the instrumentation is damaged, therefore, nonfunctional. However, it does preserve the top-mounted driver’s hatches, a rotating turret, a raised rear deck, and a de-milled M6 gun.
According to the listing, it was bead blasted under previous ownership and then repainted in olive drab. The turret bearings are also said to have been replaced.
This Stuart M5A1 tank is currently located in West Los Angeles, California, and is offered with a bill of sale on behalf of the current owner, who purchased it in 2021. With only one day of bidding left, the highest bid is now at $116,000.
The Stuart M5 tank currently available at auction via Bring a Trailer is a 1943 model, the very first year of production when America was knee-deep involved in WWII.
To be more precise, we’re talking about a Stuart M5A1 tank that was built by General Motors’ Southern California Division at their South Gate Assembly plant in California. It is a non-running, so don’t expect to get any action riding in it around the block.
The war-going M5 Stuart was equipped with two V8s that fed power through twin automatic Hydra-Matic transmissions into a transfer case, which made it quiet and cool.
This tank here, however, is the perfect contender for a restoration project, as it needs several parts to be sourced in order to be deemed complete. Some of these components include one of the two Cadillac V8 engines, two transmissions, and the transfer case. One Cadillac V8 is offered in the sale package.
Besides that, the seats and steering controls are also missing, and the instrumentation is damaged, therefore, nonfunctional. However, it does preserve the top-mounted driver’s hatches, a rotating turret, a raised rear deck, and a de-milled M6 gun.
According to the listing, it was bead blasted under previous ownership and then repainted in olive drab. The turret bearings are also said to have been replaced.
This Stuart M5A1 tank is currently located in West Los Angeles, California, and is offered with a bill of sale on behalf of the current owner, who purchased it in 2021. With only one day of bidding left, the highest bid is now at $116,000.
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