The last set of halftrack manufacturing molds and equipment in the world are in Israel. All others in the US and Mexico have been scrapped. The molds are owned by TGL SP Industries, Ltd, contract supplier of tracks for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). The Israelis have abandoned their halftrack fleet and are no longer producing or buying tracks. But the equipment to make tracks is available for sale.
I don't see how one could make tracks as cheaply as IDF surplus tracks that are currently on the market. Unless owners of defunct tracks provided their old track metallic innards for retreading.
But making money selling tracks isn't the point. The point is that if the last track molds are allowed a one way ticket to the recycling yard, there will likely never be a way to make tracks again. Ever. And that would be a terrible loss.
I propose that one or some of us pool our resources and attempt to secure the track manufacturing equipment. Years ago it was offered for $80,000. Included would have been the machinery and all of the stock hardware such as steel crossbars and stainless cable. I don't know what price can be negotiated today. Perhaps less. Or perhaps we could salvage just the molds. Maybe they have more than one mold that could be purchased.
There are two who have expressed an interest in this besides myself: Kevin Lockwood and Keith Moore (
keith.w.moore@boeing.com). The way to get this done is for one of the interested parties to go to Israel and talk directly to the man in charge: Tal Dekel, VP, TGL SP Industries Ltd. His email is
tal@pelmar.co.il. His phone is 972-89935546. I could contribute something to a joint venture, but not much, and certainly not a significant portion of $80,000 without any hope of return. I have a lot of time, not much money. Again, thanks to the idiots we call our government.
If anyone would like to talk about this please contact me, preferably by phone: 410 991-5110. As a last resort email me at
versilia1127@yahoo.com.
