96-Year-Old and Longtime Friend Build Drivable Sherman Tank Replica After 13 Years
Ivania Montes
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – When most people think about slowing down in their 90s, Gordon Azevedo is shifting gears—literally.
The 96-year-old and his longtime friend, Mike Lopez, spent over a decade building a fully drivable, handcrafted Sherman tank replica. And yes—it actually moves.
Their creation is a 40-percent scale model of the iconic World War II Sherman M4A3E8, also known as the “Easy Eight.” Nearly 85 percent of the tank was made by hand. Mike welded the hull, while Gordon machined and assembled the rest from his own garage workshop.
Complete with a motorized turret—minus any working weaponry for safety—the tank is drivable from inside and built true to the original design.
This isn’t Gordon’s first engineering feat. Over the years, his garage has produced a custom teardrop trailer that made it all the way to Alaska, an off-road race truck, and even a few radio-controlled aircrafts. One still hangs from the ceiling.
Behind the building of the tank, was the growth of a friendship. Mike Lopez, Long-time Friend
It’s just been able to it’s been a dream. It’s absolutely wonderful. “It’s just been able to it’s been a dream. It’s absolutely wonderful,” said Lopez. “He’s my hero…and and the stuff that he’s forgotten more than I’ll ever know. It’s astounding. So that, that’s been the privilege and the fun part of the whole deal.”
So, what’s next for the duo? They’re tossing around ideas for a submarine, a helicopter—or maybe even a hydroplane boat.
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