Gotta agree with Panther F here...

The A3 hull was the A3 partially because it HAD the Ford GAA engine - damned hull was designed to accomodate THAT engine. The M4 & M4A1's had the Continentinal R975's (radial aircraft units) the A2's had the GM 6046 diesels, and the A4's had the Chrysler A57 Multibank beasts (and was noticably longer because of it too!)

Only deviations from this that I'm aware of were post-war, when the Israeli's began their tweaking, and then it was 'Katey bar the door'.

I'll accept the multiple references off the AFVDB site over any undocumented statement anyday, especially when their first reference is the so-called Hunnicutt 'Sherman Bible'.

Care to document your statement with some references?