Another carrier
 

Hi all, another carrier to be going soon.
Colin.

A bit more.

:thup: I'm going to call hoax. This is not a real restoration shop. The floors are too clean and everything is too well organized. Heck, who even know the name for those cool adjustable C-bar clamps.

Looks like one of those shops you see on TV,where there is no grease or dirt,no rusted parts,and the mechanic guy never gets his hands dirty.All the parts come apart easily and new ones fit perfectly the first time. :cheers:

Oh,by the way,looks real good,Colin! :)

Todays effort, and if the pics get boring please let me know.
Colin.

Same day, same effort.

Ditto day.

Just to verify that I do get my hands dirty and it is a real workshop. I have to admit that my benches are not as clean as I keep my floor ;). Also those clamps I use are the best I have ever bought. They're not cheap but I have used a ring spanner to tighten jobs and never put them out of shape.
Colin.

excellent work, you make it look easy :note:

Pro shop
 

As always Colin your work is inspiring. I also need to replace the gusset on the rear at each end of the storage boxes.
What is the trick with welding AP3 to mild steel plate? Is mig the go? Do you pre-heat the AP?
Dont be afraid to post more pics of the welding on the front armour. :note:

Hi Euan, mig welding is fine but don,t run your welder cold or you won't get enough penetration. Mig is low hydrogen so if your AP3 is prepared properly as in well ground and if it's been oxy cut get rid of all slagg.I have never had a problem welding AP3 to mild.
I post more pictures of the front welding. All those little things take time but I find it better to do them as I'm going. It gets a bit frustrating having to swap to different machines for componentry but the end result is worth it. School holidays are a bit of a work slowdown.
Colin.

Good work Colin! Keep the pics coming,I love looking at this stuff.

If your latest work was during a "slowdown" you should have it finished by the end of next week!

Thats the last of the front section.

And the rest.

Yes I was just thinking that you weren't having a go.
H :cheers:

Well done !
 

Once again thanks for your recent hospitality and well done on getting so much done on your projects in so little time. It almost seems that you do more in a week then I do in a year !

You are an inspiration to us all Colin...

Cheers

Phill

Hi all, update on carrier project. I have completed the hull which is now ready for the grit blaster so I thought I'd pull in another one and prep the hull as well.
Colin.

Pulling things apart, getting the cross shaft out. The replacement steel is cut and ready.

LOVE IT!! No buggering around here, get in, get it done!! Inspirational :drunk:

Colin, good to see your back on track(s), (well nearly).
In one of the pics I noticed a handful of cast wing nuts, are these commercially available or old stock as I have searched for correct type of fasteners in the past.
Keep up the progress pics as we can all learn from your vast experience. :cheers:

Carrier production line
 

Henry Ford would be proud if your work Colin. Next you will be turning them out in black...

As Euan has said, and we recently discussed there is always a market for good repro wingnuts steel and brass.

I would love to trip over a crate of NOS brass british wingnuts some day in a shed.

Keep up the great qualuty and quanity of carriers !

Cheers

Phill

Mornin! thanks 4 the comments and Euan, unfortunately that handful of wingnuts is it. I was repairing a machine for my brother on his farm and found them in his workshop. I have to go back again and tip out all the containers he's got and them all. They were Dad's so they have been sittin' for a long time. I might do a bit more in the shed today. :) :)
Hey Phil! Thats a good Idea "BLACK" a cammo carrier. Black over dark black?

I got a bit more done with a few interuptions today. I found a crack in the floor so I did a repair before I put the side on. When I build my shed I put a overhead gantry in. When doing this type of work on your own it's like having an exrta couple of helpers at times. There are 2 independant ones up there which give me a lot of flexability. they travel 12mtrs x 4mtrs as the last photo shows.
Colin.

I,ve put the lower side on and the shelf section. I made the brackets for the side and just a couple of pics to show how I made them.

All brackets finished, small screw blocks done and I welded them all in location prior to welding the side plate on. Thats just about that side almost complete.
Now this probably raises that age old question again. How much of the original needs to be there before it's a replica. There was a fare amount gone from this one but I still class it as original.
Colin.

carrier
 

Hi Colin,
Love following your threads, great pics.
Your carrier from my point of view is original, not a replica as it is built on the basis of a real carrier and will be made up of many original and refabricated parts.
Now if you were welding in the new sides you have just made onto the chassis of a 1979 Cortina 4.1 that would be a replica. :ergh: Even if it had a full set of your tool boxes on the rear!

How much is too much
 

I think its a personal thing Colin. It comes down to what you have, or what you can get. and the skills we have. There are not so many carriers left around (there are mountains of them just a bit out of Adelaide) and we do what we can with what we have.
I love your threads. they show the original bits, and a professional way of repair, that we others can use as a reference.
Its time you did riveted carrier project to show us the way with them. The benefit to you is that you would then have a gem in your rock collection :D :devil: :D :devil:
Every thing I have seen from you is very professional, and this will be another professionally restored original carrier, that any carrier enthusiast would be proud to own :note: :note: :note:
Keep the pics coming Colin

Hi Lynn, Ryan and everyone else. You are right that there's not many left which is the reason i like to save them. I have the odd one that is just too far gone but I get self satisfaction after I have finished something. I can't say that how I construct or repair anything is the perfect or even the correct way, but it works for me with what limited knowledge I have. Every machine is different as far as restoration. The principal of repair is the same, just the technique varies with equipment and skill levels and mine are cut, shut and weld. Knowing the layout and componentry of these machines is a big help. I don't need to reference much on these particular carriers any more. I can say to anyone who is about to restore one and that is put your head down, arse up and just do it. The more you look at rust it won't get any better. If anyone wants any close up particular pics please let me know.
On that note, it's saturday morning, my wife's home to look after the kids so i'm off to the shed and try and knock this carrier off today. Pics tonight.
Colin. :salute: