[rob love]

The first one actually tempted me. In part for the running powertrain, although the engine did not appear to have the oil cooler outlets so may not have been original, but rather for that nice 166 link track.

I agree with David about the fun of putting one together. There are, as far as I am concerned, several fun stages to a carrier (and most antique vehicles at that).

First is the initial purchase, and the daydreaming of what you are going to accomplish.
Second is the big easter egg hunt for all those little missing bits and pieces. This can take years, but each find or ebay win gives us the little adrenalin dose we need.

Then the third stage, the assembly. This stage is actually more like work, and is actually spurred on by the adrenalin of the cuts and bruises gained during those 2:00 late night work episodes.

The fourth stage comes when you put that final 48 hour work stretch in before some deadline, whether that be a parade or a display, and then drive it out of the shop.

5th stage will be the parades and displays where you get to hear the veteran's stories. This stage is priceless.

There are likely other stages, but I guess the final stage is seeing your carrier sell on ebay for $30,000 US, and feeling like you maybe should have held on to her for another couple years and earned a good lump of tax free change.

The carrier now on Ebay had it's first real drive after stage four down the MooseJaw hanger line to the loading dock where it drove up into the back of an MLVW and headed to Winnipeg for the VE day 50th anniversary. It drove from Kapyong Barracks via motorcycle escort to Polo Park for a display, then downtown Wpg for the parade, got it's photo on the front page of the Wpg Sun with a load of Wpg rifles vets on board, then on the Forks for another display, and back to Kapyong by motorcycle escort again. Next day, back into the MLVW for the 9 hour drive back to MooseJaw. It did close to 20 miles that weekend, and didn't even hiccup once. I worked until 3 in the morning the night before leaving getting all the lights installed just to tease Gordon Falk, who didn't have lights on his. As I was overhauling and installing the rear axle convoy light at 2am, I thought to myself that this was enough and called her a night.

Come this summer, when I am back from Kandahar, I will be putting a bit more effort into stage 3 of my present carrier. Seeing this old girl on ebay makes me miss her.