My carrier was relatively complete except for side armour. These panels were hot riveted in Newcastle by Vickers (or their present company) when it was pulled off the hill in Northumberland when it started its travels! Having its armour replaced by the people who built carriers during the war, does that count as a restoration or repair?
I also think that people who modify their carrier with other carrier parts/fittings etc. should be ok with it because boy did that happen a lot during the war to get these vehicles repaired and upgraded; provided it relates to the history of what was done.
For my part I think it is important that we all save these vehicles or parts of these vehicles, and as long as we are truthful to them and rebuild them as close to their history as we can then that gets my vote. As far as building one from scratch, providing it is accurate and passed off as a replica then ok. But anything short on the accurancy front, to me is doing the vehicle an injustice.
A while back I had discussions with several carrier owners about this very subject, but in particular the making of parts for carriers (they all made quality parts for their carriers). We pushed around the idea that maybe someone should introduce a letter stamp (I think "R" was mentioned) that would be prefixed to the CTL or TL number to show the part was a reproduction. It seemed a good idea until you had to decide from an official standpoint. We talked about approaching Ford for their say, and forming up a parts committee.......then it became silly and so difficult to form or run and we did nothing about it. What we did concede to was in 50 or 60 years when our vehicles are still about but we aren't, without some form of notation/official stamp then enthusiasts acquiring our vehicles may not have any clue as to their authenticity, or at least the parts accuracy etc. Maybe by then it won't matter in a changed world, it certainly wouldn't affect us..well maybe I would feel a track rolling over me!!! I'm glad I wrote the UC books now as well!!!
Nigel Watson