One of the two Australian Army Weasels recovered

[Snowy]

G'day all,
Just a quick note about where we are up to with this historic vehicle. All the extraneous metal added to the hull has been removed. This added up to maybe a few hundred kg, mainly in the form of a bolted-on angle iron chassis and bogie assembly to support the Bombardier tracks that had been fitted post-war. The Holden donk and box has gone and the remains of the hull now under cover (and out of the hot sun!) in preparation for grafting the top and back part of the other hull. The Studebaker Champion motor has been looked at and apart from needing a new oil pickup and water pump rebuild, appears to be in great shape. All of the 8 control rods had been modified (either extended or reduced) so they have been cut and shut back to their original lengths.
There is a huge amount to do before the Amphib 2009 Swim-In in June but we hope to be able to have it running and ready for some fun. That's the plan, anyway.

Steve.

[Snowy]

A couple more pics

[colin jones]

Hi Steve and what a great project. I'm sure you will have it drivable for corowa.
Good luck with your project.
Colin.

[Snowy]

Colin,
John and I hope to get our four Weasels to Corowa one year. Sadly it won't be this one The Walker's/MJCQ Bundy Swim-In is easier for us, logistics-wise. If that goes well, ARN 139999 should also be making an appearance at Canungra this year.

Oh by the way I must publicly thank Ian Fawbert for a brilliant chance discovery about this vehicle and its sibling when he was doing research at the AWM last October. We now know the serial number of this and the other Weasel, as well as the other's ARN. This was in some very interesting info regarding the army testing, and what happened. Good work Ian!

Steve.

[Snowy]

Well it looks like some of this Weasel will make it to Corowa this year after all.... If you happen to see a pair of unusual-looking tracks on the back of a ute there, wonder not, for they are for this rebuild . They are doing a round trip and just 'passing through' Corowa to their destination. If they look a bit rough you're right, they are a knockabout set, I have a much better pair for the other T24.

Here are a few more photos of how the project is going. All the hull and engine work is being undertaken by John. Firstly, after cutting out dead metal, the large holes in the bottom of the hull are being repaired.

By sheer luck one of the cut-out panel pieces (with the engine oil drain hole plate) was recovered miles from where the vehicle was found, and many decades after it had been cut out with a gas axe. It has now been reunited back into the hull (see attached). John has also rebuilt the area under the final drive and is doing a really marvellous job. He's also rebuilt the carby and water pump in the meantime too.

The return rollers have been rebuilt using NOS wheels. I had to patch one of the damaged roller brackets and replace a few roller bearings etc. The control rods are finished as well.

More photos soon. ARN 139999 is coming back to life

Steve.

[Snowy]

Here's the panel that was cut out, now back in
The gearbox crossmember had massive steel channel bodged in for the Holden donk and box, now that's all gone and back to the way it was. Also the original engine heater bracket has been put back.

[Snowy]

The area under the final drive has been redone. The curved part of the hull is about 3mm thick and the only way for John to remove the dents was to cut it out, work the panel on an anvil and then zap it back in. He also fixed a hole cut through the hull for the Holden motor exhaust pipe, and a few other holes too.
He's added a common modification that Weasel restorers do - a drain plug in the hull to allow the final drive to be emptied without turning the inside of the vehicle into an oily swimming pool