Another two carriers roll off the production line

[martyn]

Hi thort id log in and say hello and iam pleased that youre all talking bout my new projects thanks to kevin and richard for posting the photos i only just found the site evreyone kept saying bout the carrier forum but could i find it I would like to clear sumthing up the mk1 iam building it a new tub and original running gear the MK2 is original runnig gear and lower hull with a new bulkhead and top armour.
Sum people might be asking why iam doing this well its simple how many people have looked at a carrier and thort yes thats what i want and not getting put off by a bit of track wear purchase it BUT dont look at the popped rivets or the rust build up between the frame rails just think this vehicle might be original but its been through a war had a army refit in the 50s then been scrapped and rebuilt buy sumone or just had a quick spruce up that a blind man on a galloping horse would be happy with well ive been there seen them had the hard sellers and thort yeh id have a carrier but id not be 100% happy with it so what options were open....
I decied to find a couple of wrecks and set to work and just see what i could acheve made a few calls found 2 hulls bit of top armour front and a bulkhead it started out as 2 to make 1 but i needed to replace the frames so had to cut the floor out and split the sides (what would you do at this point ?) iam having a new floor made and my friend says why not make 2 floors and copy the sides whilst you at this stage it was silly not to so I thort about it for a min and set to work on 2 carriers to make 2 but needed a few extra parts for the running gear so found a 3rd with a bit of rear armour.
now i have a floor, all lower hull parts, front top/rear and part of one side as pattens i have not set out to make this a job but it has kinda taken over a big part of my life after my normal job.
I am sure sumwhere out there sumone i thinking or saying there not real but its no diffrent to jeeps and other vehicles most restored vehicles have had new parts/ bodys or is a later type made to look wartime? well my carriers are made by using original parts as templates or drawings like kevin said new carriers stright out the box.
I hope that sum of you if not most will understand that a carrier sat in a tree for 30yrs+ is a waste and if sumone with a mad idea can use that carrier to help keep others running and keep history alive then good on them and for those who carnt well all i can say is NUTS.
hope i havnt bored you all with chatting bout my carrier build

[RichardT10829]

Crack on Martyn thats all i can say fella ! your an inspiration full stop !

to take on one carrier is a massive task, but to scratch build two is nothing short of a miracle. cant wait to see them done ! and i reckon (myself included) you would have a big demand for fabricating the flat plate in my case the top armour bulkhead and ducting.

welcome to the forum matey

[martyn]

Hi mate, thanks for your support it takes it out of you building two having trying to rember what went where and have i missed any linkages ect still got 2 v8s to sort out and all the tin work but hey you only live once
when your ready for your top bits just say and we will get your old girl down here for a few days and sort her out.
martyn

[Jordan Baker]

Who cares if they are new or not. Its two more carriers out and into use. My carrier has all new side plates and a pile of new bins. To find the NOS stuff is impossible for some items and next to impossible for others.

What are you planing to do for some items that were cast? Would you just machine out the part or try and do some foundry work?

Anyway I wish I had the space, tools and skills to do what your doing. Id be making my Hamilton Armoured Car for sure.

[martyn]

Hi jordan, what cast parts did you meen, i am able to get my hands on sum more cast suspention units but mk2 ones are fabracated and i have old ones to work from other bits like the linkages ive had machined there not much on them that carnt be made might even look at making tracks one day. but like you say NOS bits are hard to find i was suprised noboby has done this before maybe iam just mad? ive attached a photo of the linkages and a few bits ive had made ive not got as far as the engine covers and bits i am aiming to get one rivetted up soon then get one ready for arnhem in september after that the other can plod along maybe a christmas pressy for the misses chat later off to counter sink more holes martyn

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - looks like the UK has an equivalent of our Oz Colin. Just imagine these two guys in the same workshop.

Bob

[carrierbarry]

Martyn

OK This is a fantastic story but lets start at the beginning. Where did you find the wrecked hulls? Is there any history to these hulls?
Where did you start?
What parts are you short of??
Please tell us more.

Barry

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by martyn

maybe iam just mad?

Yes, you probably are, like the rest of us. But mad in a good, wholesome way. Keep it up!!

[George McKenzie]

I have a CD full of carrier pictures of alot of detail Can someone tell me if I can post it on this site ? and how? If not I'll make some copies to mail out . PS This fellow sells rivets and special bolts . his address is Dick Naven 6802 SW 33 Place ,Portland ,OR 97219 USA EM.Blacksmithbolt1@qwestoffice.net www.BlacksmithBolt.com