Richie's Mk1 Restoration

[RichardT10829]

Rob, am i reading the lists wrong in Nigels book, the numbers on the lists only have four digits. i know what your saying though. It would be nice to find out what it was and if it was used by any particular regiment.

busy maing a gantry system that the hull can drop onto, it has four castor type wheels this will make moving the bare hull around much easier without making stuff to bolt onto the tub.

more pics to follow as the build/tear down progresses

[rob love]

I do not have Nigel's book, so am not familiar with the list you are talking about. I offer the following data from one of the 5 carriers we stripped in Northern Ontario several years back:

CTno: CT113354
Date of Mfgr: 10-23-1942
Front armour: 11101
Div Plate: CB10099
Hull no 10094

DND markings 42-1-8591 and also T56-749

Note that this hull serial is just 30 or so away from yours. In the absence of any other numbers, you can go with numbers near to what was listed above and be in the ballpark.

If someone has Peter Ford's infoex around, they might be able to come up with some closer numbers, but 30 +- isn't bad.

[RichardT10829]

Well Sunday the rear axel will be comming off and the engine out the hull. can the rear axel be removed with the engine in situ ? i only ask as if i can drop the axel off i will get the engine hoist in much closer to do the lift for the engine.
pics will follow on sunday.

Rich

and back to the number query CT 113354 is listed in a batch (CT112735 - 113685) UC Mk? 951 units made by contract number CDLV213 by ford Canada so if my tub number being 30 or so from the one you provided may put it into this batch......at least we know it was Mk1 ! will have to tell Nigel. typical mine would potentially be in the unknown section hahahahaha.

[Jordan Baker]

Your is for sure a Mk1. You can easily tell by the two cutouts in the hull beside the exhaust mufflers.

[RichardT10829]

yeah, that and the battery box for sure. i was reading the carrier handbook and the mk2 the battery box is different design.....and on the other side of the hull

[rob love]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

can the rear axel be removed with the engine in situ ? i only ask as if i can drop the axel off i will get the engine hoist in much closer to do the lift for the engine.

Yes it can...the procedure is shown in the manual, although I have always found it easier than even the book shows.

[RichardT10829]

hahhaha, excelent will give it a go on sunday then.

[RichardT10829]

well managed to get the gunners side drive hub off last night, remarkably very very clean inside, the shoes look brand new ! springs are in excelent condition too. some heathen had previously taken the large flat nutts off with a chisel and they are in a right mess !

the bearing is in good condition too, so it was a pleasant find to say the least.

anyone know of a good way to remove the rivets on the hull, i tried cutting the heads off but realised this was fruitless as the rivets are all counter sunk.


Rich

[Lynn Eades]

Drill; a pilot hole in the centre of the rivet, then drill it out to near the rivet dia. drill about 2/3rds through, then put a punch in the hole, and hit it.
If you hit it hard enough the rivet will break in the middle. Use all the safety gear etc., and try not to damage your self.
The centre of the rivet hole is not necessarily concentric with the head, so dont start with too big a drill, but the more meat you cut out, the easier it is to break the rivet.
I have not used the arc/air gouger to blow out rivets, but it is an option , if available.
There will be other ideas.

[Nigel Watson]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

Rob, am i reading the lists wrong in Nigels book, the numbers on the lists only have four digits. i know what your saying though. It would be nice to find out what it was and if it was used by any particular regiment.

busy maing a gantry system that the hull can drop onto, it has four castor type wheels this will make moving the bare hull around much easier without making stuff to bolt onto the tub.

more pics to follow as the build/tear down progresses

Hi Richie, great thread. We should all do this, you learn so much.

I am presuming you are referring to the documents I reproduced showing carrier allocation to Canadian Regiments? These are only for 107 carriers and are from the first 300 made, so they have the three and four digit serial numbers.

If you assume the Lower Hull Nos. run consecutively, and using Robs example you would be hoping for some of the numbers around 11391 for its CT number. Quite a bit away from 14508. Until someone finds records showing the links between Serial, Lower and Upper Hull Numbers, and WD Numbers or collates everyones 'numbers' from their carriers and finds a pattern, then you go with your best assumption at the time and if something changes it in the future then you cross that bridge when you get to it. In case it's any consolation, I have the complete front armour and numbers of mine but apart from the date, manufacturer, proof stamp the Serial No. 2109 was all I had so I presumed the WD by working consecutively to come up with it. Maybe one day I'll find the ID plate that reads Serial No. 2109, Date of Manufacture July 1941, Manufacturer Ford...one day!

Nigel

[RichardT10829]

ITS FINNISHED !!!!



just kidding my pals bought me a model kit as a joke.....i am a joke you see 29 year old bloke not interested in fast cars but old buckets of rust (or so it would seem)

joke is on them as i used it to try out various cammo schemes in use during my grandfathers service, ended up with this one western desert into Tunissia 42-43

not too dissimilar to yours Nigel but the red will be replaced with brown....... should stand out a tad hehehehehe.

[RichardT10829]

just a quick and very brief update, rivets for those that require them are obtainable at www.sapphireproducts.co.uk

3/8th dome head 1 1/4 long (if using 5mm angle iron and 10mm armour) bag of 100 costs £32.00 + vat

and if using 8mm side armour use 1" 3/8th dome head @ £18 per 100. +vat they do have counter sunk variants amongst many others.

cheers

Richie

[George McKenzie]

Rivets in North America including Canada can be bought at "Fastenal" .About 30 cents apeice .They have stores in most majour cities ..They have button head solid rivets, Flat head solid rivets. and truss solid rivets . All sizes . page 3-283 in thier caralouge Fastenal .com George

[RichardT10829]

excelent, i had a few emails from MLU members looking for rivet specialists so at least there are two knowns to use hahaha.

well its been a while since i put up any pictures and i promised after new year i would post up, I have got the front armour back on and what a job it was, i recall Martyn saying that the front armour forms quite a substantial portion of the carriers regidity and when removed and used over uneven ground etc the chassis can twist. well i can vouch for this for sure, George when you do yours dont take anything as being square on the carrier as i found the track guards have appeared to dropped on mine and dispite appearing square they were not. i have done what martyn did and made my front armour up knowing that the peice was correct and square then jigged my tub back to shape and ensured everything lined up as it should.

I need a Mk1 canadian steering box armour cover so i can finish the lower frame rail. After Thursday (Payday) i can pay and collect my rear and sides. I have noticed that the rear armour appears thinner than the sides ? anyone heard of this ? the sides are 8mm and the rear is just shy of 7mm.

anyway here is a fairly recent shot of my carrier.



Richie

[kevin powles]

Hi Richard, I will post a front steering box armour up to you complete, its off a british carrier but will fit exact, when you rivet that rear armour on remember the rivets have the bigger head on the outside of the carrier.

let me know when the dash arrives.

kevin.

[kevin powles]

Richard, just checked my mk1 carrier, the rear plate rivets up the side are put in from the outside and finished on the inside with a round head, this would mean the rear plate on a carrier would be put on first then the sides, ie round head both sides. The rear plate rivets along the bottom (which pass through the big angle iron with the hull number on) are put in from inside and finished on the outside with the usual mushroom head ie round head on the inside, mushroom on the outside.

I posted the steering hull plate today, will take 48 hrs to get to you, will need to be signed for, put in a dash top plate also.

kevin.