Early Mk.I* "TL13F", CB180

[Nech]

Originally Posted by eddy8men

they're CAV

Cheers mate, what diameter are they please? I've found various sizes.. and they are f*****g expensive.

[Nech]

The tool plate is a bit crumpled, so will need a light loving hammer work. The steps are swapped, but the original rubber is still present so I have the pattern for the reproduction. Nice.

By the way, I assume the Ford's primer colour was red-brown?

[Nech]

Ok, time to move on.

Carrier is now under the roof in the expanded workshop. The progress is slow as I am splitting my time, effort and cash between my other vehicles, which are undergoing the restorations.. or just keeping them alive.

I managed to acquire some of the original boxes and the rifle rack, which are harder and harder to source. A bit pricy, but the beast deserves it. By the way, if anybody have some spares (especially the original Mk.I* internal equipment) please drop me a PM. Thanks.

[Nech]

Question for the experts please: I am in the hunt for the original dashboard instruments. They're all gone, perhaps the speedo would be repairable. Maybe.

Are there any rules for the manner which instruments were british and which were canadian made in those very early carriers? I wish to source the instruments, which were originally in my carrier when it was produced in 3/1941.

I can't vouch for the originality of my dashboard, but the speedo is Canadian Mk.I, the oil pressure gauge is (british?) Smiths, the temperature gauge is missing (should be british, don't know the manufacturer?) and I have a strong feeling the ammeter was replaced sometime later for the Ford ones.

The unusuall steel horn button seems very original (but I can always be wrong), and the all steel ignition box - I am sorry, but my knowledges are not so deep in this. Is it british, or the canadian type?

Thanks!

[RichardT10829]

Canadian mk1 speedo.... I have replacement dial faces for those..... early Canadian Mk1 ammeter. The oil gauge I do not recognise though

[Nech]

I am slowly getting deeper in this and it seems that the original gauges were as follows:

SPEEDO - original canadian MK.I*
IGNITION BOX - CAV British made
OIL PRESSURE - SMITHS British made (4 screws)
TEMPERATURE GAUGE - A.R.I.C. British made (4 screws)
AMMETER - a bit mystery: I'd presume the British CAV ammeter (3 screws) but I have 6 screws holes in the dashboard.

So IF my speedo was really originally fitted and it is not a later replacement, the rest of the dashboard seems to be for the early 41 carrier completely british made.

[Lynn Eades]

The first Canadian carriers were built with British components. That is why you see pictures of the early Canadian carriers with British style head lights. The Ammeter was most likely a white faced CAV one.
If I remember correctly the first carriers from Canada were built to fill a British order (for British use)