Richie's Mk1 Restoration

Lynn Eades · #1 01-06-10, 12:40

On a recent thread , it was shown that there were Universals at Dunkirk. I'm sure, had it been sent to Aust. as a demo, it would have been recorded in the Australian media/ military archives. If it had been pulled back to Aussie from North Africa,What time frame would that have been in?
This should be in Phillips thead.

RichardT10829 · #2 01-06-10, 12:56

yeah i know was thinking that before.... should get Geoff to transfer the posts over to Phills thread. Did you guys keep a decent archive on vehicles ? i know us Brits kept a rubbish record, same with the Canadians (well ford's archives)

If it had come back from North Africa it would be in a period circa 43 or..... after the desert war concluded in 43 we used Tunisia as a launching platform for Op Husky (Scicily) then later Op Avalanche (italy) Many carriers landed in scicily and Italy with desert type schemes, Caunter was phased out after El alamein and the Light stone / brown disruptive was adopted (along with a plethera of other schemes)

so If my romantic imagination was to run wild once again it could potentially have gone North Africa, then returned in 43...or gone on to Scicily, Italy.....returned to Oz in 45/46....... Or........ could have been bought up by the Aussie govt as an ex demo or training vehicle in 39ish... I know that the early Brens were used by alot of the coalition regiments during the desert campaign so i wonder if they serviced the older vehicles longer to perhaps save money for other things....meaning that the Scouts and brens were kept for longer... this i have no idea,

Philliphastings · #3 02-06-10, 04:07

Really sorry to have hijacked this post Richard.

Re the Scout there are a number of possibilities,

1/ obtained direct from britain brand new and erroneously described on official documentation as a Bren carrier, or

2/ issued in North Africa to Australian Forces and simply kept and returned to Australia with other unit equipment, or

3/ Brought to Fremantle with other refugee British cargo after the fall of Singapore (unlikely)

As for the olive drab and light stone camouflage - it matches exactly that used on many General Grant and Stuart Tanks and Local Pattern carriers which were based here in WA

Add this to the fitting of modified Australian LP Carrier roadwheels and the evidence seems to point to it having been fully rebuilt here at 5 Base Ordnance Depot Nungarin, who'se core business was rebuilding Tanks and Armoured vehicles during ww2.

The son of the first civilian owner assured me it was in good condition when they bought it at disposal Auction in 1947

Cheers

Phill

George McKenzie · #4 02-06-10, 06:24

Old 10131 sure looks good .My 10128 is painted a desert yellow .I'll send you a picture .It had a red under coat paint .My other MK1 is blue and the other one is light OD ,could be faded .I see you have a MK2 speedometer .I need a MK 1 speedometer .I was looking at some sprockets and some have a flange all around and some don't .I think the ones without are replacements .Do you know why the exhaust covers at the back are ,one solid metal and the right one with a screen? they are both solid covers on a MK2. That was good to know about the transmission being the same parts as a WC .My Friend Jim Debock has his track pads all drilled and his pins ready to put back in .If you take the pins out be sure and save the cast washers to use again George

Jordan Baker · #5 02-06-10, 15:56

Hi George

To help answer some of your questions.

#1 The sprockets with the "lip" all around are earlier ones. The later carriers seem to have just been flat plate that the sprocket was cut out of.

#2 On the MK1 Carriers the exhaust cover on the L.S. was solid with asbestos pad due to the tarp resting on it. The R.S. cover only needed a grill as nothing was sitting on it. On a Mk2, I believe the way the tarp is folded around the stowage bin, it would make both ends of the tarp resting on the exhaust covers.

Hope it helps some.

George McKenzie · #6 02-06-10, 17:48

Thanks Jordan There is no end to what you can learn on this stuff. I was at Rick DeBruyns and out of hi five carriers two have the flanges .George

ajmac · #7 03-06-10, 11:47

An excellent thread, looks like it is all coming along well. Did you do the riviting in your garage? Poor neighbours

RichardT10829 · #8 26-07-10, 19:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by George McKenzie

Old 10131 sure looks good .My 10128 is painted a desert yellow .I'll send you a picture .It had a red under coat paint .My other MK1 is blue and the other one is light OD ,could be faded .I see you have a MK2 speedometer .I need a MK 1 speedometer .I was looking at some sprockets and some have a flange all around and some don't .I think the ones without are replacements .Do you know why the exhaust covers at the back are ,one solid metal and the right one with a screen? they are both solid covers on a MK2. That was good to know about the transmission being the same parts as a WC .My Friend Jim Debock has his track pads all drilled and his pins ready to put back in .If you take the pins out be sure and save the cast washers to use again George

George my carrier had area's of red paint too like a dull not quite crimson red... saying that they were very close together on the line (spitting distance) who knows

i love the fact you have a carrier with numbers so close to mine

George McKenzie · #9 27-07-10, 05:12

Did you get the brake leaver ? We are starting to cut the armor .I gave side and back plates for Rick DeBruyn to copy and lazer cut. When you get to work on a carrier you soon find lots of differences in them .My MK2 fenders has three holes in the front of them but the MK1 doesen't .If you have a basket case you will have to make alot of things ,which will get costly .The tracks on my parts one are just like new , 165 pads . I tride to cut the rivets with a big hammer drill but no luck I am using a 4" angle grinder with a thin disc,and will use a tortch for the hard to get at ones .It's been a busy summer with car shows and military shows .Too much rain in some places and none in others . Cheers george

RichardT10829 · #10 27-07-10, 09:34

George i got the lever buddy, i did send you a long email of gratitude

for cutting the rivets I slit the heads off both sides of the rivet with a fine slitting disc, then hammered a wedge between the angle and the armour (being carefull not to bend the angle bar but enough to load up the remains of the rivets) then used a center punch to bang them out... when they let go they dont half make a bang. A hand held air hammer with the spike attachment works good too. I am looking for an accelerator pedal as mine is rusted right through so if anyone has one lying about i would be interested.

George is there much difference between the lever you gave me and the carrier item ? it was a dodge one wasnt it ? i cant recall... it was in mint condition i was expecting a rusty lump

Richie