Restoration of Hull 731- Carrier, MG (Aust) Mortar Carrying

[Darrin Wright]

In the last 2 weeks I have been busy with Corowa and work on the BGC.
While on day 1 at Corowa I received a call from the engine re-conditioners that the engine was ready to collect, unfortunately not being in a position to collect had to wait until after Corowa. So during my lunch break this week, with trailer, went down to see them and pay for and collect my engine and all the items and new parts from the states. Got it home and unloaded it straight into the workshop.

Through MLU and a good friend I managed a swap of some items that I no longer required that could be used by someone else, for (what I believed to be) an ammunition cover to suit a BGC such as mine. This was delivered through another friend that travelled down from QLD at the start of Corowa. See attached pics, the cover fits like a glove and allows for the 3"ammunition to be stowed in the right hand side under cover from bullets, shrapnel and tree branches. This cover requires some minor repair to the up-right stay and a sand blast and paint, so I am very happy with it.

One night after work I started to look at and prepare the block for assembly, I did find that the engine re-conditioners left the 2 bottom welsh plugs (4 in total in the bottom of the block) in the block when it went into the acid bath, so I popped them out and cleaned out the silt and rust scale with a screwdriver and compressed air.

The engine is now on my temporary work bench waiting for m to commence on the valves and valve seats.

Also waiting on my order of parts from Mac's Auto and still have to chase up some valves as I was hoping that someone would have them at Corowa- no luck there.