LP2 SAR Hull No 316 Restoration.

[Matt Stephenson]

Hi Colin,

No I don't know the diameter but fortunately the ammo racks aren't too far from home, so I should be able to get your answer soon.

[Matt Stephenson]

Progress on the restoration of my LP2 has been slow up until recently, but since taking some long overdue leave from work, and also having built up a fairly sizable bank of "nag-free" hours, I got in and got some much needed work done.

The engine and gearbox was removed from the hull in late March, exposing a decent size hole in the floor courtesy of a farmer and a gas-axe, all in order to facilitate the fitting of a PTO for a crude winch. This has been nearly completely rectified now, with only the welds to be ground down smooth. I also took the time to make up new bracket/mounting points for the floor in the front driver's/gunner's section as most of these were deteriorated beyond salvage, with most of the bolt hole having the snapped-off bolts still in situ.

As a South Australian Railways hull, there is a quite prominent and unusually shaped piece on the floor between the driver and gunner. This piece on mine had previously been cut and damaged during its former life, with about 2/3 of the original still in place. I debated for a while only replacing the missing section, but in the end decided to replace the entire piece. I think it will be well worth it in the end.... Also welded on the rear mud guards.... not much, I know, but one more thing off the to-do-list.

Finally, the ATO was kind enough to give me some of my hard earned back to me in the form of a tax return. On being told by the accountant how much I was getting back, I exclaimed to the Minister for Nagriculture that it was what I needed to get the carrier sandblasted and painted... Expecting the usual response, I was surprised to hear her say...."Sure, go for it." After picking my jaw back up off the ground and checking that she did say that, and I wasn't in some alternate reality, I am now working toward getting the hull ready so it can go away and come back Khaki green. I'm hoping to get it done in about 8 to 12 weeks when the weather warms up some more, and there isn't as much moisture about.

Progress pics attached.

[Rod Bellars (RIP)]

looks like a lot of hard work ,I may have met you at Corowa ? I left a card with mate of yours breath testing me a few months back lol when was chasing tank stuff up in NSW
anyway matt if you need carrier parts let me know took a few bits to corowa last march and will be there with more next year always searching for tank and artillery stuff currently doing up a m3 early lee made 5/42 and a staghound ex norforce . sent this just in case he did not give you card
regards
rod

[Rod Bellars (RIP)]

mat your email is returning on my mail out send me email of your latest
regards
rod

[Matt Stephenson]

Progress is......progressing, but not as much as I had hoped.

Lately, I've had some long needed time away from work, which was an excellent opportunity to get some work done on the carrier, with the hope of getting it sandblasted and painted before going back to work.

I made up a list of things that needed to be accomplished before it could go away, which I guessed wasn't too great a task to achieve, however a spanner was thrown in the works, and its still not quite ready to go just yet.

I started off with some greatly appreciated help from Darrin Wright, who helped me to split the tracks. The mounting brackets on the floor in the front drivers/gunners section were all replaced and welded in. The mounting brackets for the Lewis ammo box and the ration boxes were also welded in place, but this is were it all came to a massive train wreck of a halt.

My previous attempts to fix the hole left in the floor under the engine and gearbox was no good. All the welds from the original steel to the new steel cracked, despite pre-heating and using different types of wire in the mig welder. Faced with this problem I consulted the local brains trust and tired to educate myself further by doing a google search, which revealed a previous thread on MLU on the problem of welding old face hardened, fatigued and brittle steel. After reading the thread and then talking with a mate who is a mechanical engineer and has much more experience welding than me, it was decided to cut out the section back to the engine rails and make it a more neater section to replace. So with the new floor plate plate piece, with the taping frames for the sump and gearbox already welded on, the new piece was carefully welded in using and arc/stick welder. I cant recall the type of welding rods used, but I do know that it has worked, and that the new piece is securely welded in place with no evidence of any cracking or welds not sticking.

I have since decided to leave the welds on the floor as is, as grinding them smooth might be tempting fate, and given that its under the engine, which itself is under a cover, then they are not readily noticeable.

Moving on from that drama, I began to grind all the other welds smooth from the reconstruction of the missing upper armour plates, and rebuild part of the missing mounting frame for the instrument panel, and then re-tap the multitude of mounting blocks for all the fittings in the carrier.

It was about this time that I decided that I was rushing things, and that I was rushing for no other reason to try and get it in and sandblasted while I was off on leave from work. I then remembered something my Dad told me once when I was younger; "Rushing only leads to cutting corners and stuff ups, which you will only regret later on". A quick phone call to the sandblaster had it postponed to a date to be confirmed.

I've still got a bit left to do before its actually ready to go away for sandblasting and paint. I still need to take out the driver's floor plate and steering column, unbolt the diff from the hull and remove the front idlers on their mounting plates from the hull. I also need to weld on some new exhaust shrouds under the hull, as the old ones were bent and twisted out of shape. As yet, I've got no bloody idea how I'm going to get that one done....

Lately, I've also been experimenting with paint colours for the carrier. Gina's recent thread on colours has been very helpful, and will help greatly on the final Khaki Green colour it get painted. I did do a test pot I had made up on part of the side of the hull, but it looks more olive green than khaki green to me.....

I've also done some work on the instrument cluster, which you can see in the attached pic.

For now, progress has slowed a bit, but I am enjoying the work more than I was when it felt I was rushing. The restoration of my carrier was never intended to be a race, it was intended as something I can enjoy and to help take my mind off the crap I have to deal with every other day at work.

Comments, criticism and advice welcome as always.

[colin jones]

Hi Matt, your carrier is looking good! Haste certainly can make waste and I can tell you from experience. I would not grind the floor weld either as they are never seen. When ever I have done welding on carriers I do cut back where I can to have clean steel to weld to and have always run my welder quite hot and always used gas and not gasless. I just don't think you get enough heat out of the small portable migs but your floor repair looks very good. Keep up the good work and pics.
Colin.

[Matt Stephenson]

Hi All,

Not much progress on the carrier lately as we begin to enter the silly season at work. I recently picked up a ration/utensil box from a rural junk/antique shop. It has a slot cut into the back and was painted yellow, and had been used as a letterbox. It had something like 6 layers of enamel paint which, aside from being a pain in the a%*e to remove had preserved and protected the box well over the years. Once stripped there was absolutely no rust, just a couple of minor dents and dings but nothing major after the better part of 70 years.

Also, last week I was fortunate enough to take a look at a recent arrival to Albury. Its not CMP, allied or even a land vehicle. I got to have a look at what is termed an "Original Rebuild" Focke Wulf FW-190. As it happens the aircraft's owner, who is not a local, had decided to put his collection of original FW-190 parts to good use and have an air frame built around them. I'm told that a minimum 10% original parts are required to meet the requirement of it being classed as an "Original rebuild". Nonetheless, its a thing of beauty, and something that I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to look over, under and all around and take a few photos. I'm told by the owner of the FW-190 it will remain here in Albury for a while along with a few other war birds also residing here, as he learns how to fly it.

As usual, pics attached. All comments welcome.