DeBruyn MK-1 1942 restoration project

[Rick DeBruyn]

Thought I would start a thread on the restoration of my Canadian MK-1 1942 Ford UC-2 serial # 11606 hull 10607 3” mortar variant. The preceding serial numbers were taken from the tag behind the drivers head, however this leaves me a little confused as the lower hull number 11606 does not match the number on the angle iron at the back (gunner side) of the carrier 10587, shouldn’t these numbers match?

I have finally started pulling it apart after a few months of gathering needed parts and gleaning information from carrier “experts”. As of now I have the engine out and headed to the rebuilder for a check-up and perhaps a rebuild if needed. The engine came out without any surprises, if I had any frustrations it was the amount of slotted screws & my lack of correctly sized slotted screw-drivers. Some of the armor screws seemed quite large and I haven’t found a supplier of oversized screwdrivers yet.

Perhaps another problem I’m running into, is the rusted bolts, hinges, shutters, cotter-pins, etc. 60+ years of weather has “glued” much of the carrier together. Has anyone come up with a secret formula or method for loosening the stubborn parts? Too often I use brute strength then later regret it after I snap something.

I would like to “gut” the remaining parts attached to the hull ASAP and get it to a sandblaster/painter. I could use a little direction on the correct type/color of paint. One helpful expert provided me with the following explanation;

“The colour question is a difficult one to answer conclusively. I have looked into paint regulations in wartime Routine Orders, and the fact of the matter is that they change fairly often depending upon the availability of various paints. For example, as of 29 May 1940, it was decreed that vehicles in Canada should be painted “Khaki Green, No. 3, matte finish.” However, in September 1942, it was ordered that “basic No. 2 brown paint” would be used. But this does not mean that every vehicle was then repainted in No. 2 brown. The 1942 order stipulates that vehicles would only be repainted brown if they otherwise required repainting. The fact of the matter is that paint was in short supply, and had to be conserved. As such, no one lost much sleep over mismatched colours. (There was even an order issued to SP gun crews not to walk unnecessarily on top of their vehicles because their boots wore off the paint!)

Were vehicles painted in other colours on operations overseas? Certainly, and that would depend upon what paint was available through the British Lines of Communication. So in the end, you need to make your best guess based on the available evidence and the period/location you are trying to represent – don’t forget that there are lots of excellent colour photographs available of this stuff from the period. In this regard, you should contact the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies in Waterloo, Ontario, as they have published lots of the colour photos in their battlefield guide books.

I would go with No. 3 khaki as your base colour, and then if want to overspray with another colour on the exterior, it would still look legit.

You will probably have to add a fair amount of flattener to get the true matte finish.”

I don’t have a period sample to work from, might any of you have the correct “color recipe” for a western Canada supplier? I would say the khaki green #3 is the color to go with but what is it?

Highlight and copy then past the following link in your web browser to view a few more photos.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/sredir...5oH&feat=email

Regards, Rick