The carrier hull is finally at the riveters, these are some guys that Ben found who build and repair narrow boats (hence the dry dock in front of the hull). well they certainly know there rivets. the guy was over the hull like a rash explaing about all the different types of rivet used. anyway 300 rivets to do and he thinks its a days work for 2 of them once he gets the rivets in.

Glad you found it OK! I thought you were going to give me a shout! I quite fancied a trip to see what goes on.

yeah sorry Ben, i was just about to send you an email. In the end it was all a bit last minute on the back of another job, i had to do a drop off in leamington as well. i was not expecting to take it over until next week. Its not far from yours , i did say to the guys you may slip over in the next few weeks to look at it etc.

Yeah I'll take a trip over and have a look. I hope to have some bits ready for you by the time it's done, we'll have to meet up so you can take them back with you

let me know how you get on so i can get my ass down there !!

Just collected the carrier from the guys who where doing the riveting, quite pleased with the finish, just a few need tidying up a bit. It has made the whole hull nice and solid , so on with prepping for its first coat of green. photos to follow soon .

i read the article in CMV very good buddy

now Beltring is out of the way its back to work on the carrier, well at least for a couple of days as it time for the family holiday. its coming on great guns, the rivets look better now there is some paint on them, with all the driver controls and center axle in place its starting to take shape. here a few more photos.

looking good dude ! cant wait to get mine back and crack on with it

shaun, if you clean up your cast exhaust elbows and put your angle iron brackets on i will pop round and fit an exhaust system for you, I have made a set of heat sheilds also for you. Have you a set of exhaust silencer clamps, i have a few bent up ones which will straighten out.

I will bring back you silencers i borrowed and your dip stick.

let me know when your there.

kevin.

looking good mate, i'm having the engine armour made for my mk1* if you need some give me a shout.

rick

Kevin, thanks very much for your offer, i just got a load of parts back from the blaster including the exhaust elbows, they blasted up really well. I have not yet made the brackets that hold the exhaust on, if you have some old sevicable ones that would be great. re the old boxes im not bothered about having them back. may be some else has a use for them. i am now away with the family for a time, i will give you a call on my return.
TTFN

OK im back on the planet again, things have started moving on the carrier again. Thanks Kevin and Ben for the parts. Im still after the horse shoe gear selector link that goes over the gearbox ( i may have to get one made). here are a few photos of some of the progress.

Looking swell.....that number seems to ring a bell mate... cant wait to get mine cracing again.. desperate now ! i have the throw over bar if you need one to copy.. i presume its the round bar with the splines on ? or is it the flat plate that bolts onto the side of the gearbox ?

Shaun, How close are you to putting the engine in position?. I have been fabricating the stainless exhaust down pipes at work and want to align them exact from the manifold to the floor casting before welding the pipe to the flange.

So the engine whould need to be in situ aligned with the rear gearbox mount, also a 24 stud Canadian engine. If you are near to doing this let us know, if not I will have to swing in my un rebuilt engine to do this.

Kev.

Kevin im probably a month away before i get the back axle on and engine and gearbox in.

Making some progress I see, is that a T16 idler wheel on your front bogie? Or were they used on later UCs... Can't remember earlier in the thread, were you lucky enough to locate the WD number on the hull or is your number on the side an approximation?

Hi Alec,
If you are on about the return roller, the all steel ones were fitted on later universals as well as T16s. Seeing as im restoring it for 1944 asit would have been in service not factory finish i can get away with not having the rubber wheel. I managed to find the original "CT" number painted on the side of the hull , if you look back through the strip down photos you will be a able to see where it became visible. Same goes for the cammo pattern.

work carries on well. finally got a price back for new springs so i will be ordering them (Ben i will PM you) anybody else need new springs ? I picked up a full set of very very good wheels at the weekend, all blasted and ready to paint. got to strip out a couple of axle pins from an old suspenion unit and wash the bearings (of which all seem very good. did a bit of fabrication on boxes, bins, wings and odds and sods, pleased with the results so far.) all the steering components are now fitted so i am ready to habg the rear axle.I should be collecting the radiator tomorrow after having it recored . then im ready to prep the engine and trans.

Hi Shaun,

Looking good mate! Maybe ready for Arnhem next year as you didn't make it this year? :D

Cheers,

looking great ! got your rear tins here, so you can clag em on when i bring them down. i am jealous watching it take form... mine should be back in the new workshop within the next 14 days so i can crack on with mine again.


keep up the good work old bean

Hi Richie,

If you use green primer than you can come to Arnhem too! :D :D :D
You can paint it sand colour when you are back home again :yappy: :yappy:

Cheers,

Im just waiting for some parts to come back from the engineers so i have started on the engine. I have a 21 stud engine ( had it for 8 years ) it is out of a barrage ballon winch ( same goes for the gearbox ) . It was rebuilt by the British army in August 1954 and has done bugger all since. i have taken the heads off and there is no sign of any wear and very little carbon. So sump off next and a wash through. It has been painted in BS 101 pale blue, this is a standard colour for anything that has been through army base repair.For those of you the like numbers here are the engine numbers ( the original number has been over stamped with a new number after rebuild. old number *BB13 * 1276398* and the new numbeer is RZZ44363P. i hope thats of interest to some of you !

After a long search and scrounge with no success i dicided to make the gear selector horse shoe shaped relay. I now have my MK2 back home outside the workshop and stripping parts off for patterning, so this was the first part to be done. I made it in 3 parts on the lathe first, the shaped them and welded it all together. i know from experience that these parts have to be spot on otherwise you can not select the gears. the first photo is half way through the process and the final one has the original under the new one. Im a bit pleased with the end product, but only fitting and running will prove if its any good.

Looks good Shawn!!

Gear Selector
 

Shaun,

That looks incredible! Great job with the fabrication. What are you planning or how did you do the spline at the selector rod engagement?

Stephen DeMocko

To be honest Stephen i have not done the splines yet. I have a truck gear shift leaver, i plan to cut it down and then drill a hole to suit the diameter of the shaft, then drill and pin it or use a woodruff key. i know its a cheat but these parts just dont seem to be out there.

not too shabby, where did you learn those skills it wasn't in the reme :D

Rick maty --- REME (Rough Enigineering Made Easy !!!! ) you would be surprised what i can do that 20 years in uniform did not teach me ! ha ha ha :teach:

Hi Shaun,

Mine also has a truck transmission and the shifter parts are replica. On mine there is a collar with a notch on the front. The shift lever slides over the notch, there is a matching slit on the bottom.
Attachment 44542
Looking good the new carrier. Hope to see it next Beltring.

Cheers mate!