Operation Jigsaw
 

Hi all
Here comes a tale of my latest field trip recovery. Very recently a a dear friend and fellow collector/restorer gave me a lead on a Carrier that he had obtained parts from in the early 90s. Once I had established that I wasn't going to poach on his find I followed through like a rat up a drainpipe.

As background we believe that this Carrier was a late production, 1943, manufactured by the State Engineering Works in Freemantle West Australia. We believe this due to the style of upper rear tool plate and that this Carrier had a non-rubberised front wheel.

Attached is an image of a WA Carrier

The Carrier Converted
 

The Carrier was converted by the owner to a timber snigger, a crane type device, that he used for forrestry work.

The Recce - 1
 

The following four posts are images of what confronted Ada & I on our initial recce.

The Recce - 2
 

Next

The Recce - 3
 

Next

The Recce - 4
 

Next

The Recovery - 1
 

Tracks - method one where a mate and I used the trailer winch to haul the tracks on board. This was after using a tow rope to drag them off the pallet and straighten them out in the paddock.

Jigsaw,
 

Hi Bob,
Looks like I had better come over for a couple of days to put it back together for you , you have broken it
Regards,
Ron,

The Recovery - 2
 

That was too hard, so a bit of hunting around located some bore casing off-cuts and along with a crowbar we devised a roller system.

The Recovery - 3
 

The Air Scoop rear

The Recovery - 4
 

The Air Scoop front attached to the rear fire wall

The Recovery - 5
 

The offside rear upper armour

The Recovery - 6
 

The rear end. Unfortunately the lower tool plate was nowhere to be found

The Recovery - 7
 

At this stage Ada & I had conducted the recce and myself and a mate had completed the first recovery. The next images are stage two of the recovery. Each one of these trips was about a 14 hour round trip. This second recovery trip was myself but ably assisted by a yard crane.

The Recovery - 8
 

Here goes the rear lower section, basically the engine compartment

The Recovery - 9
 

And here goes the almost complete driver's & gunner's compartment

My Offsider
 

The next three images are an acknowlegement to the yard crane which was unique in it's own right.

My Offsider - 2
 

I reflected on this second recovery trip and thought, I'm using a crane that was manufactured in 1880 to lift a Carrier that was manufactured in, I believe late 1943, onto a trailer that was probably manufactured in the 1980s.

My Offsider - 3
 

The late owner's wife told me that this crane was purchased from the South Australian Railways so possibly the SAGR could stand for South Australian Government Railways.

The Recovery - 10
 

All loaded up. These two components weighed 1.18 tons.

Unloading - 1
 

I LOVE MACHINERY

Unloading - 2
 

I'm having a ball

The Jigsaw Completed
 

This is what I finished up with, almost.

The Treasure Trove
 

After talking with the late owner's wife and assessing the type of bloke the late owner was I just knew there was more stuff lying around. So I hunted around the yards and eventually located a front compartment back rest and a pristine driver's floor plate. I was then allowed access to THE SHED and in one area, under a large bench overladen with tons of steel, this is what I found.

The Treasure Trove - 2
 

Another view. Eat your hearts out.

My Quandry
 

I now have two Carriers. Peek-A-Boo and Jigsaw. My original intentions were firstly to save them and secondly to see what parts I needed for Project PHOENIX. I don't want to restore another Carrier, been there and done that, besides which I have access to more Carriers than I can poke a stick at. The two Carriers combined have all the parts to complete one Carrier so long as one doesn't mind mixing a 1941 SAR Carrier with a 1943 WA Carrier.

The image is the start of PHOENIX

Great story bob, love the images. Those 14 hour round trips must have been a killer, hope you had some decent music.

Re: My Offsider - 2
 

All under the careful hand of a bloke who looks like he was born in 1901! :devil:

Re: My Quandry
 

Along with these parts :D . Cab back will be a resin copy as I used the one from this cab as a master for moulding.

Cheers
Cliff :)

All under the careful hand of a bloke who looks like he was born in 1901!

I know where you live

:fry: Bob