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Old 13-09-16, 13:40
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Jan Thompson Jan Thompson is offline
Corowa Project 30
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posts: 519
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I put together a story after seeing the Replica launched and asked Craig various questions so I will share this with you:

Giving recognition to Ben Carlin and Half Safe
by Jan Thompson-Creamer

Early in the year I was contacted by Alex Cullen from the Channel 7 Sunday Night program. He discussed his plans to give recognition to Ben Carlin, an Australian who circumnavigated the world in an adapted Ford GPA amphibian named ‘Half Safe’ during the 1950’s. He had been in contact with GPA owners and wanted to see if someone would build a replica Half-Safe. It would need to be able to float and go into the ocean for some footage Alex wanted on the program. Craig Olsen from Newcastle was approached by Alex and he agreed to do the project.
On Sunday 14th August I had the opportunity of seeing the launch of the vehicle into the water at Palm Beach. It was an amazing day as I had been in the original Half Safe in 1999 when it was at Corowa. It was only able to be driven around. Bob and Jenny Dimer from WA organised for a Budget Truck to bring the vehicle over for the event from Perth where it is displayed at Ben Carlin’s old school, Guildford Grammar.
On Sunday the Channel 7 crew organised a hire boat so footage could be taken of the vehicle in the water so we were able to join them. I was also fortunate to get a ride in the GPA in Pittwater before it came back to shore. The following is information I have from Craig.

How long have you owned the GPA?
I bought the GPA in late 2010. I saw it for sale on the G503 forum, and bought it from near Boston in USA.

Why did you choose to buy a vehicle such as a GPA?
I think they are a beautiful looking vehicle with the lines and curves. A car/ boat is quirky too - which sums me up. I first got interested in amphibious cars when I saw my first in Amsterdam during a Contiki tour in 1980. There was a few amphicars and I thought it was really neat you can have a car that goes into the water. Fast forward to 2005 and I looked at my first jeep when it was for auction. It was Mal Mackay’s (which I still bought and still own). Also at the auction was Mal's GPA and I could not believe it when I saw it. I never knew they existed, and I thought it was mad crazy. That GPA went for a princely sum to the USA and I never thought I would own one. When mine came for sale, it was well priced - affordable with a lot of rare parts thrown in. It took the 6 years to get the rest of the parts, save some money for the resto and find the right team to finish the project. I don’t have many skills or time, so a couple of retired guys were able to do the body and most of the mechanics.

Where did it come from and what is the history of the vehicle?
GPA 7228's date of delivery from the data plate was 2nd February, 1943 - the date that the German 6th Army in Stalingrad finally surrendered. Originally, it was one of about 100 GPA’s that was sent to the British Army under Lend Lease to fight the Japanese in India and Burma. So this one saw active service and survived the war. I was able to dig up a couple of photos of it in Bangalore and the identification marks show it to be one and the same as what I now have. Notable English dealer Mike Stallwood imported Un Safe with another GPA to England. (Un Safe is my pet name for it during the Half Safe re-creation phase). Un Safe then went to the USA before travelling to Australia. So she is well travelled and has been to 4 continents. Its brother GPA from India now resides in Southern France.

What restoration had you done to the GPA before deciding to do a replica Half Safe?
Just trying to get her to be as original as possible. We were about to put Un Safe together when I was approached, and that was just what Channel 7 wanted as they wanted to film it being put together. Channel 7 asked me to do the cabin like the second version of Half Safe. I thought it would help a great story, promote the WW2 vehicles and the hobby as well so I agreed to make it as a replica. I suggested to Channel 7 to paint it yellow, and they thought that was a good idea. The conversion was not difficult. We just lay the roof on and attach the bow. The extra bow is fitted through the existing holes already on the bow. No other drilling was necessary and a conversion back is easy. I must say that I thought the longer bow improved the performance in the water.

What were the issues you have faced over the past 5 months?
Keeping to time was the big problem. GPA’s are a more difficult a restoration than I could have imagined. Just to get to some remote areas to work on demanded a good deal of contortion and patience. It makes it all the more remarkable that Ben Carlin could do difficult mechanical repairs in the ocean. Our mechanic was 74 years old with bad legs, so he had to guide the body worker with what to do for the nether regions of the vehicle. If the body worker was unable to overcome his personal issues, then not much happened. Channel 7 wanted to go to air, and the body worker would tell me it would take a week for the cabin to be finished. I said to Channel 7, “We will be ready in a week.” But after four weeks there was really no extra progress. So in some ways, it was like "herding cats" to get things finished. I reckon we were about 10 weeks late with what I told Channel 7. I was worried they would cut us from the show, and that is what almost happened. So due to time pressures with Channel 7 and the slow progress, the boys took a short cut and instead testing it by driving around on the chassis. They put the engine in, only to find there was no oil pressure. They had to pull the engine out again to find that a wasp nest ended up in the galleries which caused the problem.
So trying to cut corners did not pay off - which is a lesson for any restorer. Another important issue was taking Un Safe into the salt water, and the concerns arising from that. However, the utmost in preparation was done for this, with thorough cleansing afterwards. I have no concerns that rust will be a factor in her future life.

How were you feeling the day before the launch?
Stressed and “hopefully confident”. Rob McShane, an owner of a mechanic shop at nearby Telarah offered to help. We took Un Safe to his shop to make the most of our time. We knew the GPA was about there, but on any level, it was hard to get the body worker to meet deadlines. So Rob, Kenny Rutherford (my father-in-law) and I spent the whole day and well into the evening with finishing touches. I was just hopeful that nothing went catastrophically wrong...and it didn’t.

How did you feel after unloading the GPA?
It was a great feeling to be there on that beautiful day. The conditions were great, and we were all in the zone.

What issues were you faced with on the day of the launch?
Due to the delays referred to above, and fears of us being cut from the show (after 3 previous days of filming the restoration), we had not had the chance to fully test out Un Safe. We had given her a water float test in the Hunter River, but not a swimming test. This was supposed to happen the Thursday before the filming, but the body worker was unable to get anything done. So actually, Un Safe’s first swim in 50-60 years or longer was during the Channel 7 filming at Palm Beach. So I was “hopefully confident” until that first launch.

Who would you like to thank for their support?
The whole team, Rick Edwards, John Wilson, Rob McShane, Brendon Lynn, Kenny Rutherford, Wayne Whiteley, Jeff Nott, oh and most importantly, my wife Blair - who is the real owner. Having said that about the delays, without the body worker, the restoration may well have become a white elephant. He did a superb job with Un Safe’s body and cabin. He really cared about his work, and came to love the vehicle.

Any other comments you would like to add?
It was such a perfect day for the filming and to have it come together was a thrill. I am sure all those that were there on the day feel that it was great to have seen it. There were many spectators. It was certainly one of the more memorable days in my life. So much happened that day too, like getting stuck in the shallows due to driver error when we first went in, then breaking down on the beach, being towed down the beach in front of a doubting crowd, getting her started again, the spectacular re-entry to the sea, Maritime boat spooking us, Un Safe listing to port (was she sinking I thought?) - all classic moments, each with its own story. I guess that’s what the hobby is all about - getting out there and making it happen. I think the Maritime Officer best summed it up when he yelled out to us,
“Now I’ve seen everything!”.

I guess it might be time for Ben Carlin - The Movie.

The program will be shown on Channel 7 in September or October. It will be on a Sunday night as part of their program “Sunday Night”.
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Jan Thompson
Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Research & Development
THE COROWA YEAR 30 PROJECT
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