It's now official I have a carrier platoon.

kevin powles · #1 07-04-11, 20:43

Wife's away visiting her mum, so what do you do when she's away?, yes thats right spend two weeks in Las Vegas and when you get back spend the proceeds on another carrier, she dont now about either at the moment so dont tell her otherwise I'm 'dead'.

It's another Mk1 with standard stowage arrangement, 95% complete and uncut, just gotta collect it. I was suprised when i saw it, thought the bottom might of been rusted out but all looks solid with lots of carrier jewelry inside, got it for a reasonable price to.

It's funny I bought the last two carriers when she was on holiday to.

Kevin.

shaun · #2 07-04-11, 22:31

well done Kevin, thats 7 carriers in this area now ! Looking forward to taking a peek.

RichardT10829 · #3 08-04-11, 00:10

is it the Hegerow carrier i fighted tooth and nail for (but got zip)

Dave Schindel · #4 08-04-11, 02:40

Your wife is going to stop going on holidays!!

chris vickery · #5 08-04-11, 03:50

Kevin, sounds fair enough to me alright...
Wifey goes on a $$$ vacation to Vegas, you need your bit as well!
Thats how I work it.

kevin powles · #6 14-04-11, 21:51

Hey, The wife didnt go to Vegas. Heres are some pics.

The horn conduit bush is the same which go's behind the rear number plate on the conduit to the tail/axle toggle switch. Not seen the conduit for the horn before.

Grenade box attachment arrangement.

more pics to follow.

kev.

kevin powles · #7 14-04-11, 22:08

more pics,

Jack handle holder and boys mono pod retainer.
boys muzzle holder.
brass gear shift?.
early sprung track adjusters.
gunner and driver ammo bins, (I will restore these).

kev.

kevin powles · #8 14-04-11, 22:17

more pics,

front gunners rest.
asbestos to dispose of.
dash board armour mounted fuse, mounted in the wrong place, what does this supply?.
rifle rest with cable holder.
Early air cleaner instructions.

kev.

RichardT10829 · #9 14-04-11, 22:40

Excelent stuff Kevin when i first saw this one i knew it would be a good project... i have no doubt you will resurect it to the same excelent standard as the Tank Hunter......

we have not seen the progress on the Mortar carrier, do you have any pics of that one ?

Lynn Eades · #10 14-04-11, 23:04

"Nurse, Check his temperature...... He must be running a fever!"

Are there any British built MkI's in the U.K?

What is the bracket at the far right of the 2nd to last picture for?

RichardT10829 · #11 14-04-11, 23:18

lynn its where the smoke discharger handle mounts too the bike brake type handle that is...

kevin powles · #12 15-04-11, 00:46

Lynn, I have yet to see a British built Carrier here in the Uk.

Richard, Check out the thread on 'carrier spotted heading for US', I will be putting in the vision metalwork and glass this coming week.

The new carrier takes priority until stripped and primed, will check out the carriers numbers, this carrier would of had its data plate on the drivers wing.

kev.

Ben · #13 15-04-11, 08:18

My carrier, Early pawl spring suspension, is a British built one........

Ben

kevin powles · #14 15-04-11, 21:09

I have stripped out the vision slot mechanism which were all intact on this carrier, I would advise to anyone doing this to use plenty of heat on the retaining nuts as you dont want to shear anything off or burr anthing over, use a propane gas bottle to heat the nuts up, its worth investing in a long shank drill to take out those split pins on the top pivots before teasing everything loose, All the fitting are unique and will have to be machined up if damaged.

I also split the track down into short lengths, with about 80% of it being in usable condition.

Lynn Eades · #15 17-04-11, 01:54

This is what CTL7338 should look like.

kevin powles · #16 17-04-11, 13:19

Yes Lynn, those pics of the vision mech i posted are from this website not my actual parts. you wont buy one of those anyway only the nuts from brian.

kev.

Lynn Eades · #17 17-04-11, 22:58

The pictures are Jordans

kevin powles · #18 20-04-11, 00:42

Hi, Started stripping out the carrier. Noticed this early carrier has the cam dust/dirt cover still in place. Rear axle a little different on these early ones too.

Kevin.

Lynn Eades · #19 20-04-11, 08:33

Is this going to be one of those Canadian carriers assembled for the British, with the British supplied componentry? Do you have its ID plate? The spring pad axle is interesting. I havent seen that before on a riveted carrier.
The pedals look like brit ones to me.(there has been discussion on here before about the early canadian carriers having these pedals. Mine are marked "M&G limited". Any idea who the manufacturer is?

RichardT10829 · #20 20-04-11, 09:49

is it possible it is not the factory built axle ? i know during military service they had a stock pile of axle units so they could change them out in a one'r so the brakes and diff etc could be changed in one fell swoop ?

it certainly does look like a truck axle or some sort of sprung system vehicle.

thing i love about carriers is they throw up so many questions and little hidden gems which you can miss but find months down the line !

Kevin clearly you have an eye for a good carrier project i remember saying myself "The Mk1 would be a good one" but never thought it would be as complete as it is.

Lynn Eades · #21 20-04-11, 10:25

The "normal" carrier axle is from the Torque tube drive (1938? Brit style truck axle) so the axle in your carrier has the two bolt lugs on each side (front and bottom) where the stays bolt on. The 1940 style axle like in the Australian carriers, has the spring pads. Is this a standard later type carrier axle from Ford of Canada?

eddy8men · #22 20-04-11, 22:04

my early mk1* has the same type of axle, it also has british style headlights, instruments and pedals. i understand that early on, the canadians did not have all their own components to assemble the carriers and relied on the british to supply certain parts until their production could catch up.

eddy

Lynn Eades · #23 20-04-11, 22:29

I think it was more that Britain could not meet its own needs, and came up with a deal, where they supplied the various components (mainly electrical), and Canada put those bits in hulls that Ford of Canada built.
If you dont own or havent seen Nigels books, I think you will find them facinating. I highly recommend them to anyone with an interest in carriers.

kevin powles · #24 20-04-11, 22:29

I thought that axle flat was there to accomodate a cold 1 pint glass of beer whilst working on the rear of the carrier, co's that's what i was using it for today and it works quite well!.

Lynn, I will check for numbers over the bank holiday weekend, the data plate holes for this one are on the front drivers wing.

Kevin.

RichardT10829 · #25 20-04-11, 22:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin powles

I thought that axle flat was there to accomodate a cold 1 pint glass of beer whilst working on the rear of the carrier, co's that's what i was using it for today and it works quite well!.

Lynn, I will check for numbers over the bank holiday weekend, the data plate holes for this one are on the front drivers wing.

Kevin.

well yes that was its primary role but mainly for carriers destined for north africa

holds carlsberg very well har har har !

kevin powles · #26 20-04-11, 22:43

Rich, I like dark beer most 'Adnams broardside' is the best.

Because this is an early carrier 1939 to 1941, I am going to paint it in the Caunter pattern for it to be different. I would be interested to have details you gathered together when reserching this Richard.

Lynn Eades · #27 20-04-11, 22:46

I think as part of the Brit specifications, thats where they all were.
The early Canadian ones were also on the right front guard (wing) until they changed the location. (I think the Canadians worked out that the front guards took a hammering, and often needed to be replaced,so that having the I.D. plate mounted on an item with a short life , was a mistake)

kevin powles · #28 20-04-11, 23:05

Lynn, You really do have alot of carrier parts there, that first data plate is that Canadian ?. You dont happen to know of any data plates going spare, are they made of brass ?.

Kevin.

Lynn Eades · #29 20-04-11, 23:16

Its more that I keep a lot of images. No I dont have any spare. I could do with one for my AOP, and for a Canadian Universal. I do have however an original 3 inch mortar carrier plate. I think both these plates are Ex Brit carriers.
The one I have for my LP Bren is also a copy.
Yes they are made of brass/ bronze/ gun metal/ brassy looking metal or what ever.
If you need a plate, and you are happy with a copy, I may be able to borrow one and have it copied. Let me know, and I'll do some research.

kevin powles · #30 20-04-11, 23:21

Thanks lynn, would like to get a Canadian data plate for this carrier if it looks the part. I guess all I need to find out is the W.D. number, this carrier also has the rements of some info on the drivers side armour, anyone know the best way of bringing this out to see it more clearly.

I would like a plate Lynn.

Thanks Kevin.