Buried Mk 1 Bren carrier restoration

[derk derin]

Dave,
As you can see from the photos of the carriers,I was lucky enough to get the most complete carrier of the bunch with the engine still there.That gave me alot of items still on the carrier that the others did not as the engines were removed.The valves were on the original block in my carrier and the tube with the funnels are mounted by two straps bolted on with the oil pan bolts so it would be easy to mount this system to any engine,carrier or not.I don't know if there are tapped holes in all blocks to thread the drain valves into.I could try and look in the spring but here is a picture of where my carrier is right now.Picture taken Monday!


Derk.

[rob love]

Derk
That is quite the sandstorm you have going there. We get sandstorms over here in KAF as well, but they do not usually form drifts as high as that.

[super dave]

Thanks Dirk, I had a closer look at my block today and only the left side of the block has the hole and taped for the pipe thread but I think I can drill the right side and tap it for another valve. So do both the right and left valves tie into one line and would then drain through a hole in the bottom of the carrier?? I was also looking at my radiator as I seen a picture of a tool to drain the radiator but my rad does not seem to have a drain on it, do all the rads have a drain valve that you know of ?

[derk derin]

Dave,
I was looking in the carrier manual and it does not show drain valves on the rad,probably because there is no room at the bottom of the rad which is why they have the valves on the block to drain the coolant.The drain tubes are Y shaped that tie in both of the drain valves.I have heard of the tool to open and close the valves but it is to reach the valves on the block.I believe you come up from the access hole in the carrier with the tool to reach the tap.
Derk.

[Lynn Eades]

I think the tool is used from the side via the lower side covers. It is a "T" handled tool, with a slot cut in the other end to engage the tap (cock) levers. There is a picture on the carrier tools thread>
I have some drain tubes. They are separate and are a small funnel,(at a guess 40mm dia.) the spout of which, is a bit of copper tube. There is no "Y" that I am aware of. I believe they drain separately from the hull.

[super dave]

Thanks for the description as it make more sense now and I will make up some type of arrangement for the block drain valves.

Dave

[derk derin]

Hi Lynn,
I am going by memory back 6 years ago when it was all apart.What you are explaining sounds right to me.There were 2 separate tubes that joined together and then downward to the bottom of the hull.I can't be sure there is even a hole in the floor to drain through or if it was intended to leak out the oil pan drain hole.If it wasn't winter and -31c out I would look for myself but it will have to wait until spring! As far as the tool,I have only heard of it's existence and have not found one for my collection yet.Thanks for your input on the subject.
Regards,Derk.

[Lynn Eades]

Here's a picture of the tool and the drain pipes. The pipes are a bit beaten up, and the tag was printed for the Aust. pattern carriers, but used by the NZ army stores people for the English/ Canadian carrier parts they stocked.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by derk derin

Hi Lynn,
I am going by memory back 6 years ago when it was all apart.What you are explaining sounds right to me.There were 2 separate tubes that joined together and then downward to the bottom of the hull.I can't be sure there is even a hole in the floor to drain through or if it was intended to leak out the oil pan drain hole.If it wasn't winter and -31c out I would look for myself but it will have to wait until spring! As far as the tool,I have only heard of it's existence and have not found one for my collection yet.Thanks for your input on the subject.
Regards,Derk.

Derk
I have one of those tools, and they should be easy to replicate. We'll whip one out when I get home in the spring.