My T16 Carrier

[andrew honychurch]

what are days off from the office if they are not for working on vehicles then? Spent 4 or 5 hours today getting to grips with the T16. Its been something like 26 years since I last had a really good look around her and that would have been the last time that I drove it. Time has not done it any favours its fair to say. Unfortunately the garage where it has been stored was damp and did have some leaks so the floors are pretty ghastly but no serious rot. I agree with David that the floor seems to have a laminate which is now coming off. I was forced to speculate what it is, I think its a rubber/heavy painted surface rather than metal. It even looks like paper on one piece I removed. Anyway, the carrier is going to weigh about 1/2 ton lighter when all the loose rust is removed. The good thing is that she is all there, all though I seem to have mislaid a couple of smaller items for the engine. Oil filter bracket and air cleaner elbow. not quite sure how they went but they may turn up yet. Its definitely a full strip down and I can see that it has had new track covers welded in when it left Pounds in about 1978. I will do them again as they are not really that good, and the previous owner has put white silicone sealer in the corner! I am going to post some photos of it as it is, and whilst this is not a record attempt in terms of the time I expect the restoration to take, it may be fun to keep you posted with developments as per Davids marvellous rebuild. Photos to follow. A

[andrew honychurch]

[horsa]

Nice shots. The voltage regulator you have is the much more rare Ford pattern housing so restore it even if you need to put modern guts inside. The other pattern was more common and had a housing like found on half tracks and jeeps.

And there won't be an oil filter on the T-16. Just the pre-filter used when adding oil and you have that on the engine already between the fuel pump and carby. The oil bath engine air filter hangs from the engine top armor so that's probably what you are referring to I guess since the two mounts are visible hanging down. The filter is really large and has two compartments.

[andrew honychurch]

Ahah, no oil filter then! someone has been trying to confuse me as there is a US pattern Junior filter sitting loose on the floor! So it seems the brackets for the air cleaner are there and good to hear about the control regulator being early and desirable. Looking at the photos of your Carrier, it seems the oil coolers are located differently to mine? Will go and have another look now.

A

[horsa]

The junior filter is the pattern used on a jeep. I was also surprised that the bigger V8 had no filter since there is plenty of space for one.

Somewhere on my restoration thread you'll see the regular voltage regulator. Both were used on and off throughout production for some reason so not sure if there was a supply problem or two final assembly facilities. Your type with the external strap is taller as it sticks outward towards the driver and less encountered. But it is shown more in the manuals.

On the oil coolers, the early hull like mine had them separated and had the fuel filter at the rear over the final drive. The later hull had them together in front of the radiator and the fuel filter was up front with them. To make things more confusing, the oil coolers were a different pattern, and I have the later pattern on an early hull. I had to scratch build all of my oil lines so was able to make it all work. But now that you know about it, I'll have to kill you so you can't tell anyone else

[andrew honychurch]

Ha! right ho. I have been sitting watching TV looking at my manuals and had worked out the fuel filter had moved but cannot see quite where it fits up front. Its not there on mine right now. In fact the fuel pump is connected directly to one fuel tank. I dont think the guys we bought it off were too fussed by doing the job in too much detail, but there again, back then restorations were not of the quality that they are today. To answer an earlier question that I have only just noticed, with apologies, I am restoring a non MV, early Range Rover which is another of my interests. So far, over the years I have restored a Dingo, an M5 Stuart , two Half Tracks , a DUKW, an M8 and a Daimler Armoured Car. I lost interest in the hobby for a while after 20 odd years and sold most of my vehicles. Fortunately, I have kept a few including the T16 which I am really excited by. The first one I saw was owned by Mitch Hickman and came out of packing case! It was subsequently sold to the Budge Collection and then on to a museum in the US I believe. ( did I mention this before? ) I just love the way a carrier glides over the ground with the fabulous deep down burble of the flat head. I do know where there is a Windsor Carrier, straight out of the UK army, and sitting without turning a track for probably 40 years. It has the hood still erected and reputedly is delivery mileage! Sadly, the chap will not sell but its good to know there are still one or two nuggets out there to be found. I recall a friend owning a Windsor but he always struggled with it. It seemed that the engine was not powerful enough to power the tracks when it was trying to turn. Was this a fault of the longer track length or was it just his machine? Sorry, ramble over !

[The Bedford Boys]

Nice and complete. Splash of paint and away you go!!