Restoration of Hull 731- Carrier, MG (Aust) Mortar Carrying

[Darrin Wright]

In the last 2 weeks I have been busy with Corowa and work on the BGC.
While on day 1 at Corowa I received a call from the engine re-conditioners that the engine was ready to collect, unfortunately not being in a position to collect had to wait until after Corowa. So during my lunch break this week, with trailer, went down to see them and pay for and collect my engine and all the items and new parts from the states. Got it home and unloaded it straight into the workshop.

Through MLU and a good friend I managed a swap of some items that I no longer required that could be used by someone else, for (what I believed to be) an ammunition cover to suit a BGC such as mine. This was delivered through another friend that travelled down from QLD at the start of Corowa. See attached pics, the cover fits like a glove and allows for the 3"ammunition to be stowed in the right hand side under cover from bullets, shrapnel and tree branches. This cover requires some minor repair to the up-right stay and a sand blast and paint, so I am very happy with it.

One night after work I started to look at and prepare the block for assembly, I did find that the engine re-conditioners left the 2 bottom welsh plugs (4 in total in the bottom of the block) in the block when it went into the acid bath, so I popped them out and cleaned out the silt and rust scale with a screwdriver and compressed air.

The engine is now on my temporary work bench waiting for m to commence on the valves and valve seats.

Also waiting on my order of parts from Mac's Auto and still have to chase up some valves as I was hoping that someone would have them at Corowa- no luck there.

[colin jones]

Hey Darrin, looks like you're moving along very well. I pretty sure that cover is a radio cover. It's in fantastic condition and they are quite rare...ish.
Great job and keep the pictures comin.
Colin.

[Euan McDonald]

Hi Colin,
What Darrin didn’t point out is the radio cover has a return around the cover that protects the radio compared to the mortar cover that is just a flat cover with no return.

[colin jones]

Thanks Euan, we learn something every day. Sometimes even more than one
Colin

[Euan McDonald]

Found a pic from Darrins collection showing a LP2 with convertion to 3" mortar and the armour cover over the mortars.

[Darrin Wright]

The week prior to Easter I dropped off my intake manifold for a clean and surface plain- if required. I collected this before Easter and have painted it and installed the PCV assembly onto it and made a blanking gasket for the oil filler tube/hole.
I also received my order from Mac's Auto in the states, so have now wired up the HT leads, tubes and distributor. Very easy as it is all colour coded, instruction sheet provided and you download the wiring diagram from their website.
Something I did overlook when the engine was at the reconditioners, and they failed to inform me, was that when the block was surfaced plained the machining cut into the valve seats. 4 seats also have rust pitting and I thought I could clean these up with a grinding stone cut at 45deg.
I found out that the valve seats must be hardened as they just wore a groove in by stone. So have discussed it with the reconditioners and will most likely take the block back and get the valve seats replaced and cut to suit/match my valves.