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

[Darrin Wright]

Painted the 2 smaller boxes (Box Iron Rations & Box Cooking Utensils) and installed them into the hull in the later model LP2A configuration. Bit of a tight fit to get them in with holes drilled to suit the mounting plates.

The local tool shop had a sale, so went down and bought a large G clamp to assist in pushing the wheel pins out. Utilising Colin Jones' method and having picked up a bracket and 2 hook bolts that my Dad had made up 30 years ago to do the same job, I commenced removing the wheel pin from the LHR suspension unit. It eventually came out and I removed the wheel, due to the heat, that's as far as I got with that.

Found my complete engine oil cooler lines and cleaned them up externally with the wire wheel and washed them out with thinners (that's all I had) several times. They have since been undercoated, test fitted in to the hull & bent back into the correct position, and are now painted green ready for installation next weekend. Once the oil cooler and pipes are in, there's no reason not to get the radiator installed.

Used the weather to paint quite a few parts and let them dry during the day or overnight. These parts are either on the vehicle or in a box of like items ready for assembly.