LP2 SAR Hull No 316 Restoration.

[Matt Stephenson]

Hello everyone,

First of all I need to introduce myself, my name is Matt Stephenson, I'm a police officer from the Albury-Wodonga area and the proud owner of LP2 South Australian Railways Hull number 316, built in 1941.

I purchased the hull in a fairly badly cut down state from a mechanic, who in turn had bought it from a farmer who had it on his farm since the Army disposed of it way back when..... As with most carriers it was used, abused and modified, at some point having a dozer blade attached to the front. It also became a valuable source of flat steel the farmer could easily access with an oxy torch whenever the need arose. Now its up to me to try and put it back to how it should be.

I've been fortunate enough that I've grown up around vintage and veteran vehicles and have some experience with the restoration process, just not with a military vehicle though. I'm by no means an expert, and will never claim to be, so please forgive if from time to time my questions sound silly, or the answer is obvious.

To date, I've begun the process of restoring the old girl to her former glory, and the long task of chasing down missing parts, equipment and bits and pieces to do it right. Prior to being accepted onto the forum, I have viewed the restoration of Darrin Wright's carrier in awe. He certainly sets a very high standard that I can only hope to emulate and achieve with mine.

Anyway, attached are a few pics of my carrier as I bought it. I will post more pics of the restoration as it proceeds. Thanks for having me on your forum.

Matt.