T-16 S/N 5399 T.D. 97377 Restoration

[horsa]

We are pretty fortunate here in the USA to still be able to own live machine guns, mortars and artillery pieces. Anti-gun organizations are always trying to change this though and they also have a dislike of armoured vehicles being privately owned.

It’s nice to be able to restore these weapons related items while we can though. They go with the carriers and help to round out the presentation while preserving the history. Course like the carriers, there are few lightweight parts. Makes it a real challenge when it comes time to cleaning it after a weekend of live firing.

[horsa]

I'm always on the lookout for strategic spare parts for the carrier. Recently came across what I believe to be replacement axle shafts for the front idler wheel brackets. I've not found any reference to them being an individual part in the T-16 manuals but they look exactly the same as what I have on my carrier.

These are still in the wartime packing wax for the most part. Wondering if anyone has ever seen something like this for the T-16 or other variations within the Universal Carrier family of vehicles since it was probably interchangeable.

[Ben]

Yes they look like spare shafts for the front idler mount. I had to press one out and replace with a better one. Mine had a part number on the larger inboard end. Handy spares but they can be a job to press in/out.

Ben

[andrew honychurch]

hi David, and Ben. Seasons Greetings to you both and best wishes for 2012. I had bto say that I have not seen these parts around but I would imagine that they are serviceable items. It would seem a waste to throw away the whole front idler if there was a fault on the shaft. Short of a collision though I cannot think of a reason that you will need one!! Lets hope there are no collisions.

[horsa]

Appreciate the confirmation that they are indeed front idler axles. Hopefully I'll never need them which is what makes them strategic spare parts. I've also got a spare complete bogie suspension assembly stashed away. But it was a rusted take-off item.

Figure they aren't making parts anymore and eventually all the spares will dry up. One accident could turn a decent running vehicle into a flower pot. Such was the case with our M29C Weasel when my brother was driving it like it was a new-made 4 wheeler down on some ranch property in south Texas in and out of ditches at high speed. He had a total separation of all four track bands on one side and wound up dug into the dirt thirty feet ahead of the thrown track. Took me two years to rebuild the track (actually did both sides) and it was only possible because I had spares. There are more Weasels rotting away for lack of tracks than there are running Weasels.

I don't let my brother anywhere near my jeep or carrier

Hope your M20 project is winding down Andrew. I'm getting anxious to get started on mine again now that its all torn down. Dismounted the tyres by hand over this past weekend so the rims would be ready when I decide to take everything to the sand blaster. I need to be patient though and wait out the cold weather since I do my painting in the back yard.

[horsa]

Some Carrier Candy made from Unobtanium that I was recently able to import from OZ where it has sat for several years waiting for unrelated issues to be resolved there.



One of the items is a Bren mount with cradle. The other is heavy Australian mount used on their carriers up front for a Vickers or Bren. The Vickers cradle would simply drop in as shown in one of the attached photos. The Bren could be used with the cradle pictured with the other mount but it would have had a larger lower section that fit into the mount. The cradle shown with the Bren has the same lower section as found on the pogo sticks.

Now the dilemma of what to do with them. Add one or both to my carrier which wouldn't be strictly correct. Or cave in to the wishes of the wife and kids. Kids want the Vickers to be mounted in the rear cargo area on the M29C Weasel and the wife wants the Bren for her '32 Citroen that is used by her FFI maquis group. Neither of these is strictly correct either so I've told them I might sell them and buy more firearms and beer

[Marc van Aalderen]

How many cans of beer do you want for the Vickers parts? I am interested to buy/swap.

Cheers,

[ozm29c]

Originally Posted by horsa

Some Carrier Candy made from Unobtanium that I was recently able to import from OZ where it has sat for several years waiting for unrelated issues to be resolved there.



One of the items is a Bren mount with cradle. The other is heavy Australian mount used on their carriers up front for a Vickers or Bren. The Vickers cradle would simply drop in as shown in one of the attached photos. The Bren could be used with the cradle pictured with the other mount but it would have had a larger lower section that fit into the mount. The cradle shown with the Bren has the same lower section as found on the pogo sticks.

Now the dilemma of what to do with them. Add one or both to my carrier which wouldn't be strictly correct. Or cave in to the wishes of the wife and kids. Kids want the Vickers to be mounted in the rear cargo area on the M29C Weasel and the wife wants the Bren for her '32 Citroen that is used by her FFI maquis group. Neither of these is strictly correct either so I've told them I might sell them and buy more firearms and beer

G'day David,
I know very little about machine guns (even after 20 years in the Navy ) but you mentioned fitting a machine gun to your weasel. I have attached a photo of a machine gun fitted to an M29C in British service. Perhaps this would help you keep your weasel "Original".
Cheers
John W.