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

[Darrin Wright]

Enough of Jeeps and back to the BGC.

Work has been a bit light on over the last 2 weeks due to various family events, but I have removed the floor steering cam plate and installed the clamps with the bolts and rollers that follow the steering cam plate. Re-installed the steering cam plate. Everything has a good coat of anti-seize as it is an area that collects water and prone to rust. I had new rollers machined up and have also installed new bearings into the rollers.

I flushed out an oil cooler that I had, it is a bit weathered but will do the job, with gunwash. This solution is good for dissolving paint & gunk, fortunately the oil cooler was quite clean. Cleaned the exterior with a wire brush and then attempted to paint is black with an aerosol can. I say attempted because of the large surface area of the cooler, it is very hard to get the paint onto all the surfaces.
When completed and dry, I then bolted the cooler into its brackets. At the moment there are only 2 brackets holding it in, I have mis-placed a bracket so will have to hunt that down or try and find another.

Installed what is left of my oil lines, between oil coolers and check valve. Someone used an axe to cut them and remove the brass valve. So the test fitting was to determine how much I have to repair. I have learnt that early BGC had one piece oil pipes and later BGC have a two piece pipe that aids in the installation process. I will try and repair what I have so that I maintain the one piece pipes.

I have also had stainless braided flex oil hoses made that go between the engine and the check valve, they reside on the shelf for when the engine goes in. The way the year is going that may be around Christmas.

I have run the engine some more, putting a litre of petrol through it on 2 occasions. It is running very well, I have not fiddled with the timing. The starter likes 12V DC, so I may change it over to be a 12V system. Within 1 to 2 rotations of the crank the engine has fired.