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

Darrin Wright · #1 18-08-14, 12:12

Saturday afternoon my wife suggested that we go for a bike ride with the kids, so with the Murray River very low, we decided to go to the causeway between Albury & Wodonga.
Excellent opportunity to check out a number of BGC that were buried many years ago.
Had to hack a path through the black berries and trees
I have known about these vehicles for 26 years and have acquired several parts along the way. back then I counted 12-17 BGC. Now due to tree growth, erosion I counted 5.
Most are LP2 or LP2A, but there was a 2 pdr AT. There is a LP1 (see pic).

The kids enjoyed the adventure, my wife not as much....won't be going for a bike ride there again....

Darrin Wright · #2 18-08-14, 12:28

Apart from bike riding I did do a little work in the shed, got my 2 boys down to assist.
Cut and welded the cable end fitting on to the choke cable, fitted the cable correctly and tightened all the bolts.
These end fittings came from Mac's Auto and are for a dual carby set up, I just cut it in 1/2 and drilled the rods to suit the cable wire. One fitting is a left thread, but that is not a problem.

Also commenced the installation and drilling of holes in the rear shelf for the stowage boxes.
Working from the left, managed to get the 2 left boxes drilled and bolted into position and the large box location drilled. It still requires several coats of paint.

Installed the left front seat to the floor.

Keith Webb · #3 18-08-14, 23:09

Any hull numbers on these Darrin?

And please post more pics! Big ones!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrin Wright

Saturday afternoon my wife suggested that we go for a bike ride with the kids, so with the Murray River very low, we decided to go to the causeway between Albury & Wodonga.
Excellent opportunity to check out a number of BGC that were buried many years ago.
Had to hack a path through the black berries and trees
I have known about these vehicles for 26 years and have acquired several parts along the way. back then I counted 12-17 BGC. Now due to tree growth, erosion I counted 5.
Most are LP2 or LP2A, but there was a 2 pdr AT. There is a LP1 (see pic).

The kids enjoyed the adventure, my wife not as much....won't be going for a bike ride there again....

Luke R · #4 19-08-14, 11:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrin Wright

Saturday afternoon my wife suggested that we go for a bike ride with the kids, so with the Murray River very low, we decided to go to the causeway between Albury & Wodonga.
Excellent opportunity to check out a number of BGC that were buried many years ago.
Had to hack a path through the black berries and trees
I have known about these vehicles for 26 years and have acquired several parts along the way. back then I counted 12-17 BGC. Now due to tree growth, erosion I counted 5.
Most are LP2 or LP2A, but there was a 2 pdr AT. There is a LP1 (see pic).

The kids enjoyed the adventure, my wife not as much....won't be going for a bike ride there again....

So when will you be digging out the LP1 Darrin

Darrin Wright · #5 19-08-14, 11:49

These hulls are usually under 3-4 m of water; however, when the river is low and you know where to go, you get to see them.

I was told that they were bought from Bandiana after the war by either the SEC, Baker Motors or a truck wreckers in Wodonga. When they had been stripped they were taken to the river bank to stabilise the bank from erosion.

The willows have grown up and around them, in some cases the trees have pulled the hulls apart.
water and rust have also eaten them up, at times trees have fallen on them or they have been hit by logs floating down stream.
The mainly complete exposed hull had an air scoop in it, but a tree and rust have removed it.
The 2 pdr AT hull has either sunk into the river bed or been washed/dragged down stream.
Some of the other hulls are now so overgrown that they have disappeared into the river bank.
The armour of the LP1 has cracked and is very rusted.
All the hulls have been stripped, so data plates are gone and the rear of the hulls is down in the water and overgrown. Rust has had a big effect on these.
I have managed to salvage some parts from them over the years, but they are only good to use as patterns.
The hull under the tree (log in front) was dragged out from the river many years ago, how and by whom I do not know. It has been used as a incinerator and rubbish skip in the last few years. But the steel in places is laminating off with rust.

Just an interesting piece of local history that gave me an excuse for a bike ride.

jack neville · #6 19-08-14, 13:39

So the bank needed stabilising and someone thought of using some scrapped carriers as re-enforcing. Amazing how some peoples minds think. Reminds me of a loading ramp I heard of in Victoria somewhere made of No.27 limbers. Someone got a stack of just the boxes and formed them into a U shape. The inside was filled with dirt making the ramp.

Didn't see it, just heard the story.

Good idea for a new thread. 'Interesting things ex military vehicles/equipment have been transferred in to.'

Darrin Wright · #7 13-09-14, 09:42

Well it has been awhile since I have been on MLU, getting side-tracked with a new career.

Last weekend (Fathers Day) we took the Jeep out for a picnic down to some waterfalls. Loaded the trailer with all the necessary items and went driving. Let the boys go gold panning, still poor....
Probably did about 120km for the day, checked out some camp sites and antique shops in some local towns.
Have done some minor jobs on the BGC. More to follow...

Darrin Wright · #8 13-09-14, 09:48

The other weekend I commenced stripping the spare parts (junk) hull of all useable parts with the oxy acetylene torch.
Managed to salvage the steering box and column, steering cam plate, steering cam, conduit, bogie suspension units, some vision cover parts and started to cut the back off the hull for the rear diff.
That is when I ran out of oxy....another weekend with more gas.

Then will load it up with all my scrap steel and get it taken to the scrap dealers. That will tidy up the yard and workshop a bit.

Darrin Wright · #9 14-09-14, 09:36

have installed the front gunners/passengers seat into the hull and fitted the seat adjuster/locking rails.

The parts manual list an earth strap to be fitted in the engine bay, pictures are vague as to where it goes. Reading the workshop manual is not much help, but I did see what appears to be a cable in the LHR of the engine area. So I have fitted a copper braided earth strap from a rear sump bolt to the bolt that secures the oil pressure valve bracket. This should reduce poor earthing problems, also the rear engine stabiliser rods should create an earth as well.