salvage starts

[hrpearce]

NRMA has payed the blitz out so now I can pull it to pieces and see what is still usable.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Robert,

I don't know what to say. With all the Corona news, we almost forgot about the fire terror you had in Australia.
It's very sad to see your truck in this condition. Please keep us updated on your findings; maybe MLU-ers can help out.

Alex

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

NRMA has payed the blitz out so now I can pull it to pieces and see what is still usable.

Hi Robert,
A sad task after all the work you put in to it, but let us hope you can resurrect her or at least salvage a lot of the parts. It will be like Phoenix rising from the ashes. Good to see you again at Corowa this year.

regards, Richard

[Dinty]

Yes, I had heard that some members had been affected by the fires, with property losses etc, I know I would be utterly gutted if it happened to me, I really feel for you and anyone else who has been through the fires, I hope you can salvage some of it, I have always liked your Chev, it was a bench mark one for me, all the best mate cheers dennis

[blitz]

It took a big toll on my father, including having to shoot a lot of his sheep, with burnt teets etc, when we got burnt out in the 1960’s Robert, when I was very young and I was told my grandfather got burnt out in different parts of the property, twice in the one year in 1930’s. It is a hard thing to get over.

The good thing is you are safe, have been through the worst of it and it should be all onwards and upwards from here.

We rebuilt some of our machinery after the fires and the metal work on your blitz, looks quite straight. With all the bush around Kinglake and with the heat that the timber generated in the black Saturday fires, a lot of the vehicles were not rebuildable. Let us know if we can assist with some parts. I scored another chev with chassis damaged by the winch recently. Your blitz will be better second time around, for sure.

[hrpearce]

A bit more off today. Slow going the heat wrecked the cages on a lot of nuts and the slotted screws don't want to turn even with an impact driver.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Gutted to see this, Robert!

But glad to see you are o.k. and are getting back on the horse, so to speak.

[hrpearce]

Two 20' containers arrived today and the tractor and dozer pulled and pushed them onto the slab remaining from the big shed. When the roof is delivered it will cover both containers and have a 6 x 7 M covered area between them.

[hrpearce]

Phill was here last week to remove usable parts from the inter. As parts were removed the heat damage became more evident, the rear axles were banana shaped and the chassis had many twists. I didn't take photos the first day, Phill did take some and they may turn up in the future.

[Philliphastings]

Rob and I beavered away trying to save anything we could off the poor old 6x6.

Unfortunately the heat was so intense that most of the mechanicals were completely destroyed.

We did manage to save some of the cabin sheet metal and exhaust system complete, as well as brushbar, winch fairlead roller front assembly tac plate holders, blackouts a tub full of hardware fittings and one seat frame.

I am already in the process of phosfor treating the best parts for incorporation into my other two 4x4 restorations.

Thanks again for all your help Rob so that parts of W11 will live on 👍

Cheers

Phill

[hrpearce]

Last parts removed from blitz, some may not be usable, time will tell.
Cordless angle grinder and rattle gun got quite a workout, used five batteries for the day.