Introducing the Chaco carrier

[nuyt]

We have seen the Surabaya Tankette, now let's hear it for the Chaco carrier.

The remains of some sort of Vickers tracked tractor can be found in a prestigious Paraguayan Museum.

It supposedly served during the Great Chaco War in the 1930s. Is it a hoax and are we acutally looking at the running gear of a Universal Carrier?

Or is this some long forgotten commercial Vickers product, only sold to South America (and boy, these guys sold a LOT during the Chaco War!).

I have posted the pictures on The Overvalwagen Forum:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/33033...+in+the+troops

Enjoy it and if possible, help ID the poor fellow!

Nuyt

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

It looks like a standard carrier with the hull flipped upside down and the bogies re-attached (flip the second picture upside down and ignore the bogies). That, and the engine is reversed and there are some mighty tall tiller bars.

[rob love]

I almost agree with Bruce, except it apears just the front portion of the hull was flipped over. You can see the line of rivets where the upside down portion meets the upside up portion. Doesn't leave a lot of room for the front idler, if it was even reattached. They may have tried to short track it without an idler.

Looks like it has a cmp type transfer case sitting in the back.

I have seen that type of tiller bar setup before in Northern Ontario. There is usually a seat mounted over the axle. Seemed to be a last resort when you couldn't get the geometry of the brake and steering linkages to work.

And I thought it was only Canadian farmers who did these modifications.

[Lynn Eades]

I'd say it's an agricultural tractor built from a Universal Carrier or T16(were T 16's riveted? this hull seems long to the join at the division plate) Like the previous two said the front of the hull has been un stitched at the division plate shortened, and flipped.(the rear end remains up the same way) The two lift/tow eyes are still there underneath.(along with the original crank handle fitting) Id guess the only steering would be via the brakes, and the drive axle is now the front of the vehicle.The power unit has been shifted to allow room for the transfercase(with PTO) The suspension units have been swapped end for end.
(Can someone enlighten me about T16 drivelines? Do they have a transfercase?)

[Tony Smith]

I'd agree it's an agricultural unit. The inlet manifold appears to have a "can" around the inlet, I'd guess to allow either exhaust gas or engine coolant to heat Kerosene fuel.
The CMP transfer is mounted such that the engine/diff axis runs through the output shaft side of the t/case, meaning the PTO and the shaft facing the rear (original t/case input shaft) can be selected for either 1:1 engine speed or at 87% overdrive.

[Nigel Watson]

For what its worth guys in initially I thought wow this could be something rare but have to say I think it is a carrier rear section that has been modified at the front. The Vickers Armstrong Dragon 50 (VAD 50) prototype doesn't have that rivetted front section added. What is possible is that it has been adapted for agricultural use as you guys say, officially adapted I mean. The front lower panel is the thorn because it does resemble the VAD 50 panel. The Ford V8 is a late model block isn't it. 48T is that not a 1944 truck unit?

Interesting though.

Nigel

[rob love]

It would appear that the two rear roadwheels are actually the front idlers adapted to road wheel service. They look thinner than the front wheel.
In the photo of the engine, you can still see the old rad mount holes on the carrier frame. With the space used up by the t-case, the rad must have been relocated into the pocket formed at the front of the carrier. And there is also a brace running from one of the old gas tank holes over to the rear double roadwheel unit. Looks like a brakesteer only unit.
If any company did re-manufacture these, brakesteer only never did last too long. My money is on a farmer mod. And if so don't let the engine throw you, a farmer will use whatever engine is handy and still running. If any company had done this, you would think they would have at least put the tow hooks back on the top.

[nuyt]

Thank you very much gentlemen for the help.
I guess the Museum's claim is unfounded, though they may not be aware of it...

Kind regards,
Nuyt