AWM Kubelwagen

Mike Kelly · #1 21-04-12, 11:38

Pics here

http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=202487

2nd AIF · #2 21-04-12, 12:17

Come a long way since it was owned by Ken Hughes.

By the way the original door off this is owned by Gerry Van Wyk of the MJCQ

Mike Kelly · #3 21-04-12, 12:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2nd AIF

By the way the original door off this is owned by Gerry Van Wyk of the MJCQ

Is he still kicking .... I recall seeing his replica Kubel at the MJCQ swap meet in 1980 , when it was held at the Cooparoo football ground .. Aussie rules that is , not that mongrel pommy game they like up there. MIKE

2nd AIF · #4 21-04-12, 13:11

1977 was the first outing of it from memory.

Gerry lives up my way at Nanango. His son Mathew lives up at Kingaroy

Mike Cecil · #5 21-04-12, 18:50

The AWM's exhibition, MHT curators and Conservation staff did a lot of work to make that piece of (descriptive word deleted) presentable. It was indeed a Ken Hughes 'restoration'. The flag and sand bags are to cover up some insurmountable problems with the hood/bonnet area. They did a great job: it certainly looks the part in a broad sense, especially with the MG34 and K98s in place. Given the starting point, there was little restriction on what could be done to the vehicle in order to get it ready for display.

Maybe the owner of the original door would like to donate it to the AWM???

Mike C

Wayne Henderson · #6 21-04-12, 23:39

Hi Mike,
I had a look at this one while doing the suspension and pan work on an original here in WA. Did have a few bits "wrong" but it looks brilliant now and only experts will tell the difference.
This was a very early production model from a foggy memory...

Mike Cecil · #7 21-04-12, 23:53

Yes, Wayne, as far as we could tell, it is the earliest surviving Kubel, but virtually the only original part left is the lower pan: the rest is either made up, reproduction, or NOS original.

Still as you say, the AWM staff's efforts have made it presentable enough.

Mike C

2nd AIF · #8 22-04-12, 00:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

The AWM's exhibition, MHT curators and Conservation staff did a lot of work to make that piece of (descriptive word deleted) presentable.

Mike C

The AWM website says its was worked on by the Army after Ken Hughes?

Tony

Quote:

This vehicle was previously restored by No.2 Base Workshop, Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at Moorebank, Sydney in the mid 1980's

.
http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/REL/12478.001

Mike Kelly · #9 22-04-12, 02:47

A VMVC member has one as well , Dominic Kaukas . It was imported a few years back by fellow member , along with a Steyr 1500 4X4 light truck. The Steyr is very original with its air cooled V8 fitted and the original cab still in situ. The Kubel , I believe, was a bundle of bits thrown in the deal .

http://www.vmvc.org.au/Articles/Wehrmacht.html

I've heard , the Kubel in question has been researched , and it was a SS vehicle .

I read of a Kubel replica being made down Geelong way by a MLU member, he might pop up and tell us more

Mike

PS I just dicovered the old VMVC website is still up and running

http://www.vmvc.org.au/vmvc1au/vmvc/...u/index-2.html

The Articles page is well worth a look

http://www.vmvc.org.au/vmvc1au/vmvc/...ewsletter.html

jack neville · #10 22-04-12, 11:17

The replica kugel you refer to Mike was built by myself and Robin Mawson for use with the Geelong Military Re enactment Group quite a few years ago now. We had no vehicle to use to represent the German side so we built the replica on a donated 67 VW Beetle chassis. At that time there was no one making replica panels so I did all the body sheet metal from scratch while Robin took care of the mechanicals. A Kombi rear end was used for the rear reduction drive and to raise the rear end and adapters were made to raise the front end. 16 wheels we made using Ford Prefect rims on VW centers with a 10 mm spacer ring and all welded up. The three pieces were aligned by spinning them on the raised front hub. Not exactly precision engineering but they were within a couple of mm runout and never gave any trouble. The plans we used were nothing more than up scaling a 9th scale Tamiya model and plenty of photos. Michael McMahon did the canvas work. The vehicle looked the part and was great to drive. It did a lot of miles traveling around Australia for re enactment events. We eventually sold it to another collector in Sydney who changed it from Afika Korps livery to Wehmacht grey. He has since added a few more genuine parts which has improved its appearance.

Ryan · #11 22-04-12, 12:06

Here's a pic of a replica kubel (is this the one your talking about Jack?) at the Winchelsea history show in 2011.

Mike Cecil · #12 22-04-12, 16:03

Tony,

Yes, some additional work was carried out by Army. It's a long story, with some less than satisfactory aspects that I don't think are appropriate to go into here, but the bulk of the work was done by Ken H under contract to AWM at the time of the purchase of the Kubal (and a number of other vehicles) from Ken's collection (early 1980s, I think).

I think the Kubel is about the only item the AWM has left. It is, indeed, a long story.

Mike C

jack neville · #13 23-04-12, 01:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

Here's a pic of a replica kubel (is this the one your talking about Jack?) at the Winchelsea history show in 2011.

That is the one Jason. It was originally in Afrika Korps colours. The bloke who owns it now has made it look much better with the original parts he put on it. Essentially though the body is as I finished it and mechanically it is unaltered although I think he might have found a few original engine components, air filter, fan or something to add to it.