LP2A found and recovered

Justin Pollard · #1 06-07-08, 11:09

Hello All,after hearing lots of stories and chasing up many leads on carriers which all ended in dead ends finally a break through!

.
Found this little Sweetheart,It was bought from a surplus auction
after the war and then
sat in the paddock and used as an anvil!.apparently the farmer who bought it found the steel to hard to cut.(thank goodness).so added a pipe clamp and half a steel wagon rim and used it to bend and hammer stuff.

Justin Pollard · #2 06-07-08, 11:14

So into the Rangie yesterday and a 1000KM round trip in one day and the old girls home!

.still has the original ID plate.

Justin Pollard · #3 06-07-08, 11:20

The old Girl at home,there was one hole cut into the R/H side at the rear,about 12" round.
If i hadnt got hold of it the scrappies would of had it next week.

Max Hedges · #4 06-07-08, 11:33

well done
what does the inside look like
Max

ron · #5 06-07-08, 11:53

Hi Justin,
Well done what a great find cogratulations.I will look forward to following your progress, yet another one has been saved.
Regards,
Ron,

Bob Moseley (RIP) · #6 06-07-08, 12:25

Hi Justin - just replied to your PM. I can take the images off here. Well done, especially with the Maker's Plate intact. I suppose you will need a second panel soon, although I would be concentrating on this Carrier and put #1902 on hold. ANOTHER ONE SAVED, HALLELUYA!!

Bob

aj.lec · #7 06-07-08, 12:47

Congratulations Justin

Looks like a pearler

phoenix · #8 07-07-08, 03:43

Nice find justin, Congrats!

Justin Pollard · #9 07-07-08, 11:09

Thanks all for your comments,I,ll take some pics of the inside once i clean 60 years of dirt out of it!.
Max,The inside still has a lot of the original fittings and looks to be pretty good.
Bob,this is definatley first on the list over 1902.

Justin.

Rod Diery · #10 19-07-08, 04:01

Good find Justin. Isn't it remarkable that such good carriers are still out there after so many years of neglect?

Cheers
Rod

Justin Pollard · #11 19-07-08, 12:02

Hello Rod,
Yes its unreal that there are still some out there like this,But there are going to be less and less with the scrap dealers pushing the way they are.so nows the time to be saving them.
Heres a pic of the inside front now that i,ve cleaned four inches of dirt out.

Eric Szalanda · #12 21-07-08, 13:01

Justin,
good to see that you got one. Typical rusted out floor.
I am in the process of fabricating new seatmounts, pedal mounts and control pivots. The seat mounts are the same as the English carrier, but I doubt that there aren't many of those around either. The pivots are uniquely Australian though. They will have to be turned and threaded. Unless I can find a suitable stepped bolt.

Good luck.

ron · #13 22-07-08, 01:16

Hi Justin,
When you get a chance could you have a look at the front tow eye and tell us what number is stamped on it please? On other carriers other than Met gas this number is the tow eye part number, but on Met gas ones it is not I believe it may be an assembly number I have looked at a few of them and they are all different, maybe anyone else out there could check their Met gas carriers its annother piece for the puzzle,
Regards, Ron

ron · #14 22-07-08, 02:12

Hi Eric,
Here is a couple of shots of old and new mounts ,Its much easier to make new ones than bother with the old rusty stuff that is too far gone,
Do you have any pics of your progress on the british carrier yet ?
regards, Ron

ron · #15 22-07-08, 02:30

Hi Justin,
Just a little hint for you,I suggest that when you start to rewire your carrier that you do it before you fit the air scoop,the job is so much easier without it being in place in fact its better to do it before anything else is fitted in either the front compartment or the rear, also here is a pic of the steering cam plate and new rollers and main cross shaft fitted into place jus to test the operation of the cross shaft,
Regards, Ron

Justin Pollard · #16 22-07-08, 09:53

Hello Ron,Thanks for that info.
The number on my towing ring is 422.
I also found some stencilled numbers on the Bulkhead behind the seats,but on the other side and covered by the air scoop,cant really make them out but they are in black.i took a pic but didnt come out real well,has any one else seen this?.
They would have to be done when it was being built.

Justin Pollard · #17 22-07-08, 09:56

Hello Eric,I,m very happy with my find,and thanks for the info.
The floor has some pretty bad pitting but nothing that will give me to much grief.

ron · #18 22-07-08, 10:31

Hi Justin,
Thanks for the information regarding the number on the towing eye,I just hope that other owners will check this out its just another little bit of the jig saw puzzle,I removed my air scoop before we sand blasted the hull along with all of the other fittings oil cooler etc,but did not see any writing on the wall it was more than likely there but time and weather takes its toll, after your hull is sand blasted you will never notice the pitting on the floor, and whats the worst? mate you have your carrier and a little piece of Australian history, once again congratulations on a great find,
please keep the pics coming
Regards, Ron

Justin Pollard · #19 23-07-08, 12:02

Thanks Ron,I finished grinding all the old brackets etc that had been welded on by the farmer,so progress is being made!.

Justin Pollard · #20 23-07-08, 12:10

Hello All,
This might be a bit hard to see but this is some of the stencilling i found on the wall under the airscoop.

ron · #21 31-08-08, 12:02

Hi Justin,
Any updates on your Met Gas 2753? just wondering how it is coming along?
Regards, Ron

Justin Pollard · #22 01-09-08, 12:14

Hello Ron,
Very slow progress at the moment,but i now have all the dirt and crud removed,the seats out,floor controls out,and a lot of other little fittings removed.
the floor under the plate that has the pedals on it is in surprisingly good condition.which is good news!.
I,ll post some pics tomorrow.

Justin.

ron · #23 01-09-08, 13:29

Hi Justin,
Thanks for the reply. I will look forward to seeing the new pics of your progress,
Thanks
Regards Ron

Justin Pollard · #24 02-09-08, 12:10

Hello All,
here are some pics of 2753,s progress,i havnt spent a lot of time on it lately but have just been stripping bits out and putting them away.

Justin Pollard · #25 02-09-08, 12:11

Justin Pollard · #26 02-09-08, 12:14

Straightened up the storage box tray,still a bit more to do on it.but its in good nick otherwise.

Justin Pollard · #27 02-09-08, 12:17

I,m thinking i might paint it in desert colours,and was wondering if anyone has a pic of one finished in the sand colour,i know there was one at Corowa,but the only pic i have of it is in the background.

Regards
Justin.

ron · #28 02-09-08, 13:51

Hello Justin.
Thanks for the update and pics, its looking good, its a very nice straight hull,nice to see that it has found a good home
Regards Ron

Justin Pollard · #29 19-12-08, 12:42

Hello All,
time for a bit of an update on 2753.
I,ve been cleaning it up slowly using a sanding wheel and today found an interesting marking on the front plate,the more i sanded it the clearer it became.

Justin Pollard · #30 19-12-08, 12:46

Anyway i sanded some more and 422 appeared in large flowing script,i have marked it out in chalk exactly as it is.
The number 422 is also stamped into the middle towing lug,
Ron,i reckon this would back up what you were thinking about the METGAS carriers been numbered with some sort of sequential build number.

Justin.