Some pictures of my new carrier

[Jordan Baker]

HAd to make one of the asbestos retention frames as the original was too far gone. I only realized this once it had been removed from the engine cover and I pulled the padding off. I ended up having to form the metal myself and although it was a rather simple piece I am proud that I did it all on my own. After checking with my uncle about him welding it at work with the mig, he thought it might be too thin for what they had. He recomended I try to solder. So thats what I did and those joints are strong.

I also got my battery rods ready for installation and got some newish wingnuts for them. Interestingly enough both rods are NOS with the part #'s/dates stamped into them. However one is painted semi-gloss black while the other is KG#3.

Finally I also got some of those little dished washers for the headlamps. These came off of a rusted out headlamp I had. Since the headlamp was useless I didn't really pay much attention to it until this weekend when I thought the washers may be in good shape. Sure enough after cutting the headlamp off they were fine. Now I just need 10 more.

[Jordan Baker]

Got a pleasent surprise when I retunred home from work today. There was a Postal drop-off slip waiting for me. So I rush off to the post office thinking it was one thing only to be surprised it was something even better

[RichardT10829]

Great Stuff Jordan i am truelly jealous of your carrier !!

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks to the fine fellows of MLU and the OMVA show I was able to get a bit more done. I finaly got some of those "split" copper rivets I was after (thanks Gord and Peter) This enabled me to finish off my Bren mag ready bag.

[Jordan Baker]

I have also started and nearly finished the construction of the tray/bracket that hold the No2 Cooker. Pictures in a few days.

It never ends.

[kevin powles]

Any chance you can make any more of those ammo bags up for the Mk1 carrier?.

[Adame]

Did they use those on MKII carriers?

I can't see any?

Cheers
Adam

P.S. good to finally meet you.
when the cold breaks I'll come down and look at your carrier.

[Jordan Baker]

Kevin, sent you a PM
Adam, same here nice to put a face to a name. They were only used on MK1's and it doesn't seem like they were used all that much on them.

[Jordan Baker]

Some more progress shots. Also installed my spare Bren mag bag up front. However I first have to get this orginal fuel tank rebuilt. Its got everything on it but had a "few" nasty holes due to the felt padding holding moisture. Hopefully the shop I use for this can fix it to as good as new.

[kevin powles]

hi jordn, Nice restoration, I know a guy who has got a bag of nuts and bolts in an original bag which is labelled 'radio installation mkii universal carrier' its got all the fixings with a parts list for installation, i will ask if wants to trade it if you are interested.

I notice on your carrier you havent got the conduit 'sandwich type' elbows going throuh the bulkhead, I need a set for mine as all my conduit is missing, its easy to replicate the conduit, I have stacks of 3/4" and 1" conduit inspection bends and tee's but those 'sandwich' type elbows are hard to locate.

Do you know what i'm taking about?. You know a supplier of them.

this isnt my carrier, just a reference shot of whats needed.

Will post the antique sorting machine today, thanks kevin.

[Jordan Baker]

Kevin

Sure let me know about the radio kit, even if he doesn't want to sell/trade id be interested in the sizes of the clips and some pictures of the stuff.

At this point I have no extra bits for the conduit. Ive got all mine almost ready for installation. IM just waiting for warmer weather so that I can paint all the little bits.

Thanks for posting the item

[kevin powles]

hi jordan, do you know were i can get the sandwich elbows from, supplier?. will ask about fitting kit for the radio. your item is posted airmail, expect it in 4 to 8 days.

thanks kevin.

[Jordan Baker]

do you know were i can get the sandwich elbows from, supplier?.

Another Carrier Outside of that ive never seen them any other place.

[Jordan Baker]

Been busy "felting" these past few days. I feel like its craft time but with KG#3 and metal.

Most of the felt has now been cut. I only have the grenade bins to do and a couple of pads for the fuel tank. Finaly ive also picked up a No2 Portable Cooker. Once I get me other fuel tank back it will get mounted in its tray ready for use.

[horsa]

The barrel box and rifle holders look nice with the pads installed. It would be interesting to find out how the troops treated the felt for field use. We always see the 60+ year old dirty and oiled felt but never anything unissued. I've wondered if they didn't oil it on purpose to shed off water and prevent it from working like a sponge. You wouldn't want things sitting against something water soaked.

Also that loader is a nice addition. I sourced one in the UK at a show about twelve years ago and they don't seem to turn up very often over here in North America. The replacement economy version of the loader was the Thumb, Mark I.

[kevin powles]

Jordan, Like your pics that antique sorting machine looks familiar, I notice you have a couple of single rifle butt holders there, were did you get a pattern for those. I have the double one made by John at Midwest, did it come from the same place?. I am looking for two of them for my carriers.

Another note is on the felt, does it need to be treated with something to give it that aged apperance, all the felt I have seen, I have pictures of original felt on fuel tanks, I can post if you like, seem to be impregnated with to give it a waterproofing, is it oil??. That boyes rifle stock holder has got the same stuff on it.

[Jordan Baker]

Not sure about the coating for the felt. David, liek you say its hard to know what new looked like when comparing to 60+ years of use/abuse. I don't want to "age" them as the machine is supposed to look somewhat "new" for my displays. I do have original felt and its almost black. Cut it open and its only the surface thats black. Inside is off white.

The single butt holdes came from Midwest Mil (John Bizal).

I just picked up some more neoprene rubber to line the Bren Mag loader box. Thankfully the part manual gives detail info for thickness (1/8") and how many of the copper rivets (31) and the size (1/8"dia x 3/8"L)

[Jordan Baker]

Just completed my Bren filler tool bin. I used the neoprene rubber as the lining. Going by the part #'s listed I am thinking the original liner was a 1 piece moulded rubber. Ive done mine out of individual sheets all held in place with those wonderful little copper split rivets.

[kevin powles]

Hi Jordan, I had an original mag loader box arrive today can post some pics if you like as all the lining remains.

[charlie fitton]

very pretty Jordan , but when are you going to put on the MUFFLERS!!!!!

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks Charlie

Mufflers are for sure on the list of things to do. You should see the parts piled up waiting for warm weather. That way they can be painted and installed. Before I can fit the mufflers I need to paint the asbestos heat sheilds I got and install them Then the NOS mufflers can go on then I can get the needed straight pipe cut to size. Then I need to get the electrical done so that I can run the machine. Wow my list is bigger all the time.

[Jordan Baker]

Took full advantage of the record breaking temps today and got lots painted. I managed in one afternoon to get all of the parts I had cleaned, fixed, or remade over the winter painted.

Now I get to have fun and reinstall them all.

[Philliphastings]

Hello Jordan

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the quality and quantity of detail you have been posting during your restoration. Many of your images have answered questions as to what goes where and how on my Mk1 Scout Carrier. I can't thank you enough for the inspiration it provides.

Although I am still in the stripping down and chasing missing parts stage of the restoration I get excited about the work and very much look forward to getting 'stuck in' when I see your latest posts.

Please keep it up.

Cheers

Phill

[Jordan Baker]

A bit more progress made.

Ive rebuillt my battery tray from the first time I did it 5 years ago. The rods were NOS but I was able to punch out the rivets from another tray and re-use them on mine. I also managed to save the two wing nuts from the same rusted tray. Not pictured is the angle iron piece that goes on top of the battery. Ive still got to make the wooden cover but this will be done once I pick up a battery for it.

The second piece is the part that holds part of the Boy's bipod on the back deck. The "tube" portion and felt are new as the originals were too far gone.

[Jordan Baker]

Its been a bit of time since my last post. However a lot has been done even without my camera to take pictures.

The vehicle has a completly new wiring harness added. Although its not much of a harness but more like a collection of individual wires. I managed to get an almost complete set of conduit from a carrier wreck. The worst part was replacing the original battery cables with the new ones. I had to put the conduit into a fire to burn off the rubber casing. The I was able to pull the wires out. Vintage Wiring of Maine made up the cables for me. The hardest part was getting the new cables back into the conduit. It was a very tight fit and many trips into and out of the carrier for fitting. I was however pleasently surprised when the "old girl" fired up right away on all the new 6 volt stuff. It cranked and started just as fast. I can hardly get my thumb off of the starter button. Another pleasent surprise was that the original oil pressure sender still worked when I attached the wire to it. Now I just need to get a temp sender bulb and all my gauges will be working.

The other huge job that is now done, are the Mufflers. I had some straigt pipe cut and flared to fit real tight on the muffler ends. I got them all installed using the original brackets and even put a set of the asbestos heat shields in place.

Ive also cut the wood for the floor boards but still have to make the risers for them. Also out of wood was the battery cover. I copied the construction from pictures and then painted it in Lynseed Oil to perserve it. Looking at pictures it doesn't appear to be painted.

I also got my second fuel tank back from the shop and its now good to use. Im probably never going to use it but I did want it so that the portable cooker and tray could be mounted onto it.

Up front, a friend made the little spring release knob that holds the gunners front armour. It looks great.

Hopefully I will be getting my camera back soon and can take pictures of all this work.

[carrierbarry]

Jordon
Great work.
You mention you made new mufflers. I think here in England we call them silencers.

I know you would have to convert the pipe work but
off what vehicle did you find the mufflers?. Or did you make them?

Regards

Barry

[Neil Ashley]

A certain well known vehicle restorer on the South Coast had a batch made up in Stainless Steel sometime ago but I believe they have all now gone.

If you have a set to copy and the more orders the better there are companies who will produce reproductions.

[RichardT10829]

I have a pal that makes custom exhausts out of stainless i can certainly get "cans" (mufflers) made up, but he would need specific dimensions or a knackered one to copy from. the same guy builds lotus 7's from scratch so he is very very skilled, anything theat needs fabricating or tig welded etc etc then he is excelent. but his forte is making bespoke exhaust systems.

Rich

[Jordan Baker]

The mufflers I used were NOS

[Nigel Watson]

Originally Posted by kevin powles

Any chance you can make any more of those ammo bags up for the Mk1 carrier?.

I'm interested in one as well please Jordan. The Bren/Boyes spare mag pouche that is!

Nigel