How You Got Started And How You Are Passing It On

[Ian Johns]

After reading some interesting threads I thought it would be nice to hear how some of you guys got started in MV collecting/restoring and also how you are passing it on to future generations.

Myself I've always loved restoring things from my first 1970 mustang when I was 15 till now. Family and work kind of took over for a while but then when looking for somewhere for my son to get his volunteer hours in highschool (kids must have 40 hrs volunteering to graduate) I read in the newspaper about a fairly new Military Museum looking for help with a 1952 M135. I went to meet Phil our curator and the next thing you know I'm volunteering for shifts on the front counter. Now I'm on the Board and Vice President.
At the time the museum only had an APC on display outside and even though it was great inside, the outside displays get people in the driveway. So we shoehorned an Iltis into my garage at home and in a couple of weeks of working at night mostly my son and I did what we could just to get the Iltis and trailer on display. The M135 went to a local highschool where they have a program for kids who might not have an interest in staying in school. Attenance was up greatly. They proceeded to do some of the work but unfortunatly they have limitations as to what they can do so back to the museum it came. Myself, Phil, my son and his friends from school rushed to at least get it presentable doing all the work outside.

Then along came a great man from Quebec (I won't mention any names) he has proceeded to donate in the last 3 years 9 vehicles and parts. Some for the school program and some for me to do. Being an all volunteer charity money is always short. The only thing we can offer is tax receipts.

I'm getting off topic. My wife and I acquired a busineess last year which has allowed me to squeeze the water truck into a corner. This works out great because when I don't have a customer in the shop my son and I work on the truck. I now have a 6 month old granddaughter and one day I'll have her turning a wrench. She already has her first pair of camo socks. lol


That's how I got involved and how I'm passing it on.

[hrpearce]

I started working on trucks when i was four handing spanners to my farther. To save money dad did all the servicing and repairs on all the trucks we owned over the years. My involvement with blitz's is well documented on MLU and I have used my Wife and both boys as laboures over the years and Vicki and Greg have both driven the blitz to club events.

Your gear stick is in backwards.

[Frank v R]

playing on Sherman , Chaffee , Diamond T, M-37 , M-35 , DUKW in the Levys bone yard in the late 60's & early 70's , when those green fangs bite they bite deep, First vehicle purchased in 1979 (MB) now 40-50 vehicles later (they come and go) here I am, still love my hobby and the history ,I even met my wife while being around green trucks , in the CF,
regards Frank

[The_Stainless_Steel_Rat]

A friend had rebuilt a lovely carrier, I was intrigued, we had seen these pulled
from the bush/swamp/lakes but at that time they were not much to look at,
when it was done, it was stunning. I quickly realized I would not fit where soldiers
who were much smaller than I had fit to drive most vehicles, but enjoy helping where
I can. A Boat was fixed up, let me know I could commit to a project. and then was
thinking of a Jeep, (but everyone has a jeep) and again did not really appeal to me.
So then I got a chance to see and drive a Mule, it was FUN and looked like it would
fit in my limited space and be easy enough to work on. So I got myself a mule,
M274A5 with 4 wheel steering. It started out not looking pretty but sure ended up
that way (Thanks Lance). So now my son (14) has learned to shift so he can drive it,
now you must understand, he does not often show much emotion, but when he drives
it he smiles bunches. (I think a hook has been set) he is in High school now and has
taken one auto-shop class and has signed up for 2 more, gee wonder why...

(PS It was the bottom one in the stack, a friend owns the top one)

[Mike Cecil]

Model kits in my youth progressed to 1 to 1 scale, the found that there was not enough good info available on Australian kit, so started hunting government files in the archives.

Had several vehicles - Blitzes, jeeps, armoured car, etc, and helped others on various tanks. But it was the 'primary sources' research that got my attention in particular.

Started writing articles in the late 80s on what I found in the archives, and have been writing about it ever since. Lost count of the number of articles in magazines like Army, Ironsides, CMV, Army Motors, Wartime, etc etc. Plus appearances on History Channel and in Keith's videos, as well as several books, with hopefully more to come. Was able to spend extended periods in the field with various army units as an observer on exercises like Northern Predator, and others. Fantastic!

Was offered a job at the Australian War Memorial in 1999 on the strength of my research and publishing (I had already done two consulting jobs for them on the vehicle collection), and was there for 10 years. That provided some unforgettable opportunities: time at sea on HMAS Brisbane, including live-fire naval gunfire support, doing the qualifying course for the Army's Leopard AS1 tank license, and deploying as a curator to Kuwait and Iraq - the first AWM curator to do so.

When we decided I'd retire and we would move from Australia to the USA, I divested my self of the vehicles, spares and other collectibles - the Yass boys got a few bargains - and only retained all the paperwork, which filled a sea container. (But I now miss my jeep!)

I'm still at it, but hope the years of research will be 'handed on' through the writing, publishing and answering the numerous queries that seem to come my way each week.

Mike C

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

I think Airfix and Tamiya have a lot to answer for!
The model building all stopped when I bought my first Land Rover and discovered the delights of going bush, as well as discovering a hitherto unknown mechanical ability.....
Unfortunatley after my first daughters initial foray into the wilds it was decided that the camping would be on hold for a while and to keep busy I decided to build up a 4x4 truck. The Blitz was the first truck I could remember being able to recognise as a young tacker, so the search was on.
Along the way I found that my desire to "Improve" all my Four Wheel Drives was replaced with the satisfaction of finding and restoring all the missing bits, and that maybe the original designers got a lot of things right.
I find the Pommy vehicles of the '50's era endlessly fascinating, and can't quite get over the fact that I not only bought a Champ, possibly the most maligned military vehicle ever built, but that it was the best thing I have ever done.
Rich.