At last here are some photos NZ LP hull

Lew Skelton · #1 27-04-11, 10:40

Hi all, well its taken me a while to get onto the rebuild, damm work getting in the way of garage time. first pictures are the front of the hull as it was when I got it, track guards full of holes, floor poked, bottom rusted out of the division plate and a large hole cut out of the gunners side wall ( I think to let the sheep dogs in). Front armour all still there so out with the plasma cutter/grinder to remove the bits that needed cutting out and in with reclamed plate from another hull that was too far gone. Ive got to thank all the local Manawatu enthuasists who have assisted so far, Colin for the measurments when doing the bottom of the division plate and David Ellery for the welding tips. Awesome resource this forum, many thanks allready.

Lew Skelton · #2 27-04-11, 10:50

And the plan is to take the front off this other hull and weld the rebult front on then new rear side plates, floor, track guards. the front center towing eye has the number 201 stamped into it and army number is still on the drivers side, will get photos up of them also.

Lew Skelton · #3 27-04-11, 10:59

Last photo is the hull No, any clues as to the type of carrier this may have been, mortar/machine gun etc, and yes I have been flipping the hull back and forwd to weld it as my vertical up with arc is dogsh*t. I have since replaced the track guard on the drivers side, gotta love taking time off work to look after the kids for school holidays, they are the best little helpers.

Lynn Eades · #4 27-04-11, 12:02

Good to see you are under way.Your last picture shows the bracket that holds the spare barrel for a Vickers,(a leather tube) If you contact Jeffery Plowman (he lives in P.N.) he wrote a book about NZafv's from 1939 to1959.
He did a lot of research, and might still have info about the number on the side of your carrier. The Lp2 had the splined diff pinion(with the associated axle mounting brackets) and the centre tow eye, along with the tool board on the side. The Lp2A with tools on the rear, and the taper and key pinion, had no centre tow eye at the front. I believe these changes happened all at once in New Zealand. In Australia, the rear axle changes did not accur at the same time as the tool board change.

ron · #5 27-04-11, 12:47

HI Lew,
Good to see your progress, well done, Dont worry about flipping the hull bacwards and forwards, to get better welds, after all this is how they were made in the wartime, I have pics showing the hulls in two parts front and rear, and attached to a frame that could be rotated, allowing the welder to sit on the part and weld onto the flat surface, after all when you think of it they were very short of welders and all trades men, it makes sence to make it easier for a person who may not have had much experence in this type of work. keep us posted on your progress and welcome, regards Ron

Lynn Eades · #6 27-04-11, 12:54

What are you welding it with? Mig? Arc? Wire? Stainless?