Universal Carrier Nr 34

[Graham P Hough]

Thank you Dave I will do that. Also I will probably put some shape into the clips, slim them down a bit and round off the ends. Glad you sorted the spring problem. Not trying to make more problems for anyone but I think the joining piece between the springs could be slimmer? I bought M3 castle nuts from Steve Winstone, they arrived today and will finish off the spring adjusters nicely.

[Graham P Hough]

Bit more done today. Found a use for my larger banding wheel, makes a great turntable. No issues except fat biker fingers trying to manipulate little nuts.

[Graham P Hough]

'been riveting today as well as clean up kit pieces. Now seen Dave's post and I will need to revise the gunner's armoured plate.

[Graham P Hough]

There is a Canadian Forum called Maple Leaf Up that has a carrier section full of photographs of people restoring carriers. Useful for detail information.

[Graham P Hough]

Does anyone know what voltage the motion pack will require? 12v ? Just asking since I am thinking of having working lights.

[Adrian Harris]

Fit LEDs and you can adjust the resistor to the voltage

They'll need to be "warm white"ones, to look like ye olde bulbs.

Adrian.

[Graham P Hough]

Just thinking that those who are planning to model the Mk 1 UC I assume have thought about the location of the motion and sound packs because I also assume that the large bin on the back of the Mk 2 will be used for some of this equipment.
Whilst on the subject of the motion and sound packs and access to the cross shaft you will have seen the note in the instruction manual that the engine cover will have to be removed, I have been working on which parts can be fixed permanently and how to remove and refit the engine cover with minimum disturbance to other parts.
As mentioned before my fat biker fingers are finding manipulating the M2.5 bolts/nuts difficult so I have adapted an allen key to have a long handle from another tool, see photo.
Also progress has been on filling gaps with JB Weld and more rivets.
Dave: I think, from your previous posts, that are planning to make a range of upgrade parts for the UC, do you know yet what these will be?

[Graham P Hough]

My first try at the gun cowl. I hollowed out the kit part, cut the bulkhead, cut 'my' cowl and glued on the hatch plate, non working hinge from brass rod and brass strip and scrap aluminium and rivets pinched by the aerial kit. I need to check my sources because I thought I had seen four rivets on the hinged plate presumably to hold on the hatch back plate.

[Dave Dibb (Armorpax)]

Hi Graham,

I don't know fully yet what we will have as still working my way through the kit and what I want to add. As the Armortek set offers a number of parts already we will be doing these as individual bits so people can buy what they need rather than being tied into a whole set of parts.

The parts I know we already have or already mastered are:

2 Gallon Cans
No19 set with variometer, tray and control boxes
Spare Valve Box
Spare Parts box (No19 set)
Pyrene Extinguishers
A set antenna base
VHF antenna base
Delco Battery's with terminal clamps (need sanding slightly to fit Armortek box)
Camo Net bag
4" Smoke launcher
Front seat pads
Rear seat trays and pads
Bren Mag bags (Set of
Tow Hitch
Sidelights
Lee Enfield with canvas cover
100 Rd Mag for Bren with adapter
Tie downs for rear bin and rear plate
Shovel and Pick

Parts I will likely make as I get to them:

Bren and lee Enfield Stowage brackets (Side walls)
Radiator and Hose detail (to go behind cut out in rear wall of driving compartment)
Box top cover for back section of each rear well. (As there will be servos here not sure what form these will take yet)
Bren Spare Barrel Bin to go on rear wall
Rolled canvas cover to sit on rear bin
Catches for rear bin
Driving compartment floor detail (Linkages, Gear shift etc)
Brackets for Bren Stowage (front compartment)
4" smoke launcher bin to go under front armour
Deep wading brackets
Internal detail for vision ports
Removable guard for Bren opening
Spare wheel locking fixture
AT rifle drop down cover for top of Bren opening
Chore horse Charging set (really need some overall dims for this so I can scale it if anyone can help)
Rear stowage brackets for shovel and pick
Rear steps and maybe more detail to the towing assembly
Starting handle and bracket

There may be other bits I haven't spotted so this may change. Most other bits like the add on strips etc. I'll just show in my build thread as the materials required are readily available.

Best regards

Dave

[Graham P Hough]

Fantastic range as usual Dave. I will definitely be ordering some of these.

[Graham P Hough]

Fun with UC... Happy and Safe New Year to you all.

[Adrian Harris]

I could barely watch the first few minutes !!

Interesting to see if ours can rock like that. I think there's likely to be a lot of playing around with springs coming

Adrian.

[Graham P Hough]

Bit of progress, mostly unseen but I have made and fitted dummy engine covers for the off side of the engine cover.

[Graham P Hough]

Anybody else bought the accessories kit sold by Armortek? It has some fine pieces in it, except for the dreadful rifles. It has the type 19 set and seats which seem good. I still want to buy Dave Dibb's items but I though I would use these too. Also I have some of Dave Dibb's accessories from the 25pdr kit so I can use some of those. Any comments on the radio?

[Graham P Hough]

Now as the major parts are assembled the pace slows working on smaller details, I couldn't let the starting handle access hole stay in the wrong angle and a spare wheel holder awaiting the chain. Have been working on the gun cowl Mk 2 but my ran out of oxygen for my brazing kit. Still a great model to work on and enjoy.