Thread: Identification Help

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Hi Hughie

Not quite, in civilian life in australia the chassis number is the identity of the vehicle. In the Australian Army the ARN was the identity of the vehicle, the chassis was treated as a part.

In the various base workshops the rebuild lines completely dismantled the vehicles and then repaired/restored each assembly and then built the vehicle back up. Quite frequently the original chassis may not be finished being stripped, repaired and re-painted so they would use another chassis that was finished or one that came off a parts vehicle. The ARN book would then be updated with the change of chassis number. It's the same as getting an exchange engine, rather than reconditioning your own.

Hence 112-116 started with your chassis and finished service with a different chassis. The most likely time for this to have occurred is during a full base overhaul your chassis had one in october 1973 according to the plate in the image you posted.

When you look at the images of 112-166 in Vietnam, my opinion is that it has features of a Series 2 vehicle particularly the front guards. Therefore it is most likely that in Vietnam, 112-166 still had your chassis and the chassis swap happened after the return to Oz in or before October 1973.

Does that make sense?

Diana

Lotz-A-Landies,

Yes this makes sense, I understand.

Hi All,

As promised, i made it home on the weekend, drove the old girl out of the shed and got a few new photos.

And more...

And more...

And more.

Hi Hughie

The capstan winch is not mounted correctly, or as the army mounted them.



They should be mounted on a flat plate that sits on top on the bumper and has a rear edge folded down then bolted into the front face of the cross member.

Also, how is it driven? Usually very difficult with a Holden engine, or given the position is this one being driven by a PTO mechanism from the gearbox?

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Also, how is it driven? Usually very difficult with a Holden engine, or given the position is this one being driven by a PTO mechanism from the gearbox?

Hi Lotz-A-Landies

There is a mechanical PTO drive from the rear of the box toward the passenger side of the vehicle, an output drive shaft then runs parallel to the inside of the passenger side chassis rail to the front of the vehicle into the winch housing.

Your observations regarding the mounting of the winch, I cannot explain. It is today as it has been for as long as I've had it. My only thoughts here are that maybe the arrangement was changed to accomodate the Holden engine?. I have heard that in some cases, to fit the engine in, the grill assembly is moved forward. Then again, upon looking at the photo you re-posted. The clearance between the winches rear mounting member and the grill leads me to believe that the winch may not have needed to have been touched when the Holden engine was installed.

Just my thoughts

Hugh

Hi Hugh

It is possible to fit the Holden engine without the fan cowling behind the radiator (just), but the cooling is very innefficient. You usually also need to fit an electric pusher fan in front of the radiator to keep the Holden engine cool if you don't have the cowling.

The problem for the capstan winch is that the crankshaft centreline is within the diameter of the Holden fan preventing the usual capstan drive and dog-clutch arrangement. Where you have the PTO drive on the capstan gearbox is usually in alignment with the crank handle hole.

Given these design issues, it is likely that the original Army PTO drum winch has been sold/removed at some stage and the capstan retrofitted. The PTO drive you have may be the original from the Bamford.

Do you have the PTO "T" handle protruding through the seat box near the handbrake? If it's the original it will have the word Bamford cast into the handle.

Diana