Thread: The building of "Mongrel"

Andy, I thnk I might have to send you a membership form for our military vehicle club

Your chassis number is 27800214. We now know that Series 2a chassis number 27800215A (and 216A) are both navy vehicles. So I think we can savely say that either yours is a twin, or is indeed an ex navy vehicle

Hi Phoenix, post away .

That backs up the story that I was given when I purchased Mongrel, although the guy I bought it off was full of poop about everything else!

I have your side rails off, I only have to work out when I am up your way, Jock The Rock is going to be down this way next week, he might be able to drop them off to you if your in a hurry.

I may have to re think Mongrels colour now, it has that many different changes from original it will have to be an ex Navy Hybrid, but I could re paint it the original colour if I can work out what it was. Its current top coat looks like it was applied with a mop .


Cheers Andy

I'll get a form off to you some time

It's not 100% still, but i'd say 95% sure. I am getting lotzalandies that did the work chasing the navy vehicles to see if yours is on there somewhere. It may not be though.

No hurry for those forms. Colour is a bit harder to establish. We have this photo which those that used them said is pretty spot on to the original colour. It's an overcast day, so it's probably a bit lighter than that.

You may find an untouched piece of paint on yours for reference hiden under cappin or something.

Originally Posted by Andy-M

Hi all.

I thought I would start a restoration thread on the building of Mongrel. It won't be a true restoration, but the building of a bitza which will become a daily driver.

Mongrel is an early series 2A diesel 5 door 109". She has a galvo chassis and is rumoured to be ex RAN (this cannot be confirmed, there is no millitary gear on her) her chassis number is 27800214, the suffix letter is not readable. ....

... Cheers Andy.

Andy

I have had a chance to investigate the provenance of "Mongrel" unfortunately the vehicle didn't come through NSW so full details are not available. This is logical because vehicles in Tasmania were distributed by Regent Motors in Melbourne.

The very next chassis number was indeed a RAN vehicle distributed in NSW.

The 278 should be a "CKD basic model" this is essentially a ute, not a Station Wagon.

The chassis suffix letter should be "A" and the engine number should be about 271053**B (where the ** is a number between 05 and 30)

Delivery in Tasmania would have been somewhere in December 1962 through March 1963. (27800215A was assembled in Sydney and delivered to the RAN in Sydney on 29th November 1962, your 27800214A would likely have been in the same batch and also assembled in Sydney.)

Hope this assists your restoration.

Diana

Addit: Have just reviewed the entire thread, I am thinking that your vehicle has had a chassis swap rather than a body swap, there are too many late bits. The front mudguards, the axle assemblies and to an extent the firewall appear to be from a very late Series 2a 1971 suffix H. I wonder if someone had a station wagon and instead of repairing a rusty chassis they modified an earlier ute chassis to accept the station wagon tub. Check the body brackets welded in front of the rear wheels and those under the rear passengers floor and see if there is evidence of after market work. I guarantee it's there!

Hi Diana

I have traced Mongrels rego (don't ask how ), she came to Tassy from QLD, before that she lived in NSW. The guy I bought her off was told she had been on Garden Island and in service in NSW.

I have checked the original colour on the rear doors and a couple of other places, it looks to be like a sky blue. Under the blue its just primer then metal.

The chassis suffix letter appears to be a lower case (a), which would put her in the early 60's. The chassis and B pillars are all galvo as are some other parts. The firewall and drivers side door have been replaced at some stage, and I am about to replace the firewall again.



Cheer Andy, thanks for your help and knowledge.