And after driving over 800kms today to get home, it is with much gratuity that I accept your transmission
Those crane drawings will be very helpful Sir.
After so long sitting in a ute with nothing to consider but 'what next' , and not being able to restore feeling in my Butt-ox, I was determined to get the gearbox's secured into the lower hull as a first mission home.
Had to grind out some materiel, re-tap some threads, and ádjust'' some hole positions to suit the cap head screws to get them into place.
But they are IN
Super Rugby Pacific Final tonight too......................
As he sits at the moment.
I set to repairing the rear Casemate hatch which had broken mounts .
Shaped a scrap of styrene the replace the top mount, drilled through with a 1.2 mm bit and secured with a brass rod.
I’ve glued magnets inside the rear armour and a small piece of metal picture hook inside the hatch so it stays shut.
Intending on locating the in/off and volume control inside there so the hatch needs to be robust.
I also had to repair the broken hull mounting points on the rearmost section to secure the claws that pass into the release mechanism which is on the old lower hull.
Several slices of old plastic and creative use of small screws to hold them all together to create an ugly looking post that the claws could then be attached to.
Way too ugly for a picture folks, some things are best left in the shadows !
Bix, without breaking fingernails, X-Actor knife blades, beer bottle openers, even a US-issue P47 can opener, are you going to be able to get that hatch open when it's held by the magnet?
Yeah mate, the magnet is offset to the bonded metal strip so its not bearing full pull on the hatch.
Bit of skullduggery going on to make it work, but its not really a detail feature as much as a functional necessity to use for on/off and volume switches.
Next mission is to repair the front armour joint side cover sections so I can get on with the zimmerit and maybe some damaged mudguards.
Been thinking too that due to my lack of the late version steel wheels, out of the 18 machines built, there are a lot out of that number not photographed, so there is scope for a rubber-rimmed chassis being put to use pending its steel wheel conversion.
The prototype was used then sent for alterations so it seems, so why not another one that we are yet to see pictures of ??
I know, thats just me trying to justify the incorrect look of the wheels, but hey, its plausible rather than probable eh !!
A mix of Mr Surfacer 500 out of the pot and Tamiya putty to get a casting effect on the mantlet and pivot ball for the Morser seems to have worked.
I got a bit over enthusiastic and bunged some on the Kugelblende and drivers vision block too!!
The intention is to spray the lot with Mr Sufacer 1500 to blend the entire thing together, so the over-granulated finish on the gun & mount will calm down a lot I reckon.
Welds and flame cuts should provide a lot of involvement, its a big canvas
We've got the State Hockey Championships here this weekend & week .............a shot at the National Team for my oldest -youngest Daughter, so tank-time is going to be a cut a bit short. Bit of a quandary, a couple of Kiwi parents that have Aussie kids..........one that might get a shot at National representation........
Hows about she plays for New Zealand I think
Some annoying loose ends on this , like no idlers, missing internal floor plate and of course electronics & control systems, so still a load to do.
Been away at the Queensland State Hockey tournament for 4 days. Hell of a thing to watch your not quite 11 year old girl in a team of “women-child” girls take on a series of other “women- child” girls that have the physique of some that get out of night clubs at 0330 ! All are under 13.
The tallest was 6’1”
Now back, and onto the primary mission.
Wanted to ease back into things and as I remember, welds & flame cuts are rather therapeutic!!
Heat up the burner and hook in with the wine cork handled jewellers screwdriver.
Took a while but it’s turned out ok.
After wondering about mudguards I went with yes-but!
Making my own out of brass shim stock with the intent of crumpling them as are seen in most of the pictures.
Still need to do the aged zimmerit before these can go on. No fancy P.E. folder here, just a pair of flat pliers, scissors and a ruler
! 
Bix, without breaking fingernails, X-Actor knife blades, beer bottle openers, even a US-issue P47 can opener, are you going to be able to get that hatch open when it's held by the magnet? 
Mr.Bix …
