introduction G'day from Adelaide, Australia

Good morning/afternoon/evening. Please don't be offended that I'm here more that I'm asking for help in identifying a heap of new parts we understand are mostly for a Matilda MkV tank but more so a lot of parts besides that likely belong to military vehicles that we cannot identify. Recently our father passed away and the family is left with the enormous task of going through two sheds full of parts, a lot of what we can only guess at.

The closest I came to an interest in historic military vehicles was to restore one of dad's ex WWII 42WLA Harley Davidson motorcycles over 20 years ago now. My days of riding bikes are over though due to a back injury and so the Harley along with enough parts to build almost another two are heading to auction, along with his 50's era Nortons, BSA's and Velocette.

If permitted, I'd like to post a web address with photos of these parts in the hope that someone out there might be able to identify them. From there we're not sure what to do, but it would be surely a better option to give someone that can use them an opportunity to grab them than to send them to scrap as we intend to do with a lot of the Matilda wheels and sprockets that no one has a use for these days. We've got a taker already for the rest of the Matilda spares though.

Thanks for the opportunity to let you know what I'm about.

Cheers, Phil Morton

Hi Phil,

The National Military Vehicle Museum in Edinburgh Parks is always after stuff, possibly even Matilda wheels

Drop in to one of our meetings (there is one tonight!) or email us with details of what you're trying to get rid of.

Thanks,

Terry

Welcome. Your Father has left the MV world quite a leagcy from the sound of it.

Welcome along

Welcome. :laugh:

welcome on board

Just a little history of the Matilda......

The parts have been in the shed at least 30 years that we are aware. I'm not sure that they had always been under cover. Dad got the Matilda MkV with all the spare parts at a government auction in probably the late 70's for $500 with first intentions of converting to a bulldozer and heading to Coober Pedy to mine for opals. That idea faded and he planned to pull the two Leyland engines out to go on a boat, but it sat in a paddock for too long away from our home without any security and he went back one day to find someone had stolen the engines with likely the same idea in mind.

The tank itself stood there for maybe another 10 years until his cousin lost patience with it on his property and we believe it was cut up for scrap. Not sure why dad never got rid of the parts, but he was always a hoarder so may explain it. I'm quite sure most of the parts were sold as spares in new condition but can't confirm. 90% sure radiators were never used but hard to dig out the others to get a better idea at the moment. Here are pics of just a small selection of what we understand are mostly not Matilda bits (Thanks to Matt) but would love to know what they are for. I'm pressed for so much time now but I'll get up Matilda parts pics before end of coming weekend I hope.

http://s356.photobucket.com/user/phixxy/media/DSC03279_zpsfgkiugyd.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

Cheers - Phil Morton

Welcome along, I'm sure someone here will help in identifying things for you. Best Wishes.