Page 6
169055
169055 being unloaded at Ian Puls Property after purchase
169055 at an early display at Ian's Property. The serial number, as it came from the Army Auction
Visit to see 169055
I had been up to see 169055 a couple of years ago but she was in the shed and the light was not that good for photos, so I always wanted to go back and see her when she was outside. The chance came last year but I was unable to make the date due to other commitments. Then again this year the chance came along again.
The Centurion is owned by Ian Puls and once a year he opens up his property as a charity fund raiser and displays his collection. And what a collection it is. There are sheds everywhere one a big triple shed in a T shape and many other very large farm sheds, about six I think from memory.
Ian's collection contains a Centurion, a Bren gun carrier that I believe still has the original paintwork, and a Sherman tank. Then there are some old cars, many, many tractors, and motors. Motors from very small to very large. The condition of all are excellent and they all run. Ian spent most of the day going around and starting them all. Some ran for about 5 minutes and others ran all day.
I know that I am sliding away from the Centurion Tank theme but there is one here. Myself I like anything old, and old and working is even better still. I spent four hours there and had the time of my life. That this collection has been put together, all setup and repaired and restored is quite unbelievable.
I awoke at 4am and after a shower and early breakfast was away by 5.30 am. The trip took me from Kilmore to Lancefield, Romsey, Gisborne and then to Bacchus Marsh. It was now a freeway to Ballarat, Ararat, Stawell and Horsham. At this point of time I was on 1/4 tank of fuel and as I was only half an hour away from Redhill, I was sure I had enough fuel to return to Horsham in the afternoon. On my first trip up there a couple of years ago, I became lost on this trip out to Redhill and it was only by luck I saw a Centurion track link through the trees or I would have missed it completely. The return trip as I mentioned was only half an hour, against the two hours to get out there. Yeah I did it again, even with a country street directory and a small map supplied by Ian. By the time I arrived I was very short on fuel, a situation I was not used to as I was driving my wife's Barina, where as my Fairlane runs on both petrol and lpg. I always have a large reserve. Not so in the Barina, and I decided to drive to the next town and fuel up in case it was not available in the afternoon as it was a Saturday. I drove to a small town nearby and there was one set of pumps in the town, very old click and turn back type. Anyway I started to fill up the car and noticed the price was showing as 39.9 the pump was that old it was not able to show the price of about $1.30 a litre which I expected. At $40 I stopped as the most I had ever put in the tank was about $34. As I drove away the tank showed about half full but I was not worried as the gauge often took awhile to rise up to full. Twenty klicks later and it was still on half a tank, and at the next fuel stop in the afternoon, just down the road a bit it, took another $23 worth. I would imagine he would think he made a nice profit but may get a surprise when the weights and measures people call in to see him. Ok I have had my bitch and I arrived back at Ian's property, parked the car and entered the gate. Below is the first sight I saw.
Just have a look at that crankshaft at the shed corner
A beautiful restoration
The finish on these items was first class, all the copper fittings were polished and looked great
There were many small units and they all ran
This was a lovely little Twin Cyl. opposed with gearbox and a great exhaust system
There were also some large ones -- note the sheds!
Another beautiful restoration
Note the suspension on the Renault
There were heaps of tractors -- note more sheds on the left
Ian has nearly as many big sheds as motors
A few more old tractors and another shed
A small dozer is always handy to have around
More stationary motors and more sheds
The yellow motor is air cooled and from an APC
This shed is a triple T shape---its big!
These large motors are set on concrete and have recesses for the large flywheels--They run
Yeah this one is BIG.
Note the straight out exhaust out the wall
A nice V12 with short exhaust
A Radial airplane motor. Its a Goblin jet Engine from either a Meteor or Vampire Fighter
There is another one there as well, but to dark to get a picture of it
The radial I think is out of a Sherman, the other one made a hell of a noise.
The radial running and it was very sweet to!
The radiator and the air cleaners give this one straight away ---A Centurion V12 Meteor it also runs.
Words just cannot describe this beauty -- it was driven around most of the day and ran like clockwork and as quiet as a singer sewing machine, a beautiful piece of restored machinery.
If they had stopped at this design the road toll would be nil.
Again a first class restoration--non standard wheels and it was fitted with a diesel motor
The old cars drew a large crowd all day
The Bren looked great and it went like stink when it was run in the afternoon
it sure surprised me with its speed
Looked good from any angle
The old side valve Ford V8 kicked her along very fast
She may have been built for speed but she sure was not built for comfort
I think this was a Stuart, before the cut down--- wish I had taken some notes
There is a recon V8 under there, but not original
The drivers compartment is pretty stark
169055 - 196055 -- she needs a track adjustment
I do not think Ian will change the number as he said that was how it came from the Army, well it's different
Note the new fuel tank, gravity feed and its clean fuel
Ian has removed both the internal tanks
Backing her up prior to entering the paddock, she runs very sweet!
The Bren at full chat, the paddock is about 40 acres and they have started to cut it
They passed each other going in opposite directions -- looked quite impressive
In fifth and flat chat and heading straight for the crowd, turning at the last moment and coming to a stop, then doing a neutral turn and I must say it was a very impressive finish to a great day
I intended to leave and drive towards home stopping when I became tired and spending the night in a Motel. But I surprised myself by driving back home arriving at 9.30 pm and covering 968 Klicks for the day.
This was a day I will remember