G'day and Help.

[TrevorC]

Just joined to see if anyone can help identify this trailer i just purchased. Bought it to carry water,fridge and kitchen on our camping trips. I have tried to do a bit of research but had no luck .. don't want to much around with it until i find out what it is. Appreciate any assistance.

[303Gunner]

G'Day, and welcome to the forum!

When you say you want to ID the trailer, do you mean the type, or the individual identity of it?

The type of trailer is a Workshop/Platform trailer that was equipped in a range of various fitouts to accomplish specific mechanical support/engineering roles and used by RAEME. A limited number were also used by Artillery in rangefinding and radar roles. See http://www.remlr.com/trailer-workshop.html  for pics and descriptions. The trailer was introduced in the early 60's and shares a lot with the No5 GS trailer. The trailer you have has it original body and canopy frame, but the wire mesh and tailboard are later modifications or additions most probably done after it left the army. It also appears to have had the axle replaced with a civvy trailer axle with Landcruiser hubs.

For specific ID of the individual trailer you need to take the body off the chassis to locate the chassis number, which can then be cross-referenced to the ARN list to discover it's identity. That will then give you the description of it's original equipment configuration, and might lead to finding and original picture of it in service.

[dugite]

You should find that it has shock absorbers, which will be useful for the tasks you plan for it. They will probably benefit from installing new bushes.

Otherwise, the chassis for these workshop platforms seem to be the same as those used on No.5 trailers.

If you wish to use LR wheels, try and find an original axle. It hopefully will still have LR 5 stud hubs, with the similar studs as a Series 2a LR. Later S3 and Perentie rims will fit but the wheelnuts will be a BSF size.

[TrevorC]

Thanks for the information fellas. Manufacture plate states 1966 .. body # 416. Good to know canopy frame is original. Trailer has the power board and plywood draws .. would these be useful for anyone wanting to bring a trailer back to original fit-out ?

[303Gunner]

The powerboard; yes, especially important for original restoration.

Plywood drawers; Hmm, no, I think they may be part of it's post-services mods. The versions with storage cabinets for "Stores, Binned" had steel cabinets and compartments with the old-style fibreboard parts storage like you'd find in a hardware store of the day. While the plywood drawers might be handy for organising any camping gears and to stop stuff rattling about, they are not an original feature.

[TrevorC]

I'd be happy to donate the power-board to anyone wanting it.

[TrevorC]

Juddy , having trouble responding to your p.m.

[TrevorC]

Anyone tell me what the trailer i have is worth in the marketplace. Not wanting to sell it just after a bit of an idea if i bought alright .. thanks again.

[303Gunner]

Of course it depends who's buying it, but I'd price it at a minimum of $1000 anywhere up to $2000-$2500. I think anything between $1200 and $1500 would see most parties content.

[DennisM]

Somewhere in my thousands of images I have an image of another 1/2Ton trailer the same except for the cage, it also has toyota wheels they were used by Norforce who used toyota land cruisers 6cyl diesel, if I find the image that I took in Blinman about 14 years ago I will post it, cheers Dennis

[Mike C]

Agree with Dennis: don't be too quick to discard the L/C wheels/hubs without further investigation, as the L/C was NORFORCE et al issue for a time, because these were the most common 4WD in use in the outback, and it potentially made getting spares a looong way from base much easier. 

Mike

[Mick_Marsh]

The Bush Tucker Man drove a Landcruiser.