Stormin

I would say a brilliantly simple idea that gets around the problem of slowing the heavy input side of gear train to the correct speed for easy up shifts in the days before syncromesh gearboxes became common. A similar system was still in use in heavy commercial trucks and tractors with heavy gearboxes right up til 60 years later. It does of course rely on some driver skill. Upshifts require the clutch to be depressed further to engage the clutch brake just enough to slow the input shaft and gear train speed to match the reduced engine revs. Down shifts require a shorter press of the clutch pedal to make sure that brake doesn't engage the gear train is not slowed and maybe a slight blip on the throttle. Someone without the correct skill could quickly burn up the clutch brake my holding the clutch down too far on down changes and effectively trying to slow the vehicle on the tiny brake band. The introduction of synchromesh gearboxes of course meant that anyone could drive with lesser skill level required.

Glad to see you are back on with the Thorny restoration. It's seemed a long break for those of us used to regular updates. I dont wish to make further work for Steve, but doesn't the radius on the edges of the axle retaining plates carry on into the recessed area on the other two edges between bolt holes? Looks to me that all four top edges of the plates are radiused. Hard to tell from photographs of course and you have the advantage of seeing the Norfolk Thorny in the metal.

Surely that "T" is an I. "HICLF" Is what I read. I was imagining it may read HICLEAR, and maybe a chassis code for extended dumb irons to raise the chassis frame for extra ground clearance as opposed to a standard chassis with a "straighter" front dumb iron.

No gasket or sealant between the two case halves? How is this going to remain oil tight? A paper gasket may make all the difference to how tight the end float adjusting nut is too.

A technique I've read about with regard to welding poor quality ally castings is to turn up the AC balance (most modern ac tig have this feature) and pass oer the area with the torch a few times to clean up the metal, after mechanical cleaning first of course. This melting of the surface helps to remove hidden impurities. After several passes of just the torch then you can think about adding filler wire to actually fuse the pieces together. Lots more good advice can be found on the Mig welding forum which also covers Tig and other workshop practices. http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=22 Im sure some of the members on there would be keen to hear about your project. I know your pattern making skills are considerable but it would seem a shame to lose an original item that can be restored despite the wear and tear.

Those liners look huge. Seeing them being placed in gives a good idea of the scale of this engine. Im used to seeing tractor cylinder liners much smaller than this of course. I'm surprised you have filed the liners flush with the top of the block. It is common on vintage tractor engines for the liner to finish proud of the block by several thou and the fire ring of the head gasket to accomodate this projection. What sort of head gasket will you be fitting to the Thorney?

Couldn't the steel roller have been set in the mould as a permanent core and cast in? After all the alloy / Zamak is a lot lower melting point than steel. The cooling rate of the alloy may have been controlled to reduce cracking as it shrinks around the end pins of the roller. I suspect a lot of stresses may still hav been present and hence the later failure of the castings. Keep up the great work and excellent reports again.

Last I heard Manby motorplex still had some Stollys in various states so some parts may be available from there; http://www.manbymotorplex.com/res_website.asp?supplierCode=mby100&page=for_sale

Re the Zil i never said it couldn't be driven on a car licence, only that you can't then carry any load with it. What others have said re the Daf also makes sense if you convert it specifically as a camper i.e. no load carrying capacity it can be downrated. I think the box has to be "permanently" fixed on the back though to stop you removing and using it as a truck to carry other loads.

Seems to be a good deal of it missing. i'm assuming it's original then and rot removed as I can't read German. Has enough metal been left in to be able to get it straight and square when repairing? Would it still be "original" once repaired?

I can offer some words of advice re the down-rating as I did my Bedford MJ several years ago. The word from the ministry then was that there has to be at least 2 tonnes of usable payload left after down-rating to 750kg GVW. This was fine with the MJ coming in at around 5200kg unladen. According to the weights on Whithams site the Day 45/150 is 6500kg unladen, so when downrated would only allow a 1 tonne payload. I suspect the ministry will not allow this as it is very likely to be exceeded, unless you get special permission. It certainly wouldn't allow much capacity for a box body without being back overweight, wereas an MJ would be fine. As to your other options. RB44, is it really going to give you any more room than the Pinz? Zil 131, never going to get it below 7500kg so your going to be relying on it being pre 1960 commercial, "used unladen" which means you can't even put your camping gear in the back. The simple solution by an MJ, there a good truck, bit of a plodder but solid and simple. Downside is only two people in the cab.

Great to see your collection all at one rally there. Did you have to drive them there in shifts, or did you get helper to take the remaining vehicle? Looks like the weather was too good to have the canvas canopies up on FWD and Dennis, they may be more appropriate up North were it's rained quite a lot of this Bank Holiday weekend.

Is there an entry fee for public viewers or is it free?

Can someone explain to me how it's going to help stop theft? Are we to assume that all theiving scumbags don't have bank accounts, and simply because they can't instantly spend the ill gotten gains down the pub they'll stop taking stuff? I only think it'll drive the entire process underground even more with all the illegal stuff taking place via a third party before being passed onto the legal scrapyards. What's really needed is more spot checks on the existing yards. I took some of my own scrap along recently and didn't have to provide any forms of ID, just asked my address and got the cash in hand, but I could've said I was Micky Mouse from disneyland they wouldn't have bothered.

Glad you bought it as that's the kind of daft project I would take on at one time. Is there no semblance of a cab to work with and repair or is it a lost cause? Do you intend restoring to original military spec or just using as an off road plaything truck trialler? If it's the latter, why bother with a cab just put a cage on and a few panels to keep the splashes off.