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Bedford MWR 1943


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  • 6 months later...

Hi Luke

nice to see the photos of the truck what are your plans for the truck are you going to restore it to full MWR specification i see from some of your other face book photos it still has some of the features unique to the MWR ,the extra plank holding the hood frame ,the holes in left side of the body would have been the mounting for the rear dynamo control box ,hand throttle etc . Do you know what year it was built ,have you any of the original contract plates (there would be one on top of the dash panel and one on the body near those mounting holes i mentioned above )could you help with the following when you striped the truck down did you find any big braided earth strips connecting the various body components

I am currently researching the positions of the earth bonds on the MWR these were fitted to prevent radio interference the drivers hand book lists twenty three ,some are fairly obvious but most are difficult to work out any photos you took during the strip down may help though

Nick

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I will probably restore it to an MW for the time being in the hopes to continue with the MWR restoration over the coming years, on the plate its a 1951 REME rebuild to an MWR, doing the history with the number we had, it was formerly an MWD - a friend printed all the history that I currently have at home I will see if i can dig it out, I do know that there was a 1939 date on the radiator can't remember the manufacturer, hopefully this weekend there will be quite some progress, unfortunately restoring the vehicle started out well, sprayed most of the components, now the neighbours have complained "this hideous vehicle on the drive is ruining our close" (blah blah) even though I haven't made noise/annoyed etc, but they had me take down my temporary spray booth outside hence why at the moment the truck shows 2 shades of olive :(

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I will probably restore it to an MW for the time being in the hopes to continue with the MWR restoration over the coming years, on the plate its a 1951 REME rebuild to an MWR, doing the history with the number we had, it was formerly an MWD - a friend printed all the history that I currently have at home I will see if i can dig it out, I do know that there was a 1939 date on the radiator can't remember the manufacturer, hopefully this weekend there will be quite some progress, unfortunately restoring the vehicle started out well, sprayed most of the components, now the neighbours have complained "this hideous vehicle on the drive is ruining our close" (blah blah) even though I haven't made noise/annoyed etc, but they had me take down my temporary spray booth outside hence why at the moment the truck shows 2 shades of olive :(

 

Perhaps remind them that 'this hideous vehicle' and those that served on it let them live in their close as they wish :)

 

Truck is coming on well though, always enjoy reading a good restoration thread.

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The vehicle doesn't look that hideous, although it is hard to tell with that beautiful MW standing in front of it... ;)

 

trevor

 

 

;) thanks, The truck is sitting on quite an aggressive sloped driveway, fortunately the Dacia in 4x4 was man enough to move it... just

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Decided to change the colour as I already had 2 different shades of olive drab, one for the 2k spray and another for the brushable enamel, the colour that was supposed to match the 2K didn't so decided to repaint the engine truck in the new shade.

 

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Just ts the first coat of green so far, also need to reapply the canvas paint hopefully some nice weather to come

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  • 1 year later...

Apologies,

 

Loads of updates just haven't updated this thread -

 

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Before pics from 2012 when the vehicle was purchased off of Leeenfield on this forum

 

2017 pics from yesterday - invasion marking free - complete restoration from May 2012 - March 2017

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Interesting that your MWR was converted into an MWR from an MWD by REME in 1951. My own MWR has a WV3 rebuild plate which gives it an MWRxxxxx chassis number yet specifies an MWC contract so I wonder if a batch were rebuilt/converted into MWRs to meet a specific need for MWRs in the post war period as newer 15 cwt GS trucks came into service. I haven't stripped the stamped chassis number to reveal the prefix yet.

 

Some of the MWR furniture seems original but substantially rebuilt. I wonder if some of the other furniture dates from the REME rebuild as it uses the same wood as the repairs on the original bits.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Would be interesting to see yours Simon.

 

I managed to get the chigwell card and bovy card to show this was originally an MWR. Not so sure of the reme rebuild plate, but the 34 RD 76 corresponds to the original Z number from a contract from May 1941 with a completion in 42.

 

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Deposit has been put down on a rear MWR canvas to be made so hopefully in a few months that can go on.

 

Also, I have an extremely helpful friend making me a spare wheel carrier when he has the time :)

 

My stamped number on the chassis is prefixed MWR although now that I have trawled through the Chilwell list of B vehicle numbers, the contact is simply listed as Truck 15cwt 4 x 2 utility rather than specifying body types. The post war key card lists it as a 200 gallon tanker, notwithstanding the stamped chassis number, though. So perhaps it was rebuilt as a tanker from an MWR - who knows.

 

No clues on the card to its original Z number, simply that it was a rebuild from a YT number, the key card for which gives no further details.

 

Where are you getting your canvas from?

 

Following a chat at the weekend, I think I know who that extremely helpful friend is, but I've got to draw mine up first of all before he can start....ha ha

Edited by simon king
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