TooTallMike

I'm sure I discussed with Kevin that it had been made from a former snowblower when you bought it? That's why the sellers had fitted the GMC body to it as the original body was missing and would have been useless anyway as it was just a huge generator in a narrow box. - MG

Hi, Glad to see more Wards surfacing in the UK. If you're interested in some of your M1 Josephine's history I can put you in touch with the chap who restored her. I'm sure he'd be able to advise on where he got the marking from. It was the feature truck for M1 type in the old Tankograd book No 1001. Regards - MG

I agree, and we have seen plenty of incidences where the walker was so far ahead of the vehicle as to be an irrelevance, with people and vehicles passing between the two. Similarly we saw occasions where the tracked vehicle had stopped for whatever reason and the walker was paying so little attention to their task they carried on for some distance before even noticing. There is no point requiring a ground walker unless guidance is given as to good practise. Poor practise just shows itself up as being mere lip service to H&S. It is pointless to do something just so you can be seen to be doing it if it has no function or is inadequate. As I have said before on HMVF, the visibility out of a CVRT with the seat up is better than many vans and trucks and I will happily drive one on the road on my own. On the other hand there are plenty of big trucks, Stalwarts etc. where the visibility is poor. Generalising the requirement to tracked vehicles is misguiding - it should apply to vehicles with poor visibility - thus it becomes the operator's decision. Clearly the show marshalls should have input too if they deem it appropriate! Ultimately safe operation is solely the driver's responsibility. It is perfectly acceptable to rely on a ground guide or a commander but if you hit something or squash someone you will be the one in the dock, not the helper. The road traffic act still applies even on a rally field. - MG

Thanks, At a touch under £5,000 incl. the 40% that was probably a fair price. - MG

The market rate for an average restored WLF with a petrol engine in the UK is around £12k - £14. Maybe a bit more for a really nice one. Lots 8 & 9 both went for £18,724 and £15,789 respectively incl. the 40% and both need money spent to properly restore them. I am basing my comments on what is shown in the photos. Lot 8: M1A1. wrong front bumper, extra lights and reflectors added, wrong mirrors, missing pioneer tools, bars added under rear body, missing speedo. Est. £850 in parts to rectify. Lot 9: M1A1. running on external fuel tank (tanks are prone to rotting out), wrong tyres, missing Sirenlite, wrong air gauge, wrong speedo. Est. £2900 in parts to rectify. Lot 16 is an M1. I'd be interested to know what this fetched. Wrong cab fitted (this would have to be fabricated from scratch), running on external fuel tank, modified air system, wrong tyres, extra brackets and cable reelers added, missing spare wheel. Est. £7850 to rectify. There is no shortage of these trucks on the market so why pay over market rate? Hopefully there were elements not visible in the photos which made them more appealing. - MG

Thanks, I'd be interested to know what the two Ward laFrances and the Sterling wrecker went for? Cheers - MG

I can't see the final sale prices on the links given. How do I get them to appear? - MG

And with a whole section on this forum dedicated to the show they have bought, and which used to receive input from the organisers... With their fantastic digital marketing platform (whatever that's supposed to mean?) you'd think they would have posted updates on every hobby forum available, including the US-based ones and yet there's been nothing to my knowledge apart from, apparently, a motorcycle forum. It is their show now and they can do what they like but I think they may be underestimating the need for goodwill on the part of the exhibitors. - MG

All I would say is to go with your eyes wide open. There's going to be a lot of auction fever going on and from memory a lot of the vehicles, while externally very pretty, are not that great underneath/inside. Also the restoration work was of variable quality - for example there are considerable differences in terms of originality between the WLFs they are advertising and I'm sure the same will go for all of the other vehicles. - MG

Out of interest which forum was this on? I'm very disappointed he doesn't have a presence on HMVF and I don't think that's a good sign. I also note with sadness that the show's tag line no longer relates to it being a military vehicle show. - MG

So I have to spend hundreds on taking vehicles there, pay £10 (as an IMPS member) towards facilities that they are legally obliged to provide anyway, and my wife (non IMPS member) cannot even get in for free? Most shows offer free entry to 2 adults and 2 children accompanying a vehicle entry as standard terms. I'm beginning to think I might give this a miss for the first time since the mid-90s. Maybe I'll focus my effort on Headcorn and Capel, both of which are run by and for enthusiasts. - MG

Difficult to see from the perspective of the photo - is there an intercooler behind the radiator or is it just cross-plumbed directly from turbo to intake? - MG

Indeed. I was talking to a Land Rover mech at a party last night and he reckoned the last ones to have had actual hinges were early 2000's. After that they have a bracket which looks like a hinge. They still have a completely separate screen which can be removed with tools, but I think that's stretching the description of 'opening' to breaking point :-). - MG

In case anyone hasn't seen it there's another MUTT thread running alongside this one. http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?51986-V55-5-Euro-import-1973-Mutt-mayhem!&highlight=mutt - MG

Back to the MoT tester's manual... http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_510.htm Date is 1965 sorry. - MG

You do need them if it's post 1968. Just because his tester doesn't know the rules... - MG

Information regarding washers and wipers from the MoT testers manual: http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_820.htm As for what defines an opening windscreen I would suggest it should be one which is designed to open or fold. A Land Rover windscreen is designed to fold as it has hinges, regardless of what method is used to secure it up or down. I would therefore suggest that anything from a S1 to a latest spec Defender should be exempt from needing washers. Good luck convincing the tester of that though! With the older vehicles it is unfortunately very much up to the tester's interpretation. Note also that the tester is obliged to test the vehicle as presented so you can always lower the screen before you drive in. - MG

That's an understatement! - MG

Hi Steve, DVLA have a set of guidance notes to accompany the V55/5 which seem to be a well-kept secret, but if you get that it tells you a lot about what needs to be completed. You do not need to fill in anything other than the basics. The complex stuff like NOX emissions is only for more modern vehicles. Fill in whatever you can and leave the rest blank. If it is genuinely 1973 it will have to be registered as a a 'Historic Vehicle' and will be zero-rate tax. It is exempt from type approval due to age. It will need an MoT due to its age. You are entitled to drive it to and from a pre-booked MoT without registration as long as it is insured and roadworthy. For the MoT it will need front seatbelts and the rear lights will need to be sorted as the American arrangement of flashing is unacceptable. It is not too bad a job to re-wire to achieve this. Note that it does not require windscreen washers as the windscreen can fold down. - MG

Hi all, I've been informed that the reason some of us have received this email is that we have OGEL's for 'Historic Military Goods', rather than for 'Historic Military Vehicles'. 'Historic Military Goods' requires an annual return whereas 'Historic Military Vehicles' does not. I(We) obviously chose the wrong category in the rush to get this sorted prior to Normandy 2009. Why it has taken them 5+ years to notice we haven't been submitting returns is anyone's guess! Assuming you are only trying to cover your vehicle for temporary export the advice is to contact Spire to cancel to Goods OGEL and obtain a Vehicles one. - MG

PM sent. - MG

I've replied but even if it is a scam they aren't going to get anything out of me by phishing. Looks genuine though and if you Google the email address it ties up with Spire's site. - MG

I received the email this morning. Again I've not heard a thing from them since I applied for it it 2009 then suddenly a notification I'm supposed to have been communicating with them annually! It doesn't say much for their organisation if this is the first time we're being chased... Hopefully if they receive enough requests for replacement passwords they'll realise it's futile... - MG

Hi John, Sorry we got cut off the other day when we were talking about this. Mr Jolley's alternator kit is probably the most cost effective way of doing the alternator conversion. Notwithstanding other peoples' experiences we have had nothing but problems with (his and others') electronic conversion kits and I wouldn't bother with them any more. I would also fit an electric lift pump to avoid the churning over and over. If you're worried about the engine starting before everything is fully lubricated, note it will still have to rotate a few times before starting to actually draw fuel into the carb and you can always spin it with the ignition off if it's been sitting for a while. - MG

Same problem here too. I'll wait to see how you guys get on before I contact the clowns. If it's not a Ford Focus they just can't cope... - MG