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Some men are born MV enthusiasts and some have MV thrust upon them


alixcompo

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I probably am stupid but.....

Having bought a 1957/8 Bedford CA MK1 as a restoration project I now discover it is an ex Naval runabout.

 

I am aware that the rules of restoration are 1: Don't break anything and 2: Don't throw anything away. Now I can add to that, 3: Don't rub the paintwork down too hard or you can obliterate any previous serial numbers and hence history.

 

So where do I go from here? You are all Army vehicle types, armour plate and armaments with drab green in your veins.

Who cares about RN stuff then?

My missus was expecting two tone cream and maroon. How can I tell her that Navy blue will look great and that white lettering is historically significant

 

Is there some clandestine group who slink about at classic vehicle shows in a 'Naval Vehicle' area..?

 

I don't think that I have ever seen them. So where do old RN vehicles go if they don't float...?

 

Help

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Day 4 of 12 hour days and the old girl is definitely moving on. My lad is in charge Of painting and final prepping and I'm in charge of mending things, initial prep and making bacon butties.

When the boy finishes at 5 or 6, I start on the bigger repairs ready for the next day.

It's been so full on that my lad pointed out this morning that I had prep'd two drivers doors.. Oops. It happens when you're tired.

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This sorry item is the original N/S front wing. Two major bends and a deep horizontal gouge. But it was all good metal with very little rust; so it was indulged to several hours bashing and filling.

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But the graft is starting to pay off. I am very pleased.

 

War and Peace beckons, hopefully the van will be in one piece for Monday

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She is looking good. So much effort on something that really was just a mundane work horse. Though I'll bet it will end up as the star of the show. Wait till you get all the all the 'I remeber my first girlfriend and the back of a van ' stories. :-D

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I used to work as a Tonibell ice-cream salesman :-D in 1968-69 and the vans were mostly Mk2 CALZ Bedfords, which were CA Long Wheelbase chassis-cabs with bodywork by Morrisons at Botley, Southampton if my memory is correct, there was also a Picador Engineering Company involved somewhere.

 

Front axles we could get exchange from the local Vauxhall-Bedford dealer, Portslade Garages across the road, engines we reconditioned ourselves, dynamos were converted to alternators using the AC11 kit which was well before the ACR ranges that followed.

 

Wheel rims had a nasty habit of splitting open due to the relatively high weight of the vehicle, and when Plating & Testing was introduced it was a real panic to get them below 30cwt unladen which was the threshold.

 

4-speed gearboxes were available on the Mk2 chassis, heaters weren't fitted, rear axles were pretty good, brakes ditto. The gearchange linkage was crude but if oiled regularly it lasted. We did change a few of the pivot brackets on the chassis down on the driver's side though. The gearboxes were pretty bullet-proof considering the stop-start moring these vehicles did.

 

We had one old Mk1 in the depot fleet, driven by an old guy called Alf, that had a really old Taylor ice-cream machine from the USA, driven by an Onan CCK 3-phase genny. The newer ones had Carpigiani machines and Onan AJ single-cylinder engines running off LPG.

 

I had two vans, 207HCR and 548HCR, got out of the game just before I got married.

 

I've probably got some door hinge pivot balls in my toolbox still, and the driver's door opened at the front, no passenger door.

 

Generally, the CA was an honest van built at Luton (possibly Dunstable?) but victim of no underbody protection so they rusted like hell.

 

Peter

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Wow, you know your Bedford CA's. They were quite an advanced vehicle when they were first launched in '53, coil sprung front suspension with anti roll bar, 2 speed electric wipers etc etc. But if the spray gun didn't reach it then that part didn't even get painted.

Though there are only a few closed/box sections that's all it took for rust to take hold.

 

My one has survived rusting very well having lived in Malta for much of it's life but in those few closed body/chassis sections, damp still rotted bits out.

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Right; Just got around to my War & Peace report. This summer has been just manic and doesn't seem to show any signs of slowing down.

 

Having flogged myself to death to get the van in paint it was really well recieved at the show. So many people came to see me and then I never got a chance to find them again. I shall try to be calmer next year.

It seemed to amused a few that I was so paraniod over getting panel prepped for my lad to finish and spray that I actually prep'ed two passenger doors. Then you will be pleased to know that I also prep'ed 2 N/S wings.

I also cleared off the card on my camera, remembered the charger and managed to leaved the camera battery at home; and well, suffice to say there was a pile of stuff I left behind but fortunately remembered the beer.

On the morning we left the new registration arrived through the post from the DVLA so I was able to get some plates made up at the show. I bet they were the only ones they made all week that had an authorisation certificate with them. I had them made up in black and white of course.

While I have had the van running in the past it had never been driven for...? Probably for 40 years at least. So with the whole acreage of the racecourse to play with, how could I resist.

We made 3 whole laps and by the third we could even select 2nd without having to stop.!

Fuel was a bit of an issue on the ground that I had only brought a gallon, then had to fill the generator and whilst driving the van was running off that gallon can; so it is a wonder that it didn't run out.

I was chuffed to fnerk and prouder than a new Dad to be driving it. Folks were darting out to take pictures and everyfink.

The CA was so well received it made all the hard work over the last 18 months worthwhile. Had it occurred to me I could have put it in the pre 60's display area (which would have save an awful lot of walking as well) but we had no gas and couldn't get off site to buy some. I would also have had to clean the dust off the ol' girl and while I was trying to do that for the first few days, ultimately the wind changed right into our faces and it became pointless.

Every year I take my son Dean who is handicapped though it doesn't affect his beer consumption.

So being the responcible adult it was a little embarrassing to arrive in the Red Cross tent after my lad stumbled out of the jazz bar and badly grazed his knee. Despite refering to them as the RSPCA they were very welcoming and having explaing about falling out of the bar the asked if there were any other issues. I was forced to admit "Yes he is diabetic as well..... we should have eaten 2 hours ago but went for a pint instead.!

But we survived. Thanks to all the forum members who chatted to us and appologies for not being more social.

We had a great show and just can't believe that it is another year gone.

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Hi Alix,

great to finally meet you at War and Peace, sorry I could'nt chat more but my two little lads were being 'challenging'! The CA looks great, keep up the good work!

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I have a winter workshop (indoors at my daughters in exchange for major house conversions) and a summer semi outdoor area at my own place. These 2 are about 12 miles apart.

I realise that I am too old to be working outside in the winter these day, if I wish to preserve my fragile spine.

I was hoping to show the CA at the 'Great Dorset Steam Fair' but never recieved an answer to any of my applications.

Having made more progress than I expected too on the Bedford I decided to swop the vehicles in workshops as the winter project had stalled over the electrics

 

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As the next job on the CA is a quick engine overhaul I spent a day with my trailer and took the SEAT Panda Terra to my place and then if you can believe it nearly lost the CA off the trailer on the return journey.

Because it has the wheel spats at the back it makes it very difficult to get the straps over the rear wheels.

And so A: I just looped a racket strap around the rear axle (Which came loose)

and B: Forgot to put the handbrake on.

After about two miles I realised something wasn't right. Slowly glided to a halt. Checked the rear view mirror and the van was still coming. It had shaken off the front wheel straps and was loose on the trailer.

Fortunately it only jumped the front stops and ground to a halt on the front suspension assembly.

I jacked it back onto the trailer and all was calm.

So far it seem the only damage was when I had to jack the diff to get to back of the van across the trailer to unload. It is pressed steel and I cracked it, so now the winter quarters has a huge puddle of hypoid across the floor and I am in denial.

The wiring on the SEAT is still proving to be a barsteward. Typical Italian; lies in the wiring diragram, faulty components and wires changing colour along their route.

 

And I picked up another wierd and wonderful toy today. Ever seen one of these?

DSC01711_zpsd9d11258.jpg

 

Another SEAT Terra version but with a 1.3 VW Diesel fitted. The Nato Green is being readied as we speak

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Hi Alix,

great to finally meet you at War and Peace, sorry I could'nt chat more but my two little lads were being 'challenging'! The CA looks great, keep up the good work!

 

 

Yeah really good to meet up. I was a bit exhausted and overwhelmed. Looking forward to next year already

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I'm afraid the CA is on hold until the winter as other projects demand my attention.

 

However help is needed as I have fitted this item to the Seat Terra..

 

DSC01787_zpsb0d819a9.jpg

 

As yet I don't know what ammunition it takes or how to load it....?:-D

 

Liiks like you got the breach at the front there mate, unless you gonna strap it down and go for MAC1.....:nut:

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I know this is an old thread, but I found a pic of a Bedford CA in Malta in 1971. I's a Royal Navy one as well, although most of it is hidden by the naval personnel on top of it! Not yours I know, but I though you could add it to your collection. All I can decipher of the registration is 28 RN *3. Oh, before anyone asks, I asked the owner of the pic before I posted it.

 

Btw, what happened to the CA. was it ever finished?

 

Regards

 

Martin

Malta 1971 Lascaris.jpg

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Well despite having finished 99% of the exterior bodywork and driving the van around at last years War & Peace I have done virtually nothing to it since. I have sourced some bits of unobtainium and even got a set of 16" wheel rims (which I am refurbing as we speak).

 

Sadly I have been distracted by these

 

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The Bedford will be at W & P again this year and be more finished than it was last time.

The van and I are about the same age. There is no rush and we will stumble forward into antiquity together.

I antisipate my last words will be " I've just got to do ......... to the CA and it will be done....."

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She's looking really good. In Malta a couple have been restored, so at least they're starting to be appreciated a bit more. Too many ended up in scrapyards, after years of sterling service.

 

Good luck with it! Living in Malta, I might help with some unobtainum, so let me know if there's anything you need. It might take a while because I work abroad for weeks at a time.

 

Couldn't help noticing the front axle. Nothing that an hour with an angle grinder and a good wire brush can't sort out. I tend to do it when I have one of the MHVT vehicles off for an exhibition, and the front axle is covered in grot. Makes the front look so much better. Mind you, we have trucks, so the axle is a little bit more evident than the one on a CA!

 

The Seats are looking mighty fine as well!

 

Regards

 

Martin

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Oh you spotted the untouched axle. Yeah those upskirt shots can really embarrass an ol' girl.

 

Originally my plan was to try and turn the van around really fast but circumstances and the fact that I really enjoy slowly tinkering have meant that it has progressed in fits and starts.

 

My intention is to has it running and driving accepptably and then treat axles/engine etc as winter projects.

 

Thanks for you interest.

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Wow that is a long time since I last posted and it is the time of year where (to avoid the embarassment of not having done a thing since last year) I have a mad panic to improve the old jalopy.

 

As an update I got the van to the W&P rally last year and it was very well recieved. More to the point (as I was there for seven days) I actually got it running and drove it around for a bit.

It was running from a can of fuel next to the drivers seat, hot wired ignition and rear brake hose clamped off. After I while I was even able to select different gears without stopping.....!

 

 

While originally, my idea was a rapid rolling restoration. The plan was to see the chassis brakes and steering serviced into working order and the bodywork tackled at a later date.

So of course I got started on the body and.............

 

But in the main I discovered what a hobby is as opposed to all the obsessions and infatuations I'd had in the past. Somthing which I can enjoy immensly without having to get stressed over a timescale.

 

 

So it has been a bit of a journey. If that doesn't sound too soft. And I have recommissioned 3 other vehicles over the last year; though sadly not old commercials.

 

 

As I mentioned elsewhere, I have still been collecting bits. I finally managed to find a set of original 16" wheel rims. After spending 2 years to find a set I wasn't keen to let a shotblaster near them. They wern't exactly pristine, so, one at a time, I pickled them for a couple of days in my electrolisis tank, then rotary wire brushed them, gave them a coat of 'Aqua-Steel' then primed and painted them. It took weeks.

 

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This isn't actually one of the set but the principal of electrolisis is the same.

 

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This is a hub cap tree. I tried painting these body colour (as I believe they were originally) and the looked naff.

So white it was and I am rather pleased.

 

The full effect of the wheels fitted..........

 

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Lovely big wheels short little van. I love it.

 

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Sorry about the piece of Gaffa tape holding the rear side window closed but did you noticed the front door windows?

First set I have even had a sniff at in two and a half years. Cost a fortune. Fantastic

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