welbike Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Here some pictures of RE Fleas, they both were dugup in the Arnhem/Oosterbeek Area. First one and most complete one was found in 2007, and is now in the Oosterbeek Airborne museum. Second one I now own, and parts were found 2 months ago, in 2 different locations. Then some time ago 2 Norton 16H's were unearthed, have only a picture of one: Wheels in same rust colour are needed! Does this give a new meaning to the term "Rusty but Restorable" ?? Cheers, Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 There is an LRDG truck in similar state , discovered in 1982, in the Imperial War Musuem. That is unrestored but covered in a clear wax like stuff. Very evocative display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted November 4, 2012 Author Share Posted November 4, 2012 Tony, that is in much much better condition, (and not a bike!) here a picture. Cheers, Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Dat's De Beast! Be a good way to display one of the bikes though. Any idea what the coating is? Be intresting to have a 'distressed' vehicle to show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 wow nice. in vw beetle terms its the rat look . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Second one I now own, and parts were found 2 months ago, in 2 different locations. Does this give a new meaning to the term "Rusty but Restorable" ?? Cheers, Lex Is there anything left restorable? I guess if the frame stampings still existed, then the rest is parts :wow: I would be stoked to have a frame with such history, I could just imagine the before and after shots at a display. Whats is the plan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Is there anything left restorable? I guess if the frame stampings still existed, then the rest is parts :wow: I would be stoked to have a frame with such history, I could just imagine the before and after shots at a display. Whats is the plan? Hi Mike, No real plan, and not enough to restore! probably just conserve, and maybe attach it to a board for display. Already have a nice restored Flea, with some history, it was taken by a US 8th Air Force bomber crew, when leaving the UK for home, and they hid it in the B17, after the war one of the crew left it in his Miami FA damp cellar, where it slowly rusted the the rims away, untill I got it, and restored it, even the tyres were dated 1944, and one is still on it! Here a picture of the dugup Flea that is in the Airborne museum now, in it's dugup dropping cage! Cheers, Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Yep looks like the soil had a very low resistivity ... ok I lapsed into boffin speak it was really corrosive. A shame a serial number hadn't survived though. Mind you that would start the whole argument again about restoration versus replica.......... :laugh:. Anyway keep digging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 (edited) Yep looks like the soil had a very low resistivity ... ok I lapsed into boffin speak it was really corrosive. A shame a serial number hadn't survived though. Mind you that would start the whole argument again about restoration versus replica.......... :laugh:. Anyway keep digging Mike, I don't do the digging!!! there are limits to what my back can stand!! just having good contacts pays off I guess. I hate replica's so that's a "no go" for me. Cheers, Lex Edited November 6, 2012 by welbike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 the lrdg chevy is lucky to have survived so well as it spent several years in the now closed Grange Cavern military museum in North Wales stored in a damp disused mine,it goes by the name of Waikaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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