TooTallMike Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 This is a CVRT Spartan which will be restored over the next few months with a view to it being ready for sale at Beltring '07. It was acquired from Withams in 2005 and has been sitting sheeted since then while we got a number of other projects out of the way first. We've already put a gearbox in it and it's waiting for an engine and brake and steering cylinders. The resto will begin in earnest in about a month's time but for now here is a photo of the unusual marking found on the rear side. [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Very unusual markings - that cap badge hasn't been formally used since 1946 and Spartans never formed part of the MT pool of 21. Vehicles assigned to 21 carried no formal identification markings at all. Work that one out :-) :-) :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Ok so we didn't even start it before Beltring '07, apart from fitting the gearbox, only to "borrow" it to get our other Spartan going for Beltring, but now the dust has settled, the plan is to crack on with the restoration. Mike and I got busy last night and refitted the gearbox (again). We are getting very good at this(!) and it only took aout 20 minutes to get the box in and all fitted up. We did start with the advantage of the vehicle being a bare hull and not having all the decks fitted, but thats still good going. We also bolted in the bulkhead and started making a list of all the bits we need from our stores, which (unfortunately) are at another site. The next job will be to fit the engine, then get on with the rather daunting dask of splicing in a dashoard. A few of the CVRTs that were releeased from Withams had the dashboards cut out as this is quicker than removing the individual plugs. We have in our possession a dash which has been similarly cut out of a vehicle, so its simply a matter of figuring out which white wire goes to which white wire......and all the writing on the yellow id tags on the wires have worn off. :schocked: The vehicle will be for sale when it is up and running, so all of you guys that are hankering after a piece of (junior) armour, start saving your pennies now :-D First picture is of the gearbox "borrowing" procedure. Second picture is of the gearbox and bulkhead once installed. All the loose bits on top of the box are to remind us to fit them during the next session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Did you ever find out why it had the Artists Rifles badge on the side???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Did you ever find out why it had the Artists Rifles badge on the side???? No. We have not really done any research apart from posting on this marvelous forum. I will look up the military reg if i remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Today we finished fitting out the gearbox compartment. The fan and drive belts are now in, all the control rods are fitted, and we repaired the gearbox filter sensor. We replaced one of the steering pipe bulkhead unions (Mikes long arms have their uses) and fitted the water drain assembly. Lastly we installed the radiator and pipework, and this gave a good sense of satisfaction as the compartment now looked complete. Next job will be to install the engine (one we prepared earlier...) when the mighty Ward LaFrance returns to the yard. We rembered to clean and inspect the engine mounting holes in the hull, as they are helicoiled and can be easily damaged. Its no fun discovering this when you have fitted the engine and the one you can't see turns out to be damged :argh:. Yes, we have learned (and forgotten) this the hard way. Once the engine is installed, we plan to tackle the wiring- specifically the lack of a dashboard, which at some point was just cut out. The picture shows where the dashboard should be (and the shiny new batteries). I already started tracing the wiring last winter, now where did I leave the piece of paper I wrote everything down on?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Had a productive session this afternoon. Mike stripped, cleaned and fitted the fuel pump and associated pipework, secured the electric control box, battery cables and hydraulic resevoirs and also had a jolly good clen up in the front, including cleaning out all the blind holed where the hydraulic cylinders sit. He got to enjoy the nice weather outside. :-) I on the other hand, spent most of the afternoon in the darkish workshop stripping and re-building the steering and brake hydraulic cylinders. Anyone who has purchased vehicles, especially armour from Withams will know that due to being stored outside with hatches open, vehicles are generally full of water. This causes the hydraulic cylinders which sit under the floor in a CVRT to go rusty and sieze up. I had previously spent an afternoon stripping and cleaning the steering cylinders, which required honing out to smooth the bores. Fortunately they were good enough to re-use. The 3 hydraulic cylinders used in a CVRT are identical (brakes + 2x steering), and the seals are the same as used in a Land Rover series 3 master cylinder. Unfortunately, the Land Rover items (at only 30p....) cannot be used as the material specification is different, as the CVRT application uses mineral oil and not brake fluid. I could not find any seal kits a while ago, so I had some made at a specialist seal manufacturers. I fitted new seals in all 3 cylinders. The steering cylinder assembly can be tricky to set up as only one stick can be pulled at a time, unlike a 432. There is a detent between the steering cranks which prevents one from moving when the other is pulled, and the length of the master cylinder rod is critical as you need to have a minimal ammount of play in the cylinder. The difficulty is, there are back stops which are fitted to the vehicle floor, and I had to set up the whole assembly in a vice, while allowing for the backstops which are in the hull. If you get too much play in the steering cylinder, then when someone short (like me) drives with the seat in the forward position, the steering lever hits the seat when pulled and the vehicle does not steer! Fortunately I have set up several steering assemblies so am pretty good at it now, and it did not take too long. After fitting the steering and brake assemblies, Mike and I had a quick go at bleeding the brakes, but could not get a firm pedal. This is probably due to air being trapped in one of the brake flexi pipes. Anyone who has experiance of CVRTs (or Land Rover 101s) will know that they can be a right (insert expletive here!) to bleed. Being as it was getting near tea time, we did the sencible thing and decided to call it a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Keep up the good work !!! :-D Have you tried using a pressurized bleeding tool - like the Gunson "Eazi-Bleed" - for getting air out of the system???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Got a Sealy one. Doesn't fit in the confines of a CVRT though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Got a Sealy one. Doesn't fit in the confines of a CVRT though! Thats a bummer!!! The more I hear the more I'm convinced I actually got the right vehicle for me !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Took advantage of the good weather (and a friend who loves playing with wiring!) on Sunday. After only a couple of hours, we had traced all but five of the hull wires. The remaining wires do interior stuf,f and as the back is full of "valuable spares", requires clearing out to trace them. Looking at my wiring notes, I was amazed that I could still make sense of them. Thankfully I had written a key to understanding all the gobbldygook of numbers and symbols on the page. During the next wiring session, we hope to start connecting the cut wires of the dashboard to the cut wires of the hull...... A leading CVRT restorer who has spliced in a few cut dashes says it now only takes him an afternoon to do it. Its not so difficult once you get started. It's just a daunting prospect when you look at all those unmarked white wires, and becomes a job you keep putting off till later if electrics are not your favourite thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas pinkie Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 If you need someone to assist soldering in the Dash, give me a shout..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 If you need someone to assist soldering in the Dash, give me a shout..... Thank you Karl, will keep you in mind. Going to be a while off yet, as it all needs to be tested first, but only once the engine is in. That won't be done until the WLF is back on its wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 I'm still waiting to hear how a unit badge not used since the early 1950's is on the side of a modern peice of armour - that would never have been used by the unit now carrying the name and traditions on!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 Took advantage of the good weather today and installed the master control box, batteries and associated wiring. We now (in theory at least) have volts. This should make the dash installation easier as we can test things as they are connected. The master control box is a unit which was previousley fitted to our other Spartan, but it had a nasty habit of zapping lightning out of the front of it. We had a spare, so swapped it. I discovered the cause of this was the starter lead terminal connection was loose, and all the insulation was missing. Once the cover was off the box, I discovered that the adjacent positive terminal was also loose. I fitted a new terminal so hopefully this will cure it. Going to spend tomorrow tracing the last 6 wires which disappear into the rear interior, and take my vacuum cleaner to "freshen up" the driving and engine compartment of all the dried mud which accumulates in the driving compartment of an MV (even one that doesn't work!!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 seems endless I m sure but you do have measurable progress and a Goal . Until your on to the exterior When the more hands the better ,I can see that there is only space for one or two people to be working at a time. Great Photo's....on the master control box what is the tee handle on the left ? starter ? choke? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 That's the master power switch. I've been working on my Sabre this weekend, I should update my blog really too! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 What seems like a relatively easy job of fitting the control box actually took most of the day. if you are exchanging the unit on a running vehicle, it only takes about 15 minutes. Fitting bits like this on a project vehicle involves checking all the components, and a lot of cleaning up of plugs and contacts. You also have to spend time routing and re-routing the cabling so it does not chaff on anything. seems endless I m sure but you do have measurable progress and a Goal . This project has a definite goal- it needs to be done and sold to help pay for my wedding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 It a sure things that with all the attention to detail and the careful restoration Someone will Gladly pay you to become its next owner . Still its a shame to have to part with it . I think it would Look fantastic at the wedding as the newly weds climb aboard to leave for their honeymoon. If you tie tin cans behind the normal car what do you tie behind a AFV ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 AMMO boxes, the bigger the better. Barry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted October 15, 2007 Author Share Posted October 15, 2007 If you tie tin cans behind the normal car what do you tie behind a AFV ? small cars...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 If you tie tin cans behind the normal car what do you tie behind a AFV ? :whistle: Anything you like..................... :-o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 How Very True , plenty of power and you would neverhear the banging noise anyways !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Did some more on the beasty yesterday. Had a good clean out in the front with a vacuum cleaner, only for the mud to be replaced by leaves as it is parked beneath a tree. Had a tidy up in the back and decided to fit the rear bins, as they take up less space fitted than they do being stored in the back. Also fitted the rear door vision block and temporarily fitted the commanders set. This requires a new gasket as it is also the fuel tank inspection cover. I traced a few more wires too, only 4 left unidentified, although I am sure of the functions of 3 of them. I had a go at bleeding the steering and brakes as well, but this is a tad difficult by ones self, so i rigged an oil can onto a piece of tube and pumped oil through the system backwards. This seemed to remove quite a lot of air with minimum fuss. They are still not quite right yet, and will require fuurther attention when I have help. Anyone with CVRTs will appreciate that they can either be very easy or very difficult to get the air out of. Land Rover 101 brakes can be tricky too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 VERY TRICKY AND TIME CONSUMING TASK BLEEDING STEERING/BRAKES, I CAN REMEMBER BEING OFF THE ROAD FOR A WHOLE DAY WHILE 3 REME FITTERS WER TRY ING GET THE STEERING BRAKES DONE. BARRY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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