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Normandy or Bust


rampant rivet

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As I wanted to take the Norton over to France this year and my mate Bill wanted to take the Jeep we thought we'd combine the two :D its not long now to we get away to Normandy so last wkend Bill gave his jeep a re spray

 

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We hope to use this Jeep to tow the Norton / trailer

 

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Managed to measure up the drop plate today for the trailer and thanks to my father we now have rear stop / tails and indicators, we now have to fit the plate check all is ok then deal with a blowing exhaust pipe and hopefully all will be ok.

 

To be continued ...................................

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Good work. I think there's a flurry of activity in many garages in all corners of the world to get vehicles ready for Normandy. Our GMC is about to have her first road test in 18 months. See you over there :)

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I'm the same burning the candle at both ends to prepare my newly purchased Dodge WC 52 for the trip, despite it being described as a good running truck it was far from it and every day I find more jobs to sort >:( All the jobs are minor but I fix one and two more appear it seems a bit like painting the Forth Bridge :D Good Luck and see you there one way or another.

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I'm the same burning the candle at both ends to prepare my newly purchased Dodge WC 52 for the trip, despite it being described as a good running truck it was far from it and every day I find more jobs to sort >:( All the jobs are minor but I fix one and two more appear it seems a bit like painting the Forth Bridge :D Good Luck and see you there one way or another.

 

The GMC is back! All went well. Keep up the good work arcot, you've still got 3 weeks!!!

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My son and I are doing the same with the Jeep (hence the posting here of the mystery British Army stampings). As we were putting the unit markings on etc. he commented that this would have been happening 70 years ago, though we have forgone the waterproofing of the ignition etc.

 

H1HU

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The GMC is back! All went well. Keep up the good work arcot, you've still got 3 weeks!!!

 

Thanks, I'm working my way down an ever increasing list, take my advice never buy a truck off the internet without actually going to see it, I have some excuse it was in Holland :D Went today and now find the exhaust needs replacing ! It is starting to get tiring now :-D I wish I hadn't bought it so close to Normandy it is rapidly turning into a farce :help:

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the cubedmeister has added a new fan for the rad, breaks re tested and passed. Tonight saw the finishing off of the fuel gauge. However we are still waiting for 3 passports!!!!!!!! I'm ok but cubedmeister and cubelets might have to stay behind!!!!

How's everyone else getting on? Are we all on the same ferry? 8am out of Portsmouth (MVT main group)

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the cubedmeister has added a new fan for the rad, breaks re tested and passed. Tonight saw the finishing off of the fuel gauge. However we are still waiting for 3 passports!!!!!!!! I'm ok but cubedmeister and cubelets might have to stay behind!!!!

How's everyone else getting on? Are we all on the same ferry? 8am out of Portsmouth (MVT main group)

 

We are on the MVT ferry hopefully :D The Dodge continues to fight me I think it prefers life in England and maybe gets seasick ! Exhaust done, then the brake lights packed up they are now sorted I have left it alone for a day or two on the grounds it can't break down if I don't touch it ! I think it's ready but time will tell we have promised to take three friends otherwise my wife and I would be much happier taking my jeep it never lets us down :)

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We are on the MVT ferry hopefully :D The Dodge continues to fight me I think it prefers life in England and maybe gets seasick ! Exhaust done, then the brake lights packed up they are now sorted I have left it alone for a day or two on the grounds it can't break down if I don't touch it ! I think it's ready but time will tell we have promised to take three friends otherwise my wife and I would be much happier taking my jeep it never lets us down :)

 

I'm sure there will be enough trucks to tow you on to the ferry!!!!! It's only a short journey. As we only live 30 mins (or an hour by Jimmy power!) from port we are getting a comfy nights kip at home and meeting you at Portsmouth. Hope to get there early so I can film you all rolling in!!!!

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I'm sure there will be enough trucks to tow you on to the ferry!!!!! It's only a short journey. As we only live 30 mins (or an hour by Jimmy power!) from port we are getting a comfy nights kip at home and meeting you at Portsmouth. Hope to get there early so I can film you all rolling in!!!!

 

Mine will be the one with a RAC van attached to it :D Seriously I am maybe doing the Dodge a disservice it looks like it hasn't had a spanner near it since '45 but all in all it is a good truck struggling to get out or so my other half says :-) As I work my way through it I'm growing to love it in a perverse sort of way. I am sure by the time we are Portsmouth bound it will be firing on all four I MEAN SIX ! :nut:

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Mine will be the one with a RAC van attached to it :D Seriously I am maybe doing the Dodge a disservice it looks like it hasn't had a spanner near it since '45 but all in all it is a good truck struggling to get out or so my other half says :-) As I work my way through it I'm growing to love it in a perverse sort of way. I am sure by the time we are Portsmouth bound it will be firing on all four I MEAN SIX ! :nut:

 

Lol!!!!!! I'm sure you'll do it!!!!!!!

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After sorting the blowing exhaust gasket the jeep thing is now running badly GRRRRR :mad: we have swapped coil ,condenser, plugs and rotor but its still not right. It will start ok when cold and tick over ok but when driven and warm it runs roughly and does not like starting we are now thinking carb maybe ????

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Well the Dodge won, it isn't going to make Normandy, went for a final shakedown today and it overheated badly, as this took precisely ten miles it certainly isn't up to crossing the channel :cry: This has in effect ruined our holiday and caused my bank balance to plummet even nearer life support mode :D I have just removed the radiator which was a three hour job with a lot of seized and rusted bolts and will take it into the local radiator specialist tomorrow but I'm afraid it is too late to salvage our holiday. I was going to take the thermostat out but can't shift the bolts holding the housing to the head and have no gas bottles to provide heat. The whole experience has been a nightmare and I could gladly push the thing off the ferry halfway over :D I can't believe this has happened but should have known as every single job I ticked off the list another three were added. All in all a VERY expensive mistake NEVER EVER take the sellers description as the truth, go check it out yourself. The Dodge WILL make a good truck for someone but that someone isn't me that's for sure. My days as a Dodge owner are effectively over.

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Well the Dodge won, it isn't going to make Normandy, went for a final shakedown today and it overheated badly, as this took precisely ten miles it certainly isn't up to crossing the channel :cry: This has in effect ruined our holiday and caused my bank balance to plummet even nearer life support mode :D I have just removed the radiator which was a three hour job with a lot of seized and rusted bolts and will take it into the local radiator specialist tomorrow but I'm afraid it is too late to salvage our holiday. I was going to take the thermostat out but can't shift the bolts holding the housing to the head and have no gas bottles to provide heat. The whole experience has been a nightmare and I could gladly push the thing off the ferry halfway over :D I can't believe this has happened but should have known as every single job I ticked off the list another three were added. All in all a VERY expensive mistake NEVER EVER take the sellers description as the truth, go check it out yourself. The Dodge WILL make a good truck for someone but that someone isn't me that's for sure. My days as a Dodge owner are effectively over.

 

Oh no 😞 that's so sad. Are you not able to come over in a 'normal' car? Maybe a few days break from the dodge will make your heart grow fonder and you can start a fresh with her. I only speak as an MV wife but I know there have been times when the cubedmeister has come in effing and jeffing about the GMC! 😘😘😘😘😘

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Oh no that's so sad. Are you not able to come over in a 'normal' car? Maybe a few days break from the dodge will make your heart grow fonder and you can start a fresh with her. I only speak as an MV wife but I know there have been times when the cubedmeister has come in effing and jeffing about the GMC!

 

I have my Ford GPW and trailer which I would take anywhere and it has done Normandy before, but we promised a ride to three friends and the jeep isn't big enough. All in all a total mess and if I didn't laugh I would cry right now :undecided: I still have to tell them it's knackered. :cry:

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I have my Ford GPW and trailer which I would take anywhere and it has done Normandy before, but we promised a ride to three friends and the jeep isn't big enough. All in all a total mess and if I didn't laugh I would cry right now :undecided: I still have to tell them it's knackered. :cry:

 

Awwww big hugs ((((((arcot))))))

If they're real friends they will understand I'm sure. X

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Thanks, I'm working my way down an ever increasing list, take my advice never buy a truck off the internet without actually going to see it, I have some excuse it was in Holland :D Went today and now find the exhaust needs replacing ! It is starting to get tiring now :-D I wish I hadn't bought it so close to Normandy it is rapidly turning into a farce :help:

 

I bought my Saracen over the internet without having seen it (aside from a few short video clips, some pics and a chat with the owner), before having it out on the back of a truck for a 1200km (750 mile) cross country trip. Aside from him describing the tyres as "excellent" and me describing them as "average", I've been pretty lucky and very happy with it, with a few small problems and nothing major.

 

I'd love to be going to Normandy though, it sounds like you guys will be having a blast.

 

arcort1715; Take the wife and the Jeep and put out a call on the forum to see if anyone has the room to take in any of your friends. You'll have a good time and when you get back, you can look into the truck's problems - at least you know it has issues now, rather than finding that out in another country.

 

Cheers,

Terry

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I bought my Saracen over the internet without having seen it (aside from a few short video clips, some pics and a chat with the owner), before having it out on the back of a truck for a 1200km (750 mile) cross country trip. Aside from him describing the tyres as "excellent" and me describing them as "average", I've been pretty lucky and very happy with it, with a few small problems and nothing major.

 

I'd love to be going to Normandy though, it sounds like you guys will be having a blast.

 

arcort1715; Take the wife and the Jeep and put out a call on the forum to see if anyone has the room to take in any of your friends. You'll have a good time and when you get back, you can look into the truck's problems - at least you know it has issues now, rather than finding that out in another country.

 

Cheers,

Terry

 

Thanks Terry, I am trying to pluck up the courage to tell them I've let them down, not easy :embarrassed: I only changed from my Chevy G7107 to the Dodge as my wife is ill and cannot climb up into the Chevy rear anymore. Seems bad luck keeps on following us right now. Dave

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Tell them sooner rather than later, it's always best to get it over with.

 

As for your wife having difficulty getting in and out of the back, many of the people in our club carry small step ladders in their vehicles for the ANZAC day parades to help the old soldiers in and out. Seems to work quite well.

 

Cheers,

Terry

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