restoration New project - Mk 1 Knocker 6x6

[scotbb]

Thanks will do scott.

Hi Scott, if you have a look at my militant tanker restoration there is a wiring diagram I printed that shows the connections block on the back of the dash. It may help with your electrical issues

[ArtistsRifles]

Hi Neil,watching your restoration with great interest you are doing a great job,I have a similar problem with my Mk 1 militant fitted with an atlas crane,just removed the roof panel which as one piece round the cupola,mine doesnt have the mg ring mounts tho, but had gone at all the edges and i intend to rivet back a slightly oversize panel and weld back the retaining ring round the cupola.I will have to do a windscreen too as drivers side is broken,gotta find out where all the electrics go to as not sure,and nothing works!best with your restoration.scott

 

Thanks Scott All I have done so far though is get the old girl back to her new home, document the known issues - and fall off the back!! Could have done without the last bit - but such is life Any real work is yet to start!

[ArtistsRifles]

Rung Footman James today - got the OT removed from my policy and the Militant added. Total cost to me £32.21 - most of which was taxes :-)

 

So the old girl is now OK to take out on test runs and jollys! :-)

 

Yesterday I managed to find some super glue and tried reassembling the shattered indicator lever. A few pieces were missing so I had to use filler to make up the differences. I used some Milliput from modelling - but I think it had seen better days as it took an age to go anywhere near hard and is still easily marked with a thumb nail. However - at least I now have an indicator switch again.

 

Before paint:

[

 

After paint:

 

 

Not wonderful - but it's in one piece and from a distance doesn't look so bad. It will do until I can find a replacement. :-)

[ArtistsRifles]

Log book arrived today - complete with a prominent warning about the new taxation rules that mean sale of a vehicle cancels the tax! So I had a look on line at www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax and yep, it was untaxed. I've been told a few times recently that you cannot tax an MOT exempt vehicle on-line but I thought - "what the hell" and had a look. Punched in the reg num and the 11 digit V5 code and was pleasantly surprised to get a screen up asking to confirm the tax request. Clicked on accept and- lo and behold - I now have a zero tax Militant taxed and ready to roll on the roads!

 

Looks like DVLA's computer whizz's have got their act together and included the MOT exempt category into the on-line MOT look up that is performed as part of the tax application.

[Degsy]

Not sure how long online taxation has been available but I've been taxing my exempt vehicles online for quite some time.

[ArtistsRifles]

Not sure how long online taxation has been available but I've been taxing my exempt vehicles online for quite some time.

 

This is the first time I've tried an MOT exempt vehicle - the only other one I have is the UAZ and that only got registered last year, Which reminds me - that must be coming due soon too.

 

Went back over today with the car loaded with the Karcher, extension lead, hose reel, grinder and a generator with a can of fuel. Plan was to pressure wash the exterior to get all the loose crap off and vacuum out the interior of the cab to get rid of the mass (literally) of spiders webs that cover everything in sight and touch and then carry out some small jobs to finish off. Note that I said "plan was"!!

 

 

Having got there the bloody generator refused point blank to run!! Worked fine last week when I tested it - today the bugger would not have it!! So bang went the plans to pressure wash and vacuum her...

 

I got on with the smaller jobs instead. The repaired indicator switch lever was refitted and tested - works OK so that is that issue resolved. All the locks were soaked in penetrating oil and I managed to free off 1 of the tee-key locks and the padlock on the tool locker. I was hoping to find the airline for tyre inflation in there but sadly not. Do any fellow Militant owners know if this Bedford MK unit will fit the take off on the Militants inflator system?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bedford-MJ-Air-Line-Ex-Army-HGV-Tyre-Inflation-/272229507205?hash=item3f6224a085:g:5jIAAOSwLN5Wj~4J

 

The other two tee-key locks refused to budge so I left them soaked in oil and will have another go next week. I also managed to get up in the front bumper via a step ladder and got the pin holes in the roof taped over with duct tape That should save the inner roof getting any wetter and thus rustier :-) Tried removing the radiator cap by hand - wouldn't budge and I had nothing big enough to grip it and twist. Next week the tool box comes with me. (didn't think I'd need it this week!). :-)

 

The padlocks on the jerry can and oil can holders are so badly rusted I cannot get the key in so they will have to be cut off. I took a grinder in case - but again the recalcitrant generator stopped me doing so.

 

Two things I did notice - firstly the door handle on the drivers side is starting to slip making it hard to open the door. Feels like the square shaft might be rounding off but again I soaked it in penetrating oil - just in case. Might work. I think I may need to replace it though as none of the keys I have fit the lock

 

 

Inner handle works absolutely fine. The other thing that struck me was this on the bottom of the drivers door:

 

 

As far as I can remember these were only fitted to vehicles that had a hand throttle on the floor (tippers, tankers, winches) so why it's on a GS truck is a bit of a mystery!! Anyone care to speculate?? :-) :-)

Edited May 22, 2016 by ArtistsRifles

[militant-nick]

I've been zero rate taxing mine online since I owned it - Oct 2013.

[militant-nick]

Aside from its rest day, is that Aldi work zone gene any good? Seen them in store. Nice project you have there.

[ArtistsRifles]

Aside from its rest day, is that Aldi work zone gene any good? Seen them in store. Nice project you have there.

 

When it runs - which in fairness it usually does - its very good. Normally we use it at places like W&P to keep the caravan battery charged - which is what it will be used for once the Militant is on the road I think it was worth the money.

 

Mine now lives on a farm/stables a good few hundred feet from the nearest known power point hence why I wanted to use it yesterday

[militant-nick]

When it runs - which in fairness it usually does - its very good. Normally we use it at places like W&P to keep the caravan battery charged - which is what it will be used for once the Militant is on the road I think it was worth the money.

 

Mine now lives on a farm/stables a good few hundred feet from the nearest known power point hence why I wanted to use it yesterday

 

👍 Thanks, will look out for one when they hopefully have stock again.

[Zero-Five-Two]

Had a Workzone gene on our service van at work, and after several bad experiences with it the majority decision was to bin the thing and manage without.

 

The small lever "thingie" on the drivers door hinge allows you to open the door wider than usual, and I think, if adjusted right, it will lock the door open as well.

 

The radiator cap on my Militant gets stuck shut as a matter of course. I use a small copper hammer to tap it round when I want to check the coolant.

[ArtistsRifles]

Had a Workzone gene on our service van at work, and after several bad experiences with it the majority decision was to bin the thing and manage without.

 

The small lever "thingie" on the drivers door hinge allows you to open the door wider than usual, and I think, if adjusted right, it will lock the door open as well.

 

The radiator cap on my Militant gets stuck shut as a matter of course. I use a small copper hammer to tap it round when I want to check the coolant.

 

We must have been lucky with the gene then - till now it has been fine Never got a chance to sort it today - too much rain all day.

 

I remember the small lever on the door on our tippers - as you say it locks the door open so you could access the hand throttle without having to clamber up and down into the cab. Your tanker should have the same arrangement I think? I do not remember seeing it on the doors of the GS wagons I roamed around Germany in though - but that might just be failing memory. Right now I am having problem remembering how the hell the passenger door locked. I know the drivers door required a key like any other vehicle but I am damned if I can recall how the passenger door worked. Old age is a terrible thing

 

Thanks for the advice on the rad cap - I will add a copper mallet to the tool kit. It will also be useful for freeing off the clamp on the spare wheel steady.

General consensus is the MK airline should fit on the AEC's inflater so I have ordered one from eBay. Hopefully it will be here before next weekend and I can try it out on that soft front tyre. Also need a set of 3 padlocks - Squire 220's if my failing memory serves - for the tool, jerry can and oil can lockers.

 

What do you use as regards a jack and wheel brace for yours Rob??

I will need to replace everything once the lockers have had a good clean out and a couple of coats of paint. Including an Interstart Cable The Interstart is very low priority though. As long as there is a jack and wheel brace in the tool locker with some adjustable in a tool bag on one of the cab shelves she will be good for the road.

 

Looking her over on Saturday I am definitely leaning towards your idea of giving her a coat of paint once all the loose crap is off and going to a few shows during summer then come the end of the season sanding back the areas around the corrosion and patching the holes. I took a closer look at those taped seams on the roof on Sat as I was taping those two holes up - the back and sides are fairly flat and feel solid under the tape. The front edge is a different story though - there is quite a pronounced "raise" between the front of the cab (around 3mm) and the roof section and pressing very hard with a finger gets an ominous crunching sound.....

Edited May 22, 2016 by ArtistsRifles

[David Herbert]

Hi Neil,

 

Padlocks: It is relatively easy to buy them all to the same key - makes life much easier. Either buy a propper pack or do what I did and go through about 30 individual ones in a tolerent hardware shop and pick out all the ones with the key that has the same number - you can see it through the packaging.

 

Non starting generator: I have quite a few things with small petrol engines, both 2 & 4 stroke, mostly made in China and brought at insanely low prices. It seems almost routine that the original spark plugs die quite quickly, sometimes in a couple of hours of use. I go to B&Q and buy their standard lawnmower/strimmer one (probably also made in China) and they last forever! I have a small line-up of new looking but non functional original plugs that I have yet to think of a use for.

 

How is the leg ?

 

David

[GeePig]

I have a small line-up of new looking but non functional original plugs that I have yet to think of a use for.

 

David

 

Find a strip of steel, drill 12 holes in, roll into a hoop and weld, add a clock mechanism in the centre and insert twelve spark plugs in the holes to act as hour markers?

 

trevor

[Degsy]

Take up sea fishing and use them as weights:D

[ArtistsRifles]

Hi Neil,

 

Padlocks: It is relatively easy to buy them all to the same key - makes life much easier. Either buy a propper pack or do what I did and go through about 30 individual ones in a tolerent hardware shop and pick out all the ones with the key that has the same number - you can see it through the packaging.

 

Non starting generator: I have quite a few things with small petrol engines, both 2 & 4 stroke, mostly made in China and brought at insanely low prices. It seems almost routine that the original spark plugs die quite quickly, sometimes in a couple of hours of use. I go to B&Q and buy their standard lawnmower/strimmer one (probably also made in China) and they last forever! I have a small line-up of new looking but non functional original plugs that I have yet to think of a use for.

 

How is the leg ?

 

David

 

Cheers David,

 

I found a couple of vendors on eBay that do sets of220's matched to the same key. Hardware stores around here are a thing of the past - the likes of B&Q etc. have closed them down.

 

Good tip on the spark plugs - again we must have been lucky as this on e is about 3 years old and until now has worked fine. I guess, then, we were overdue for a failure!! :-)

 

Leg is not so bad - just sore but healing, What's causing me issues is the back where I actually hit the ground across and just below the shoulder blades - its rather painful to twist around and coughing really does bring tears to the eyes!! It will pass eventually though

[Zero-Five-Two]

Nothing original Military in the Militant tool kit, except the occasional crow's foot spanner that escaped when I did. Everything is standard commercial vehicle stuff.

 

12 Ton Bottle Jack, which came from fleebay, and some lumps of sawn up railway sleeper for jacking blocks.

5/8" Whitworth socket in 3/4 drive with a short extension and the longest crack bar ever to get the nuts undone.

Big crow bar for levering the wheel on/off

 

The tyre inflator on the timber tractor is broken so until I find a replacement I don't need an air line. Just out of interest, there was an original Military pattern one sold for £70 on fleebay last month.

 

Other than that, we just keep a small cantilever box on board with the usual selection of spanners, screwdrivers, pliars etc.

Plus a tray of jubilee clips, cable ties, harry black and so on, along with can of water and some spare diesel

 

One thing we do carry is spare belts. Pair for the dynamo, (C65's) and a pair for the compressor. I'll look the part number up for the compressor ones at the weekend

[ArtistsRifles]

Nothing original Military in the Militant tool kit, except the occasional crow's foot spanner that escaped when I did. Everything is standard commercial vehicle stuff.

 

12 Ton Bottle Jack, which came from fleebay, and some lumps of sawn up railway sleeper for jacking blocks.

5/8" Whitworth socket in 3/4 drive with a short extension and the longest crack bar ever to get the nuts undone.

Big crow bar for levering the wheel on/off

 

The tyre inflator on the timber tractor is broken so until I find a replacement I don't need an air line. Just out of interest, there was an original Military pattern one sold for £70 on fleebay last month.

 

Other than that, we just keep a small cantilever box on board with the usual selection of spanners, screwdrivers, pliars etc.

Plus a tray of jubilee clips, cable ties, harry black and so on, along with can of water and some spare diesel

 

One thing we do carry is spare belts. Pair for the dynamo, (C65's) and a pair for the compressor. I'll look the part number up for the compressor ones at the weekend

 

Thanks Rob - the belt numbers will be much appreciated. Luckily my Landie is also 24v so I am OK (at the present) for a set of spare bulbs. just need to get hold of a pair of headlamp ones. Toying with the idea of upgrading the head lamps though... Maybe 24v LED units - as my admittedly now dodgy memory is telling me the beam pattern and penetration on the originals was on a par with useless. Good for daylight running so other drivers actually noticed the rather large lump heading towards them on narrow roads but for night driving in unlit areas - no :-)

[Zero-Five-Two]

I've changed mine for modern 7" halogen units. New ones fitted straight in, much better

[ArtistsRifles]

I've changed mine for modern 7" halogen units. New ones fitted straight in, much better

 

I'll add that to the "to do" lest then :-) Low priority as the existing lights do work. Not sure about hi/lo beam as I need a volunteer to stand in front whilst I use the dip switch. Never did understand why they never had a high beam warning light fitted. One thing I do recall from days gone by was the number of times Militants were involved in night collisions with cars - usually side on -because no one ever saw them!!

 

One thing I do need to sort ASAP - the engine stop. When I lift the accelerator you can hear the engine slow but it will not stop. She has to be stalled out in 5th gear at the moment. Is there any adjustment on the linkage or is it likely to be the stop valve itself??

[Zero-Five-Two]

Near Side Back of the engine, there is a sprung swivel thing which has probably seized or the spring has broken. You can just about reach it under the engine cover, but the exhaust is in your way so need to look at it when engine is cold. Parts book may well have a diagram.

[ArtistsRifles]

Near Side Back of the engine, there is a sprung swivel thing which has probably seized or the spring has broken. You can just about reach it under the engine cover, but the exhaust is in your way so need to look at it when engine is cold. Parts book may well have a diagram.

 

Cheers Rob. Parts book did indeed have a diagram - I had a look through it today waiting for the garage to ring back about the Landies MoT (it passed OK). One source of frustration is the big red service manual has section R missing - which is the one dealing with the pedals!! It jumps from Q to S. However - I now think I know where to look with your advice and the pictures. Still trying to get the genny to run as without that I am kind of stuffed - I need the power to get on with the next steps of vac'ing and pressure washing.. If I can get it going tomorrow I will be back over there on Saturday.

[Zero-Five-Two]

Got a result there, then. Landie passes MOT that means more time available to spend on Militant, win/win situation

[ArtistsRifles]

Got a result there, then. Landie passes MOT that means more time available to spend on Militant, win/win situation

 

Sort of I get restricted to weekends - usually just Saturdays - as someone has to be home to look after our elderly dog. He has kidney problems so the vet fitted a catheter and he has to be drained every couple of hours. The hour plus drive each way depending on traffic limits the access to the old girl.

 

So - will be over there tomorrow. If I can get the genny to run I'll have a stab at the pressure washing and vacuuming. If not then I want to have a look at the engine cut off. try and get the horn working and see if the airline that came today will fit the inflator on the vehicle. And possibly have a look at the leaking air valve at the rear end, She's holding air pressure whilst running but as soon as the engine is killed the air bleeds off rapidly. If I have the time too there is the single stroke wipers to look at. They have to be turned on and off between every sweep.

[ArtistsRifles]

So much for the best laid plans Rain stopped play today Got up early to get over for a full day - and it was p*ss*ng down here. Things are such that I could not afford to risk £30 worth of fuel getting to the Militant in the hope the weather was better there. Rain did not ease off till gone 13l00 hrs at which time it was too late to head over - journey time is an average of 80 minutes - as I had to be back home by 17:00 to act as taxi driver.

 

Hopefully better luck next weekend!