Richard Farrant Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 This photo (of a photo, hence the quality), shows a Martian being suspend towed by a Unipower Invader. I am looking at the Unipower front hub and it looks very much like Matador :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 (edited) The write up I have seen for it says Matador Axles. Caption to the picture on page 123 Of "Mud, Men and Machiners" Says Perkins V8 510 driving into 5 Speed Eaton, two speed Thornycroft Aux box, (it says Maudsley axles) elsewhere attributed to AEC Matador. Was Also available with fifth wheel York Big D. The one I have the picture of an Artic version, HLU 428K, which was new in 1971 to Cross of Southall, and passed on in ballasted form to Richard Burt, an earthmover near Towcester. An Alternative source says the Transfer gearbox was also AEC Matador. Edited January 25, 2009 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 (edited) This photo (of a photo, hence the quality), shows a Martian being suspend towed by a Unipower Invader.I think Unipower was one of the manufacturers vying for the contract that eventually went to the Bedford TM 4x4. Can anybody confirm this to be the case? In those days Unipower was not a manufacturer. The Manufacturer was Universal Power Drives Ltd, of Perivale. Unipower was a brand name for their products. Unipower became a manufacturer later when Scammell was taken over by a company who had aquired the name, and started to use it as a company name rather than a brand name for its products. To be honest Unipower/ Universal Power Drives went bust several times, has had many rebirths and has done many things including building its famous timber tractors, four wheel steer, four wheel drive dock shunters ( the Centipede), mid-engined sports cars, and I think again a light aircraft. I think it has been connected with A.C. Cars, also Alvis. It has built Fire engines also of course, and attempted to keep a number of Scammell designs in production, and service spare parts for Scammell lorries. U.P.D. was responsible for the design of the Rzeppa constant Velocity joint. Edited January 25, 2009 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thor698 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Is this the air wiper regulator you require ? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Stalwart-Air-Wiper-switch-No-Reserve_W0QQitemZ120365164628QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Other_Vehicle_Parts_Accessories_ET?hash=item120365164628&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 Finishes in seven minutes ! missed that one was in bed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 X 6 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 missed that one was in bed I was planning to suggest to Bob that he might like to consider using one of these regulators. All of the brass fittings that would allow a copper tube system to be built for delivering air pressure to the wipers can be bought in any/most marine chandlers. It's now, thanks to the Euro Weasels, illegal for caravan accessory shops to sell this stuff. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRASS-AIR-REGULATOR-AIR-TOOLS-SPRAY-GUNS_W0QQitemZ350105726775QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Air_Tools_and_Compressors?hash=item350105726775&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0911090 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekawrecker Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 In those days Unipower was not a manufacturer. The Manufacturer was Universal Power Drives Ltd, of Perivale. Unipower was a brand name for their products. Unipower became a manufacturer later when Scammell was taken over by a company who had aquired the name, and started to use it as a company name rather than a brand name for its products. According to my 1971 edition of 'The Observers Book of Commercial Vehicles',(foreword by Piet Olyslager), Unipower was a company; "Unipower Limited" of Aintree Road, Perivale, Middx This was also the case in the 1974 edition, and by the 1978 edition, AC Cars Ltd of Thames Ditton were the owners. Whilst I accept they were originally 'Universal Power Drives', by the seventies and the time of the vehicle I posted the picture of they were trading as Unipower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekawrecker Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 U.P.D. was responsible for the design of the Rzeppa constant Velocity joint. Are you sure Mike??? I know you are a knowledgeable chap, but I think you'll find a certain Alfred Hans Rzeppa, an engineer working for Henry Ford invented it in 1926, with a slight revision in 1936 (2 years before Universal Power Drives started trading in 1938) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 (edited) Are you sure Mike??? I know you are a knowledgeable chap, but I think you'll find a certain Alfred Hans Rzeppa, an engineer working for Henry Ford invented it in 1926, with a slight revision in 1936 (2 years before Universal Power Drives started trading in 1938) Hans Rzeppa was employed by UPD, I think he was actually a partner with Tom Powell when the company was set up in 1933 ( I have seen it written that Tim Powell, Tom's son gives this date as the founding of the company, so at the moment I will run with that one. "Stories of round timber haulage", Maurice Sanders, following a meeting between the two of them.), Rzeppa may have already have worked out the design, but certainly it was used in the EARLIEST Unipower timber tractors,because he was now with the company. I believe I am right in saying Unipower/ UPD were trading as Unipower Vehicles Ltd in the Early 80's under Peter Rotherhoe as M.D. I forgot to say that Unipower added tag axles to a lot of vehicle. Especially well known as the Commer/Unipower. Edited January 25, 2009 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 According to my 1971 edition of 'The Observers Book of Commercial Vehicles',(foreword by Piet Olyslager), Unipower was a company; "Unipower Limited" of Aintree Road, Perivale, MiddxThis was also the case in the 1974 edition, and by the 1978 edition, AC Cars Ltd of Thames Ditton were the owners. Whilst I accept they were originally 'Universal Power Drives', by the seventies and the time of the vehicle I posted the picture of they were trading as Unipower. I stand corrected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Are you sure Mike???I know you are a knowledgeable chap, but I think you'll find a certain Alfred Hans Rzeppa, an engineer working for Henry Ford invented it in 1926, with a slight revision in 1936 (2 years before Universal Power Drives started trading in 1938) I've just read that he was a Dana engineer at the time he invented it - but that was off the internet and we all know of course that is no guarantee of accuracy :-D Then again, was there perhaps a connection between Ford and Dana? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 http://www.thompsoncouplings.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=52 "In 1929 A. Rzeppa invented a constant velocity joint based upon the Bendix-Weiss principle, but rather than having interlocking yolks Rzeppa’s joint had an outer ring and an inner ring with grooves cut in each and six steel balls rather than four. It was noisy and tended to seize up however it was improved with advances in lubrication and also with changes to the angles of the grooves. It gained acceptance in 1959 when it was used in the front wheel drive of the famous Morris Mini and is today the joint that is found in all light front wheel drive vehicles. Like the Bendix-Weiss joint the balls in the Rzeppa joint skid in the grooves when the joint is operated at an angle and even with modern lubricants the wear rate and friction is high, such that the life of these joints is reckoned in minutes when used at any appreciable angle and torque setting." There are a lot of different answers out there in Cyber space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 "Based on a design by Alfred Rzeppa in 1928, Constant Velocity joints solved a lot of these problems." Here another one... http://www.bambooweb.com/articles/c/o/Constant-velocity_joint.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 The constant velocity joint was patented in 1928 by Alfred Rzeppa, it was designed for use in submarines, then know as "ball type universal joint". and another http://www.btinternet.com/~david.bailey19/constant.velocity.joint.page.2.htm Although some are more beleivable than others.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 This type of joint was invented in 1920 by a Dana engineer named Alfred H. Rzeppa… pick a date...it's a bit like hook a duck http://www.china-cv-joint.com/china/outer_constant_velocity_joint.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I've also got 1926, but how about this "Engineer Alfred Rzeppa patented the modern universal joint in 1934." https://www.justauto.com/article.aspx?id=85875&lk=np If this one is correct, and Rzeppa formed a partnership with Tom Powell to form UPD in 1933 then...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thor698 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I was planning to suggest to Bob that he might like to consider using one of these regulators. All of the brass fittings that would allow a copper tube system to be built for delivering air pressure to the wipers can be bought in any/most marine chandlers. It's now, thanks to the Euro Weasels, illegal for caravan accessory shops to sell this stuff. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRASS-AIR-REGULATOR-AIR-TOOLS-SPRAY-GUNS_W0QQitemZ350105726775QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Air_Tools_and_Compressors?hash=item350105726775&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0911090 Thanks for the suggestion - Bob is keen to get it back to as near original as he can - he is currently chasing up a couple of leads for parts. If these come to nothing I will suggest to him. Thanks for all your help its been great. If anyone hears of amything please let me know and I will pass it onto Bob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 X 6 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thanks for the suggestion - Bob is keen to get it back to as near original as he can - he is currently chasing up a couple of leads for parts. If these come to nothing I will suggest to him. Thanks for all your help its been great. If anyone hears of amything please let me know and I will pass it onto Bob. If it's the same type as fitted to the AEC Militant MK 1, on the very top, on the round knob that you turn to open the valve will be stamped.... Valve Pressured FV159964. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thor698 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 If it's the same type as fitted to the AEC Militant MK 1, on the very top, on the round knob that you turn to open the valve will be stamped.... Valve Pressured FV159964. if its the same as a explorer then yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thor698 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 If you have ever wondered what a martian convertable would look like here are the photos:rofl: This is Doughty bobs fire damaged martian minus the roof - the heat has done a pretty good job on it. Does the convertable martian look better:??? Not with our summers it doesn't !! Bob would need a wet suit :rofl: More pics of bobs restoration as I get them:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nptimber Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 The write up I have seen for it says Matador Axles. Caption to the picture on page 123 Of "Mud, Men and Machiners" Says Perkins V8 510 driving into 5 Speed Eaton, two speed Thornycroft Aux box, (it says Maudsley axles) elsewhere attributed to AEC Matador. Was Also available with fifth wheel York Big D. The one I have the picture of an Artic version, HLU 428K, which was new in 1971 to Cross of Southall, and passed on in ballasted form to Richard Burt, an earthmover near Towcester. An Alternative source says the Transfer gearbox was also AEC Matador. Front axle and transfer box are very similar to thornycroft nubian fire engine permanant 4x4 with air accuated diff lock in transfer box . Anyone got a spare motor panels cab Guy big j .Seddon 16/4 as cab on HLU428K is more holes than cab cannot start any restoration work until donor cab is found Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Front axle and transfer box are very similar to thornycroft nubian fire engine permanant 4x4 with air accuated diff lock in transfer box . Anyone got a spare motor panels cab Guy big j .Seddon 16/4 as cab on HLU428K is more holes than cab cannot start any restoration work until donor cab is found That one wasn't on your list of vehicles, on introductions and Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nptimber Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 That one wasn't on your list of vehicles, on introductions and Welcome! Sorry mike unipower slipped my mind as did Scammell crusader eka . Unipower hannibal . thames trader tipper . dodge w1500 4x4 (ex u.s.a.f) . Bedford T.M w/winch .Scammell S24 6x4 tractor unit. cannot think of anything else at the minute will have a look around yard at weekend !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 (edited) Yawn, yawn....When do you ever find time to go to bed? Edited January 31, 2009 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Martian picture taken by Peter Jones ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nptimber Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Yawn, yawn....When do you ever find time to go to bed? I live in the sleeper cab on the scammell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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