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Was it parked somewhere behind that tangled mess? 😀

I have just discovered this thread. My grandfather George Thorpe was chief steward on the HMS Vandyck.I have his account of the bombing and his subsequent internment written in pencil at the time in a very small leather journal.As well as his account it also contains addresses of several men onboard and their wives.It is very interesting as to his take on what happened in the original bombing,and includes dramatic scenes of the struggle at sea to Bleik.If it is of interest to anyone I would be happy to write most of it out verbatim.

The last instalment of this tale left the workshop body reduced to floor level, surrounded by a plethora of decaying timbers. Today I'll describe the start of the reconstruction. We have tried to salvage as much of the original timber as possible. As built, the workshop body sat on two steel plate reinforced longitudinal timbers, 2½" x 6" x 12' 4" long. After a lot of ringing around we managed to find a sawmill that could supply these and our other requirements in English ash as originally used. The first job was to make these fit onto the chassis, boring clearance holes at regular intervals

We are slowly collecting parts and information for this project. The Thornycroft BT with T4 engine was not made in large numbers and shares very few parts with the post-WWI model (although the three speed gearbox appears to have been kept for a few years before the (very different) four speed gearbox was adopted. I identified this negative on eBay as being the same model so purchased it. According to the Thornycroft records this BT Box van was chassis number 1806 and fitted with engine T4-458. Period photos can be just as useful to restorations as the parts books and drawings.

Thanks Ted Its 22 years ago that the WOT was painted .I think it might have lost some of darker shades of colour over that time.I think .Micheal Starmer should had done a bit more research. Steve Shirley is having to find a new home for the collection & wasn’t happy with his letter. The WOT 3 was painted with the same light earth as the WOT 3 . As my paint supplier keeps all my paint No . But it does look a bit lighter T CORBIN

It did cause some head scratching when all the upward pointing fastenings were off and the heads still tight! However I removed side covers to reveal the studs you mention before being to rough to try shifting them. I will try John Walker as you suggest. Thanks.

Hi Dave, I'm sure the answer here involves the job they have to do. Both clutch and brake need to exert sufficient leverage to operate their respective mechanical contraptions. The throttle on the other hand, only works a linkage against a light spring. I think thats the reason for the comparative lack of stature.

I also cleaned up the rather dainty throttle pedal which has put in some service too. Some head lamp brackets were also dug out and cleaned up. These were cast from an original by Lanes of Middlesbrough some time ago. The castings are lovely, but are cast iron, which is probably not ideal for the job. However, they took a thread well and will hopefully do a turn. All of the above were given a coat of Bonda, and this is the last of the bits which were waiting for paint.

The pedal assembly fought off most of my attempts at gentle persuasion and it was, once again, Stan to the rescue, with the oxy acetylene The big guns did the trick and all the joints freed up nicely. The pedals are showing considerable wear from their former life in Australia.

this was before i did the work on the hull

the gpa has 4 compartments front this is in front of the wheels around the radiator centre this is under your feet and to the back wheels and two at the back either side of the prop tunnel and you have to pump them out by hand pump the i found some in the photo you can see the compartments the front of the gpa is at to bottom of the photo

were the two leavers for the pump and prop are on the out put drive there is a dog type cog this is the hand starter when you are in the water i have put it back to front will change it next week

I've still got the sand one. 👍

Dad is struggling and he lives next to it. I haven't seen the thing for seven months! Oh well. This forum keeps the interest going. Many thanks to all of our friends! In the mean time, there is just a little more progress. On top of the front springs is a bump-stop spring. Unfortunately, we are one short and need a replacement. It is a cussing awkward thing with a spiral coil at the top and a square one at the bottom, all bent from 7/16" wire. Beyond my capabilities so I contected the Tested Spring Company and they have made up the replacement. I sent them a drawing and the orig

A couple of pics in the sun today and my spare parts hoard.

I’m going for propeller but I really have no idea.

some more photos of the GPA for you can any body see what i fitted the wrong way around, frame finished and engine fitted anther day at the workshop could not resist putting the prop on all the best jerry

Evening All, Things are progressing steadily in the right direction but not as quickly as I would desire. I attached the light and the power plug in the turret, a small job but another one off of the list and I have been making the components for the turret rotation gearbox. The gear box now has it's attachment brackets welded on. I assembled the gearbox tonight, just to see how it all fitted, it's surprising how many parts there are and this isn't all of them. It all appears to fit ok, now I just have to machine all the key ways and make the rota

This is believed to be my Daimler in Pounds.

Hi Both. This is fantastic, it gives me a starting point.....I shall fettle away. Ron once I have experimented I shall let you know which length/s work best. Currently I am just piecing all of the bottom end engine components together to get ready to send them off for rebuilt.... I am slowly plodding on, the battery carrier is looking much more acceptable, not perfect but authentic I think is the word🙂 I am confident the battery will not drop out of it now anyway.

Hi all Heres some pics, Fordsons regs rupert

Some photos of my Green Archer, just split the rear wheel assembly for the first time in the last 20 years as been stood outside with the previous owner.

My Morris Commercial C9/B came from Harry Pounds

I wish I could do that unfortunately haven’t got a late to turn it on however today I struck lucky it’s not 1 miller although he may yet have one in Pieces either way I’ll try and get any parts he has least I can fit this till I can sort something out I know a of lots of people looking for Lucas as well as miler but I don’t need I will post on here

Robert, Are you saying that there were no War Office Fords that started production before or after 1940 ? If your interpretation were correct there would be W9T and W1T, W2T etc plus the equivalent WxA and WxC designations. David

Hi, That would be Harry Pounds Scrapyard, Tipner, Portsmouth.. And it was an impressive site (and sight). https://www.strongisland.co/2010/05/25/submarine-graveyard/ And, of course, they had a wide range of land based things of interest too. Best Regards, Adrian

The Pre-50 American auto club embraced US military vehicles from its start and collectors such as Pete Gray & Tony Oliver brought vehicles to the annual Rally of the Giants held at Shottesbrooke, nr Maidenhead Berks. To promote the show, the late John Carter would get the Maidenhead Advertiser to put a half page photo on their back page the week before the Rally. This is from August 1969, 3 wives of club officials perched on a Jeep: Pauline Burnell, Doreen Thorpe , & Linda Carter in the driving seat. The Jeep belonged to Nick Johns. There may one or two out there who will remember

Well what a surprise to see that old photo, my original Ford Jeep RPH 521 I paid £35 for it in 1967, alas it no longer survives, it was never the same after competing in the UK's first off road rally the Welsh Hillrally in 1971

So, I have been pondering for quite a while now about posting about my Commer. I haven't really got very far with its restoration due to work and lockdowns etc but things are moving slowly. I have posted before about the trouble we had getting her running, that took a long time and eventually we serviced or replaced pretty much all the electrical side and the fuel system. She now runs fine but we have trouble actually starting her sometimes, we find that the starter jams and we end up having to remove it to free her. Long story short, when the starter was out just before Christmas I

Nothing spectacular to report other than lots of loose ends to tidy up. Seat backs retaining straps folded up and painted. Drivers steps fabricated and fitted. Drivers floor frame made to determine pedal positions. Started to set out seat box with limited information available. Cracking photo in Bill Wards book of Daimler bus bodies laid up for the duration of the Great War .A bit of polishing has gone on under the bonnet.

Seeing as you mentioned the fantasy barn Rob, here is a list of actual and projected Millies that we expect you to get stuck into as time allows...... FV 11001 / 11002 : Ballast Tractor 10 ton General Service Medium/Heavy Anti-Aircraft 6x4 / 6x6.FV 11003 : Truck 10 ton General Service Crane Bridging 6x4 or 6x6.FV 11004 : Truck 10 ton General Service Tipper ( End Only ) 6x4.FV 11005 : Truck 10 ton General Service Tipper ( Three Way ) 6x4.FV 11006 / 11009 : Truck 10 ton General Service Fuel Tanker 2500 Gallon 6x4.FV 11007 / 11008 : Truck 10 ton General Service Cargo (14 ft / 16 ft) 6x4.FV 1

That is an absolutely outrageous monster of a piece of kit. You've just got to love it, but I'll bet it is hard work to operate with any degree of success too. Definitely one for the fantasy barn that is. Anyway, one at a time please, got to finish the Tanker first 😁 Pump is back together, turns quite nicely now too. Back on fixing up the chain cover, now I've restocked the welding gas New corners on the top half And start cleaning the bottom half Which revealed a few holes around the bottom drive sprocket area. Incidently

I don't know how people are feeling right now, not able to get out and about. So with time on my hands and to help keep peoples spirits up, I have decided to share some pictures of the restoration of David's workshop body. This first batch of photographs documents the dismantling of the remains. These first two photographs show the body arriving home July 2017. We had spent a day on site bracing the structure to make it fit for the journey. The tarpaulin was an added precaution; we didn't want to risk pieces of rotten timber being blown off, especially on the motorway.

About ready for some primer...

I am sure manufacturing veteran lorry parts is the perfect way to make a small fortune; I just need a large fortune to start with. The punch tool has arrived safely from Andy. Fortunately I have been given a flypress but I need to set it up somewhere. The weather was good this weekend so we have done a bit more work towards building a Smithy at the bottom of the garden. Hopefully we can get the other walls built and a roof on in the spring. When the weather improves it is nice to roll the lorries out into the yard to work on. Linking up the steering and brakes would make this easier

I lapped the valves in, although it hasn't done many miles since new valves, guides, springs. The engine is now built. Just the primary to do. I had a very frustrating half hour yesterday, trying to determine where the rear chain was clinking on the chain guard or mudguard. It's very awkward to see the complete chain run behind the tool box and pannier. Turned out to be the combination spanner that I'd left on the silencer mounting nut, pinging against the spokes on the other side....Doh! Ron

Some more photos of the springs in place with the lamp bracket on the other side.

Remember when lock-downs were still a novelty? Well, back in March 2020 this rather delightful little beauty appeared on our favourite on-line auction site. In response to the "Make and Offer" option an offer was made, which was promptly refused. The drill was subsequently bought second bid. A forum stalwart kindly took delivery and when free movement was once again possible (which now seems a distant memory) it made its way up country to Oxfordshire. Finally, after the 2nd lock-down was over, we were able to collect it. So we have a Silver Manufacturing Co. Advance No. 12 dri

Evening All, 2021, it doesn't seem five minutes ago that it was 1982 and I was leaving school to enter the big bad world and if someone had told me what a shit year 2020 was going to be I wouldn't have believed them. But forwards, onwards and backwards. On to the turret rotation gearbox and just to remind you what it should look like. The top section is the actual gearbox, the lower section is just a guard to stop things getting trapped in the gear that meshes with the turret gear ring. This is what the gearbox housing looks like in my world. The original unit rotat

Hi everybody just took delivery of this bedford QLT. I am going to restore it back to its former glory. Was hopeing someone might be able help me out with a fee questions? i have a copy of the key card which informs me its from the contract V4914 with a war department number of L559757. As you can see it has a different WD on the doors L4819720 can anyone shed some light on this? Will need some new tyres anyone know where i can get some?

For many restoration projects it's the small details that make a big difference; the Leyland workshop certainly falls into this category. David is very fortunate to have an original Austinlite switchboard but this is missing five out of seven fuses. Back in early March I sourced some Tufnol tube to make replacements however this didn't arrive in Bristol until long after I had scarpered. Now things are back to a version of normality that if not normal is becoming scarily familiar, I've found a few spare moments to start fuse making. "A picture speaks a thousand words" they say

my dad is the was the owner of that from 1999 -2009 the numbers match up and everything that we done matces it really looks sad for its self so please do get in touch with us so we can talk about where the poor old girl traveled

Could you please send me all the photos of the lorry please because my dad use to own one but we sold it and someone blew it up and i would love to see it again and hope its back on the road and if its the one you have i can tell you the full history of it all and the seats and everything