Phil P

I remember the late great Jerry Marshall racing a 5 litre Repco engined Ventora called 'Big Bertha.' I was standing on Woodcote when he totalled it in front of us. The engine etc ended up in a Firenza called 'Baby Bertha' that won more Super Saloon races than any other car. I believe it is still around 25/30 years after. I remember that Mk10 being for sale. I ran for cover because they were the most ill handling Jag ever made. Yep even worse than an XK120. I used to service/repair one. It would eat power steering boxes before we discovered that the relief valve in the new pump was jammed. Happy days? Phil.

There was a guy about 12 years ago who shared a unit with us who had a a Bedford SB crew bus that was painted yellow and was ex Boscombe Down and had all the various duties on the blind. I don't know what happened to it. I remember Leavesley International having several Chevette estates for sale. All black and ex Royal navy. I nearly bought one with a blown engine with the intentention of fitting the 2.3 engine, but 'er indoors told me I had enough jobs to do. (Usually involving wallpaper!!)Standard Triumph resumed production of the Vanguards after receiving and order from the MOD. There were a few Standard Ensigns in MOD service. In the late 60's whilst hunting round a scrap yard for an engine for a dragster we were building we came across an ex USAF Cadillac ('54 ish model) minus engine etc and painted pale blue. Phil.

Might be. I think I spotted one at the Midland Railway Museum Ripley. Some may have been given to the Birmingham Science Museum now called Millenium something. So they will probably gathering dust in the Reserve Collection a posh name for a storage facility. The best model built was of the the Royal Coach built for South African Railways. Absolutely stunning. The original coach built by the 'Met' had 24 carat gold plated door handles and fittings. The actual coach is in a museum in Jo'burgh. Or was. All the drawings from Metro Cammell were donated to the Midland Railway Museum. I believe it was 5 truck loads!! Some of them are mine. Poor devils. Phil.

Nice collection of cans. I have a WD can same as the the pictures but dated 1937 made by Valor and an Esso can dated 1943. I think Pratts Motor Spirit became Esso. Should have looked it up on 'Tintanet.' I have got a few British Jerry cans from 1943, '44, '45', '60' and '63. The 1944 can came out of a scrap yard near Tilly in 1994. It is mint and contained some diesel though it was more like grease. All for 8 euro's. I was given 2 'Americans' a few months ago one mint and one with a slight dent. There is a web site dedicated to 'Americans'. It tells you what all the markings are on the base. I thought that 20-5 was the date but apparently it's 20 litres 5 gallons. Phil

Yep saw that piece on the Antiques Roadshow. The 'expert' valued them as models or possibly toys only and not their historical value and gave some clueless reason for the actual reason being built, and it was obvious the guy who owned them had bought them for future profit and had never bothered or even been interested to do any research. I agree Degsy misimformation at it's best. Metro Cammell in Birmingham used to have 1/6th scale models built of railway carraiges and wagons (When it was a large contract or significant product) and had them in the reception and board room. They were made by Basset-Lowke. Where they went to I don't know. How many more MV models are there still about. Phil.

Yes I have to admit Tonka Toys for adults (Big daft Kids) is a passion of mine. I suppose that comes from serving my apprenticeship in a railway locomotive design office and then moving into a commercial vehicle manufacturers design department. In our workshop besides my Hippo and WC51 we have the 1952 Guy Tipper (still without a water pump) a 1947 Guy 3 ton dropside, 1953 Guy Otter furniture van, 1961 Guy Big J 6x4 artic tractor unit, (!963 Commercial motor show and built as a 44 ton unit)) 1965 Guy Big J tractor unit with sleeper cab (YES in 1965) 1953 Guy Arab coach with Burlingham Seagul body, 1953 Guy Arab Double Decker. Plus various other buses and bits. Phil.

Whats this Tony? addicted to spanners? Never, hand built by true craftsmen. The engine is a Meadows but there is a brass plate on the rocker cover that says it was manufactured by Sunbeam. Apparently they license built them for Meadows. Sorry I haven't any pictures at the moment Tony but I am doing a video diary of the rebuild. The chassis is on tressles after being shot blasted. Some of the cross members have been 'de rivetted' to make sure there was no rust behind to push it apart and then rivetted back. The rear crossmembere has had to be replaced. ALL the components are being overhauled or remade. Over £500 worth of ash is currently being cut and formed to rebuild the cab. The Hippo shares the unit/workshop with 6 Guy trucks and 2 Guy buses. The assasin (Leyland) parked with the victims and a Yank as referee, and all just 3 miles from where the Guys and Meadows engines were built. The Hippo did a towing job the other day. Everything else had failed to move the BMMO D9 prototype that has stood for 18 years in the corner but the 'Big un' dragged it out with brakes seized on on tickover!! Next restoration project, but not in our workshop. Phil.

We are currently restoring a 1952 Guy Otter 3 ton Tipper. Sorry it's not a green machine. It was discovered complete except that the water pump is missing. The engine is a Meadows 4ELA petrol engine. It is the belt driven variety. (Some were cam driven.) This engine was used on military generator sets. If anybody has got a water pump to fit this engine or knows where there is one we would be very grateful. We are not fussed if the seals or bearings are shot as we can repair it or we have a contact who can overhaul it, it just has to be complete. Phil P

Many years ago a Matador operated by a local garage and fitted with a Harvey Frost crane lost an offside front wheel assy with the result that it hit a kerb and rolled over killing the driver instantly and seriously injuring the other guy with him. It made headlines in the local newspaper. A couple of guys I worked with who had been in the Army said that it was known for Matadors to have front wheels come off. I had not got involved in Military vehicles then but the fear of a 'heavy' loosing a wheel has made me keep and eye on such possibilities. The Hippo front hubs obviously use a different system being a 6x4 but I do jack it up and check for loose hubs etc quite regularly. I was told for every hour you spend polishing you should spend another 2 checking. Phil

Well damm my best boots. You give the folks that make the stuff the full spec and they sell you the wrong stuff. That was 20 years ago. Must get it out quick. Modern EP 140 doesn't cause 'Bronze gear degerdation.' Not according to my supplier. It doesn't contain the additives that are reputed to do it. Still each to his own. All I know is they supply it to me at a VERY good price. That way I change my oil twice a year. Standing for a week after a long run at a week end doesn't help oil. You can get a build up of condensation. I'm probably wrong though! I do on average 2000 miles plus in a year. I maintain the Hippo on my own including tyre swaps and enjoy the 'Bigun as much now as I did when I first found it 25 years ago. Phil P.

Hi Fred. I ordered some 30HD oil from Stuart Lubricants in Wolverhampton and when it arrived it said HD30 on the drum. C600 is EP140 grease No3 was Shell Retinax A and Brake fluid No 3 is DOT 3. I have run my Hippo on these lubricants for 25 years. OK the engine has now been changed to a Cummins and runs modern multigrade but the rest is the same. The transfer box uses Hypoy 90. If you are still not convinced rind Stuart Lubricants and speak to there Tech Department. They are really helpful people and can provide you with Data sheets. 01902 877600. They also do MIL Spec oils and can convert the MIL Spec numbers to something understandable. I changed the Hippo engine after a rear main bearing failed. E173 engines were known for it. The Cummins came along with a 5 speed synchro Spicer 'box 40'000 miles for £700 pounds Delivered. It's got more power (35BHP) revs higher and the Hippo does 16MPG on the motorway at 45MPH. I have achieved 18.5MPG going to Dover. Phil.

That was my original point. Just like speed humps were thought up to slow down kids racing round housing etates. Everybody else suffers. It has no effect on the original offenders because the car they are using is probably 'knocked off' anyway. It is cheaper and quicker to buy a hand gun in a pub than mess about converting a de-activated one. I wouldn't be suprised if the Home Office doesn't make the owning of small machine tools illegal so that you cannot manufacture/convert guns in your own shed at home!! The problem is the rules are cooked up by politicians who are totally out of touch with reallity. Phil.

And I just thought these things were 'Tommy helmets'. The thick plottens! We had a customer bring in a tin hat in and asked us to drill a couple of 1/2" holes in it one on each side and then dent one in and the opposite side out to make it look as though a bullet had gone straight through. (We get some strange requests off customers.) He said he was going to walk into his local pub with it on for a laugh. Well we machine most stainless and tool steels with ease. That tin hat was something else. We 'blued' a few drills before we did it. Somebody no doubt tell me what it is made from. Oh yes it had a large brass screw in the top. Phil.

I understand that the large screw fixing on the top was military pattern and the small screw was the 'civvy' ie fire brigade /warden etc version. Mine is an ARP warden type (My fathers.) and that has the small screw leather interior and canvas chin strap. My mate has a RAF issue and that has the large screw. Hmmm Phil.

May I suggest that you don't ring up the DVLA and ask. If everybody starts doing it they will wonder why and look into it further. Then a ruling will be made and ya' can bet your best boots it won't be in our favour. Just accept that as Tony says at present you can drive Hippo's Matadors and 'heavies' on your car license if it has the necessary catagories on it. I have had mine 47 years ( I passed when I was 6 months old!) and has road locomotives and allsorts of things on it. If I had claimed 'Grandfathers' rights when HGV's came out it would have that on it. Sadly inspite of once driving a Thames Trader artic (There's a rare bird) I can't drive one now. The HCVC has been looking into the CPC situation along with FBVC and MVT but it appears to be a right and left hand comunication failure. One thing is for sure it won't favour enthusiasts. Phil. (Cynical old b......!)

Re Heyford at Cosford. It apparently crash landed and is possibly under the married quaters, though near the 'fire dump' has also been suggested. When the Aerospace Museum Society was formed some ..... years ago, there was some talk about doing a dig but as no definate spot could be identified it never happened. Phil P. (ex) Aerospace Museum Member 51. Hangar 529 Section Leader. Long time ago. Gave up....to much talk and no do!!

It was me that raised Dunblane as THAT is were the law making hand guns illegal came from and started the De-act debate off originally Phil. (It's not just Elephants' that don't forget!)

Interesting stuff about buried jeeps etc. About 10 years ago several Merlin engines were unearthed near Keele Staffordshire apparently still crated and re buried under what is now a housing estate. Under part of RAF Cosford airfield is a Handley Page Heyford. Photographs do exist of it being buried Apparently under the shopping complex where the Alvis factory once stood is the under groung store that was filled in with military vehicles still in it. Anybody in the area confirm it. A vet we where talking to only last Sunday told us of the Liberty ships in 1945 arriving off Singapore and unloading Jeeps, Jimmies Dodges etc and he loaded them onto barges took them out to sea and using one vehicle to push the others into the sea! And enviromental folks moan about us causing polution now. While I am on anybody hear about the 8F frieght loco's reputedly still in storage in the UK. Certainly several million ton's of coal are in store. Phil P

From my fading memory it was 2004 when the MVT was involved. I was at the MVT Council of Management meeting when the decision was made. So 2005 onwards it was SOE. Phil P

Tony the first exemption is a bit strange or is it me who can't understand what it says. I read the relavent parts in another publication but didn't spot that one. I did note that the course is fifty hours spread over a maximum of 5 years at £35-00/hour. That smacks of generating income for the Government. There's no point in getting a lawyer on the case. By the time they have read it through and checked it to make sure they can't be had for getting it wrong it will have been on the statute books 10 years! They tried the same with congestion charges. By the time men in wigs had read the fine print to check if it was constitutionaly correct it was in operation. Once there is an example it can be referred to in a court of law and used a guide. The men in wigs still get paid! Good innit?

I have discussed this at some length with a vehicle examiner at an HGV testing station. The vehicle has to be manufactured before 1st January 1960 and be over 3500kg GVW. WC51 Dodges just pass (Once described as close as having wet or dry canvas!) but WC54 ambulances DONT. They are not goods vehicles and so do not qualify. However the MOT test for historic vehicles is basically a certificate of fitness to be on the road. Tapley meter for the brakes, tyres legal, lights and horn work, steering steers etc. Emmissions are No visible or excess smoke. No dangerous parts or bits hanging off. The examiner said "The test is so basic if it doesn't pass it should not be on the road anyway.Take it to garage that has somebody who knows vintage or historic vehicles and knows what he is doing. Half the kid's doing MOT's don't apply common scence and don't read the MOT manual that explains it all." As for the Morris weigh it fueled and with tools normaly carried and add 750kg. If it's above 3500kg and manufactured (Not registered) before 1-01-1960 then it doesn't require an MOT. That is what the testing station said and that is in the MOT tester manual. Every Post Office has an 'MOT know all', I took 2 V112g's in to a Post Office and the 'Blue Rinse' behind the counter told me that they were not official documents and I had made them up myself. When I tried to explain I got "Counter number...." from the resident robot. I demanded to see the Post Master who eventualy came to see me. He disapeared and came back with a huge manual with a specimen of a V112G. She muttered something to him and he said, "You have to go to the DVLC office in Birmingham for a tax disc, Post Office's can't issue tax discs if it's MOT exempt." He wasn't happy when I called him a moron! A one mile drive to another Post Office and I was greeted with, "This is the third one of these I've had today!" A few minutes later I had two tax discs. You can renew on line even when it's free tax and exempted testing. I prefer the blonde at the local Post Office. Keep your eyes peeled for the 'Certificate of Proffesional Competance' that could make all preserved goods vehicles over 3500kg worthless ornaments. I believe the FBHVC is monitoring it.

Reenactors and MVT members turned out in force to Pete's funeral and 'Did the lad proud.' 4 Jimmies, 3 Dodges and 5 Jeeps followed the hearse plus many many reenactors in uniform The Church was packed with folks standing in the isles. Several tributes to Peter were made lead by Steve Chaplin and one of Peter's daughters. We laughed at the story of Pete's fencing exploites. He demolished a whole length of a neibours fence. He was later presented with the metal makers name plates made up into dog tags on a chain. Tears came to our eyes when his daughter said, "My Dad made my heart sparkle." The convoy then made the 6 miles to Lodge Hill Crematorium for the final service and tributes. The crematorium was full with even more people arriving. A fantastic tribute to a fantastic guy. We are much poorer for loosing him and so much richer for knowing him. Rest in peace good buddy. Phil.

Try Bob McCulloch at Classic Engines and Spares. He is based in Cheshire and does a superb mail order service. Just type in Classic Engines and Spares for his website and online order form. Nice bloke who knows his stuff. He supplied all the engine parts a couple of years ago for a pre war Morris Commercial truck. Phil.

Brooky I am amazed. The electronic ignition only acts as a switching medium. The HT spark doesn't build up and trail off again as in points but just goes bang for a very precise period of time. The problem with the Bedford rotor arm it is probably NOS and very likely is crazed or has aging cracks running through it. Dodges, Jimmies and J**ps etc have usually got repro parts fitted and don't suffer from aging cracks. It might be possible to adapt a rotor arm off something that they are still currently manufactured for. I don't know if that is a possibility I haven't studied it though saying that I know a guy who has just finished a 1935 Bedford 3 way tipper with a model 26 engine and has fitted a reconditioned dizzy on it. Did you check the air gap for the rotor arm to dizzy cap terminals. Did the rotor arm wobble and catch the terminals. It does sit on top of the magnet on the distributor shaft. I have no doubt you did check all these things but it is worth a second check. I remember trying to start a vehicle that when I turned the ignition on there was no reading. I tried the lights...nothing. Checked the fuses and all ok. I walked to the work bench to get my test meter and on the way fell over something on the floor. It was the battery bubbling away on charge!!Doh. It is a shame to blame the Jolley unit. Why not speak to Frank Jolley. My Dodge ran like **** with some NOS Champion J6 plugs because more spark went down the porcelain than down the conductor. So I binned them and fitted new NGK. Problem solved. The other thing is get your engine set up on a Crypton or similar. The problem will become obvious on the screen. ie the plugs and leads having a high resistance. It's the daft things that stop vehicles 99% of the time. Phil.

I must read these postings more thoroughly. The problem with shot blasting is getting the inbedded shot out of the surface. Soaking and pressure washing will remove a small amount. Ultrasonically will remove it all. Some engineering companies have the facillity but play safe and don't. If and when the shot comes free between the moving faces the spring will 'linish itself to death.' We built a big ultrasonic aqueous solution tank for a foundry that produces gearbox casings. Not small ones but mega size casings. They used to shot blast and pressure wash them and then decided to ultrasonically clean them. They complained to us that the ultrasonics had made the casting surface very rough. We said pressure wash one and then clean it in the 'sonics tank. We did a trial and then showed them the bucket of shot that the 'sonics had removed from the casting surface. That was why the surface felt smooth it was the shot acting as a filler. You can guess the words they used. It started with, "Oh...............! So don't shot blast springs. Use a good hard wire brush on the old angle grinder. Mask and goggles of course. If you live in the West Midlands go to Jones Brothers Springs. A pair of Dodge springs full refurb and reset for just under £100. Spend your time on something you can do easily. Trust me! Phil